Wapping

What Philip said. The Cable Street riots (anti fascists before WWII ) were just down the road; most of the area was badly bombed a few years later. You will be in the heart of what is known as the East End.

Hmmm. Wapping is a bit of a marginal area, some bits are very gentrified but there are still spots round there I'd hate to think of an elderly American wandering into. Get the exact address, and have a look at Google Streetview to see what the area looks like. If the area where the flat is looks OK, do keep some serious awareness of how your surroundings might be changing when you're looking around.

In a word, NO. Be especially careful if you found this listing on Craig's List. Many of these listings are scams, anyway. J.C. posted an article here a couple of weeks ago about someone being scammed that way. You may want to back through previous postings and read that. Besides, I wouldn't even walk through this area alone in the daytime, let alone at night. No offense to anyone; there are just many better and prettier areas of London. Especially if you'd like to visit a pub after dinner for a drink, and then walk back to your apt. or hotel. There are many better self catering locations in London, several through the London School of Economics. Try: www.lsetopfloor.co.uk/default.htm Better locations, safer, with a cafeteria on the bottom floor of some. I think you will be much more pleased with this. Check their website; there are numerous locations from which to choose; all good.

Gotcha! I often need to be saved from myself. Thanks. What's that series of novels about the M15 squad with the Irish bad/good man, the Wapping mobster/good guy, and the pain- riddled computer whiz? I guess I thought all the criminals had suffered personal epiphanies and gone to work for the government. Delusional.

Miff, For years the East End of London was the center of organized crime in London. Especially Bethnal Green, which is where the Kray brothers ran their criminal interprise. Do a Wikipedia search for"Kray twins" to read more about the kind of crime the East End used to be known for. The East End includes Wapping; it includes anything east of the old City walls. True, some new condos have been built in the Docklands area, but this (East End) is still in places a dicey area to be in. The Prospect of Whitby is a very old charming pub on the riverside in Wapping, so if you want to go to that during the day, have a pint, and then go back to town, that might be safe. It has become somewhat of a tourist trap. There are certainly better pubs in London in better neighborhoods to go to.

Thanks. I will read about the Kray brothers. And, Nigel, I will read about the Cable riots. Interesting. Okay, we'll stay in the West End. I'll go back to R.C. churches. So far, St. Etheldreda is my favorite.

Great documentary ("The End") about gangster culture in the East End. Some pretty scary types. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1323914/

Try some of the pubs in Wapping on a sunny Sunday lunchtime - I think you would be pleasantly surprised. Roger

"Wapping on a sunny Sunday lunchtime" Roger What is this "sunny" you speak of?

Why, Nigel - 'sunny' is when you wear your hankerchief on your head ;-) (ya know - to NOT match the black socks and sandals...)

Sorry Nigel - I should have given the WIKIPEDIA link for the benefit of midlands residents -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunny -- :-) Roger