Undercover in the urban jungle

Walking through London, you get a sense of identity in each place you visit, the kind of people who live there, whether its a place of fast-pace modernity or a place enthralled in its past, bridging the gap between the old and the new. Keeping up in our world is hard, I’m sure i’m not alone when I say I sometimes feel left behind, constantly having to jog to stay up to date.

I decided to do some exploring in London, my home city, to see what I could find out about some of its places, both old and new. One of my favourites was Canary wharf, not for its bustling nightlife or vibrant street scene (It would be silly to suggest there was one) but for its quietness and its sense of being different, a world of its own. Stepping off the tube at 9.30pm onto an empty platform, you feel almost completely alone, with just the drone of the escalators acting as a backing track to your adventure. The station has an eerie quietness at night, as if finally resting after the hustle and bustle of the day. Stepping out onto the street, you are surrounded by towering pillars of glass, but yet a feeling of complete emptiness. Its almost like being in a parallel universe, where you feel completely and utterly removed from everything you know, tackling an alien environment. There is no background tone of chatter, traffic, sirens, just an unnerving quietness, as if the place is insulated from the world by knights of steel and glass, piercing the night sky. Restaurants and bars hide behind the huge structures, mysterious, as if they’re secrets hidden from the rest of society, waiting to be found rather than screaming to be heard. Go at night, even if its just to wander the streets and take in the surroundings, or perhaps to discover a restaurant or bar. For an up-market, extortionately expensive dinner, I’d recommend Boisdale, a five minute walk from Canary Wharf tube, with the “worlds greatest whisky bar” and a cigar terrace. What more could you want? The restaurant has a scottish theme, with deep red tartan and mahogany panelling. The atmosphere is amazing, with live jazz performances and a menu of mouthwatering Scottish dishes, including game, beef and seafood. If you want a hearty haggis, like most of us do, then this is the place to be. Canary Wharf has earned its place as one of my favourite night-time destinations, although maybe not party central, its a refreshingly quiet area, a place to think and reflect, reflect being the operative word, the place is almost entirely glass…