More London and Tower Bridge

A half day on the last Friday of the Olympics and I took a walk from London Bridge Station to see the Olympic Rings at Tower Bridge. To get there you walk through the recently developed area on the south bank of the Thames, called More London. Walking through the office blocks if you look back towards London Bridge Station you can see the full height of The Shard. Standing 309.6 metres (1,016 ft) high, it was topped out on 30 March 2012 and opened on 5 July 2012. The Shard is the tallest completed building in Europe.

More London includes the City Hall, a sunken amphitheatre called The Scoop, office blocks, shops, restaurants, cafes, and a pedestrianised area containing open-air sculptures and water features which lots of little ones were enjoying.

I have tried to find out what this is called but no joy so far.

The pedestrianised area showing the views of the Tower of London and Tower Bridge. 'The Scoop' amphitheatre is on the right.

Here is one of eighty-three fiberglass sculptures of Olympic mascots created to reflect their surroundings. The one-eyed cartoon mascots represent droplets of steel that was used to build the Olympic stadium. This particular statue, decorated to the title ‘Skyline’ is in front of City Hall. Wenlock is named after the Shropshire town that helped inspire Pierre de Coubertin to launch the modern day Olympics, and Mandeville is named after the Buckinghamshire town of Stoke Mandeville, where the Paralympics were founded.

Images on the fascade of City Hall

Tower Bridge with the Olympic Rings - an iconic image of London 2012

City Hall home to first Ken and then Boris.

Views off the Bridge - the North Bank...

....and the South Bank. The crowds on the left are at the Olympic Feastival on Potters Fields

A rescue boat went under the bridge, lights flashing, sierens sounding.

Beefeater Mascot - guess where?

The three masted barque Belem is the last 19th century French trading ship still under sail. She is moored at Tower Stairs just in front of Old Billingsgate which is being used by the French Olympic committee as 'Club France' their media hub and celebrations venue during the games.

The Millennium Bridge from the Thames Path. The bridge opened in June 2000 and famously wobbled!

The north end of the bridge with Tate Modern on the South bank in the distance.

The view of St Pauls Cathedral rom the approach to the Millenium Bridge.