My day in Wapping

Written by Anna, a 46 year old Architect and resident of Hermitage Moorings in Wapping, London. Written on September 14th 2010.

Woken up by the wash of the first ferry passing Hermitage Moorings. What a gentle way to start the day. Opening the porthole next to our bed, I see the sunlight reflected on the river's water. Is the tide coming in or going out? After an hour of showers, breakfast and getting ready for work and school, we cycle over Towerbridge in the direction of my son's school. The Thames has become a sparkling ribbon, any movement in the water picked up by the golden ray's of the morning sun. It's very quiet everywhere, an unusual kind of gentleness hangs in the air. There's this autumnal chill, but it also still feels like summer. Like the slack between high and low water, I feel suspended in the calm between these two seasons. Once my son is safely at school, I cycle back to Wapping, where my tyres make a cheerful rattle when driving over the cobbled streets. I park my bike on the railings next to the old pub, above which I have my studio. A busy day ahead, but at least already enjoyed the start of it !