How Different is Central East London to the Rest of the East? E14 Girl Ventures Further than Canary Wharf

One afternoon a couple days ago, I decided to talk a walk along the Thames Path around the Isle of Dogs and I found myself looking at all the scenery through rose-tinted glasses. It was as if the neighbourhood I lived in was a country town, where each part, whether they're underprivileged or not, are beautiful in a way.

(We can see multiple famous London landmark, let me know if you can spot them.)

What we think of the Central East

I asked the Isle of Dogs and Canary Wharf community on Facebook what they thought of living here, concerning scenery, people or cost of living. Around 77% said they enjoy living here, 8% went the other way saying no, and 15% said that 'it's complicated,' eluding to the fact that there are just as many positive aspects as there are negative aspects to this place. Some responders clarified that they preferred the quietness of the decade before. Even though I haven't lived here for very long, I believe that it is now a sweet spot between tranquility and active life…

Moi, je crois que c'est une balance aimable entre la sérénité et la vie active…

The water, the boats, the homes and the skyscrapers come together effortlessly into a quietly supportive community. The water somehow shines of life, boats and offices work hard and routinely to maintain London's reputation without a hint of self-awareness. The houses and the people that live in them seem unpromising but beautiful at the same time.

Maybe it's because of that day's weather. It's definitely warm for February after the cold days of December and January, but the 16ºC of that one day had me thinking it was Spring already. There was sun, flowers, everywhere and I couldn't wait to start celebrating summer. I want to receive some sun ray, have a beer or pick flowers.

(The aquatic atmosphere from the Thames gives London a holiday appearance. You can discover more about the Thames here –> https://thamesriversightseeing.com/about/thames-history/. P.S. you can see the Shard again here.)

Or maybe it's down to such different people living in this neighbourhood. You can see some wearing boots or sandals, families, young people or workers. I ask myself what would happen if I start a discussion with each of them. The young women would be on their way to take some photos by the river; the family of three kids have fun in the park, throwing balls and running around; the guy with the sandals would tell me that he has to go up North and return straight away.

I have been living here for a month and a half now and I have discovered that a lot is accepted in this world: everything is normal, everyone works, has fun and understands one another. I end up thinking the Isle and the Wharf are, in a way, like Europe.

What I discovered when visiting East Ham

Life is very different here. It's not stereotypically 'classy', but I can't complain: there is an abundance of eastern culture and the streets are alive. I believe it's not a bad start in my discovery of the East – it's right in the centre, as well. There's kind of atmosphere of confidence in East Ham, the residents know exactly what they're doing in their daily lives.

Everyone works – whether it's selling their products, walking their children to school or grocery shopping, everything is done peacefully. It seems quite poor here, but each and every aspect of life works in a rhythmic routine that, I don't know how, blossomed. The area is full of little, authentic clothing or jewellery shops; Indian, Sri Lankan and Romanian cuisines; and places of worship. I found that there is much fewer bars around here – or alcohol in general, for that matter – and I have the impression that these types of East Londoners might prefer to enjoy life in sobriety.

If I were to give this place just one word to describe it, it would probably be 'lively.' On first impression, East Ham might give you 'rough' or 'tacky' vibes but actually, everyone seems to appreciate the life they live. You might have heard of the word 'kitsch' which essentially means tacky but in and artistic sense, but in reality, this 'kitsch' culture brings a lot of comfort – the brilliant colours, the 2000s fashion, the stock markets. They have a very human feel to them. There is so much beauty in slight imperfection. It seems that everyone is accepted, religious or not, no matter where you're from; I'm inclined to say that whoever pioneers of this neighbourhood are, they are proud of their culture and might encourage more exposure.

I came here with my housemates to try some Indian/Sri Lankan food at Royal Chef and I felt like I teleported to Eastern Europe, the Middle East and South Asia at the same time, on a holiday with all these colours and all the sun. I remember having been to Sri Lanka years ago on a family holiday and being here reminded me of how it was such a friendly, active place, being content with little.