Lower Place Changing Face

My next walk for the Old Oak Park Royal Development Corporation  tomorrow is fully booked! It helps that it's free and publicised by the Mayor of London organisation!


It's January 2019 and I've come back to this post to add some pictures which show the places we saw on our route. I took them in February 2018 when preparing my first walk for the OPDC. Preparing walks is a long process. It involves several visits to the area, approaching local businesses and organisations as well as doing research online, visiting libraries and going through my own 'archives'.
As requested, last December I organised a walk of the same area as in February so the route was quite similar. We met at Harlesden Station and walked to see the large two-piece mosaic before visiting The Old Sub-Station Makers.


This place has changed big way since a decade ago when I used to come to teach ESOL and NVQ to the agency employees at a big food factory that had replaced the allotments by The Grand Union Canal.

Even within these ten months between my walks, there have been changes at the OSS. Some craftspeople have left, others have joined this collective space. On both occasions it was a really good experience to meet the people who run it and those who use the space.


Now, these two pictures are very special and I hope you can zoom them in to find out about the lost community of Lower Place.

If you cannot do that, there is a remedy. Visit The Grand Junction Pub by the canal in NW10, Park Royal, London. This is where they were installed by the members of this community. One of them, born in Lower Place came on my fisrt walk and has been coming on the other ones whenever he could.

 Everyone knows that the London housing problem is dire so no wonder someone has arranged an outdoor lounge by the canal towpath.

 I was very lucky to have a personal tour of the Machine Shop studios. I also found out for them what was the original purpose of their premises! That was good fun and engaged a lot of people who used to live in Lower Place and Harold Wesley Estate. How so? Long ago I found and joined their group on social media!

I cannot add pictures from the popular Middle-Eastern sweet shop called Sweetland. We were treated to some baklava there!

Walk and talk with me!

There is beauty in old trees!

Hope you are well and that you will be interested to read my news. It's been a while. 

You may know I offer relaxing, informative and entertaining walks around different areas of London, especially of the borough of Ealing where I live.

For today, Sunday 25 November, I arranged a 2-hour walk from South Ealing Station which celebrates the local Polish connections. 2018 marks 100 years of Polish independence and I can tell you more about my home country and why so many Poles chose Ealing as their second home. We can stop by at the excellent L'oro di Napoli restaurant after the tour or take advantage of a half-price offer of tea, coffee or hot chocolate at the Five Sisters Coffee Shop.  The walks usually cost £10 pp, children come free but you look after them! 

Medical Aid For Poland charity shop 

Mr Mleczko opened his first shop in Shepherds Bush years ago and now his sons keep expanding the family business.

I don't think many people will recognise this interior 

Also, I would like to announce my next free OPDC walks. If you wish to attend, you need to register via Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/free-walking-tour-the-changing-face-of-lower-place-tickets-52611176445 . The other, 12 December walk of former Guinness Works, will be announced shortly.

Moreover, next Wednesday 28 December, at 11 am you can meet me at Ealing Common Station for a visit to the Polish Underground Archives which until not so long ago were a real secret!

On December 9th, Sunday, the meeting place is West Acton Station to explore the GWR estate and meet the vicar of St Gabriel's Church for a chat about the church, its history and architecture. There is hope for tea or coffee and a biscuit!:-) I love so much about this church, especially its history, the congregation and the blue painting which I'd love to show you!

Conway Pharmacy in West Acton 

North Acton Playing Fields

December 16th means meeting in a secret location (Private Message me for details) to explore another area of Acton on the way to Christmas Carol service at St Dunstan's, East Acton in the evening.

I am also arranging a walk from North Acton Station to visit KOLBE HOUSE in Hanger Lane (more Polish connections). This has to be on a weekday. If you are interested, please pm me.

If you have friends or relations visiting, feel like some sightseeing with a difference or would like to walk and/or talk, maybe learning English at the same time, just contact me and I will be happy to assist you.

Thank you for reading this and I look forward to hearing from or meeting you soon!

Nepali connection

Yesterday's Nepalese dinner was very traditional and we had a lovely time with the befriended family from Nepal, three generations of them. Harry, who is a maths teacher and a yogin, told us about his government job in the jungle in North India teaching at school to indigenous children for one year. His predecessor had been killed by some angry locals! The chief or king of the village commanded 15 or twenty, can't remember, armed people to guard Harry's house every night! Those people don't (or didn't then) wear clothes at all and live very simple lives. They eat lots of raw foods and know everything about the jungle.

I didn't take pictures yesterday. Instead, you can see a few from Nepal. Enjoy!

Nepali dinner

Nepali coffee

Exploring Nepal

Wedding ceremony in Kathmandu

Traditional Nepali wedding

Gunnersbury Park and Museum revamped

 First, I cycled around the re-done Gunnersbury Park. It felt good to be there again. The museum was not yet open but I could see the building. It felt soulless and un-authentic. Unfortunately, a visit to the museum disappointed me as well. Maybe I need to go again to warm to it?

On entering the building I was threatened but this light precariously balanced above the reception area which now looks like any other souvenir shop in any other recently re-done touristy places. It's become like yet another UK high street or a shopping mall. Soulless. Actually, it's not that I dislike this hanging lamp/illuminated wire/ strange neon as if from God's Own Junkyard in Walhamstow. I wonder if it was at all inspired by the huge structure hanging above you as you enter the Victoria and Albert Museum.