Yesterday I went on a long tube journey right the way across London. From the farthest West on the Metropolitan line at Uxbridge, right to the farthest East on the District line at Upminster. I've never been that far East before, I nearly had a nose bleed!
It struck me on the journey how many allotments I passed on the long 3 hour journey. About every mile or so there was an allotment next to the railway line. Bums in the air all over the place! it was a fantastic sight to see. There are lots of us out there. Does anyone know the reason why allotments are found alongside railway lines? I grew up on an allotment in Boston Manor, just next to the Picadilly line towards Osterley and where the M4 goes under the tube line. Think of me next time you drive past.
Anyway, back to East London. I most highly recommend you take a trip to Queens Market (see web link) which is just next to Upton Park tube station on the District Line. This covered market is open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 9am to 6pm and the variety of fruit and veg, meat and fish is a stunning sight to see. London Borough of Newham has a high immigrant population and therefore the market caters for everyone! I LOVE MARKETS! Piles of Scotch Bonnet chilli, mountains of okra, bundles of calalloo, plantain, edoes, breadfruit, not to mention the butchers shop selling goat meat, alongside anonymous bags of chopped meat marked 'curry meat'....??? Beef tripe, cows feet, boiling chickens, real mutton, smoked sheeps heads (they looked at me as I walked past...I'm sure) boxes of ripe mangoes, huge foot long papaya... really, really cheap prices, fantastic sights, sounds and smells. I love living in London.
This is, in my mind, the equal of Borough Market. Highly recommended.