The apartment is a two-storey maisonette (AKA a split-level apartment or duplex) and it stands on the top two floors of a four-storey residential block. Being at the top, we get all the light and the air from sunrise to sunset.
The kitchen is spacious and well-equipped. Cooking is a hobby of mine.
The room is blissfully quiet and comfortable, with a luscious view of the communal garden below and the verdancy beyond. There is ample storage space, fast wi-fi (and a LAN connection), and mobile phone signal.
A new bed with a comfortable mattress.
A desk.
We're well-connected with bus, rail, and the underground (the Tube) nearby.
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Our little town is known as the Royal Standard after our local, a handsome Victorian pub, that serves good ales, continental lagers, and fine food. There's a Marks and Spencer's Food Hall for your groceries and all the shops and takeaways (fish and chips, chicken, and Turkish Kebab) you would expect to find.
The area is wealthy, and the apartment is on a quiet tree-lined avenue, St John's Park. There is a wide-open heath (Blackheath) at one end and a Gothic Victorian church, St John's, at the other. Beyond the heath is Greenwich Park (a Royal Park) and the most beautiful and interesting of all the many parks in London.
Our part of the world is a hill that rises from the banks of the River Thames to a commanding position overlooking London at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich Park. The view is breathtaking. And the observatory is home to the meridian (where east meets west) at zero degrees latitude, GMT Greenwich Mean Time (where time begins).
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Greenwich Village (The Royal Borough of Greenwich) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its contribution to science, architecture, and art. It is the most charming location with a deep-rooted history in maritime trade (the Cutty Sark) and the Royal Navy. It was once the home of King Henry VIII and the birthplace of his daughter; Queen Elizabeth I. Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson was laid to rest here in the Painted Hall when his body was returned from the Battle of Trafalgar.
Historic Greenwich Market is the place to go to for outstanding arts and crafts and street food from all over the world, including Great British fish n chips, and London's traditional pie and mash. And jellied eels.
And on top of everything else, Greenwich is a university town, hosting the University of Greenwich and the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance.
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Blackheath village, at the bottom of the open heath – a place steeped in history (a royal wedding, rebellions, and the Black Death) – is a picturesque village sporting pubs, restaurants, and a railway station into London.
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• London must be the easiest city in the world to travel around.
• North Greenwich. Jubilee Line (gray) runs all night on Friday and Saturday and until around 11pm during the rest of the week.
• Bus No. 335, 422 and 108 from (Bus Stop BA) Royal Standard to North Greenwich – to catch the Jubilee Line (gray) tube into central London and the West End.
• Bus No. 52 and N52 (night bus). From Parliament Square or Elephant & Castle (tube station) to right outside our door. Perfect for getting home after a late night out on the town.
• Bus No. 386. From Royal Standard to Greenwich (Cutty Sark).
• Blackheath station – overground – to London Bridge, Cannon Street or Victoria stations.
• Maze Hill station – overground – to London Bridge.
• Westcombe Park station – overground – to London Bridge.
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Some tube (underground) lines run all night. Check TFL for details.
Get the Transport for London (TFL) app for maps, information, and journey planning. London Transport staff are very helpful.
Visitor Oyster Card for travelling in the city.
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Check out these sites for the full picture.
• The Royal Borough of Greenwich Tourist Information Centre.
• UNESCO World Heritage Site
• The Painted Hall
• The Royal Standard Pub
• Greenwich Market
• The Old Royal Naval College
• The Cutty Sark
• National Maritime Museum
