Foiled Plans, Shoreditch and Whitechapel

Thursday, 24 May, 2018

What a crazy and too-warm day I had! After starting out so late yesterday I decided that I’d make an earlier start to see the London Hospital Museum. It’s been on my list for just ages. I took a quick look online for the location, decided where to have lunch, and added the Citizen M Hotel into the mix since the lobby concept looked interesting.

I started from Dalston Junction, a short bus ride from here and after three stops I arrived at Shoreditch High Street Station.  Hard to remember what it was like before this line arrived in the area. So convenient and a pleasure to ride.

Dalston Junction station
Dalston Junction station
Arriving at the cavernous ticket hall at Shoreditch High Street Station
Arriving at the cavernous ticket hall at Shoreditch High Street Station
Outside, a cornucopia of colourful street art
Outside, a cornucopia of colourful street art
Redchurch Street, eerily quiet
Redchurch Street, eerily quiet

I had decided to go to Dishoom and try their signature dish, black dal. It’s my second visit, my first being with my friends Mylene and Michele a couple of years back. This is billed as Indian street food. There’s a big effort to make the place look like somewhere in India, with lots of attention to detail in the fixtures, furnishings and ambience. Since I’ve never been to India, I can’t say how authentic it is.

Verdict – that black dal is fabulous. There were spices that I couldn’t quite figure out. Definitely one to research and make at home! I also had bhel, which I thought would be a refreshing contrast to the spicy, creamy dal. The drink is a sweet and salty lemonade. Perfect choice! £15 later…

I left Dishoom and headed over to Shoreditch High Street to find the hotel. I searched and searched. I had the address, I had the map, I even had the voice GPS on and, even after two complete circuits of the small block, I could locate neither a sign nor an entrance. It’s a mystery! I’m a bad map reader but this is ridiculous and way too time-consuming, so I headed for a bus over to the museum. At least I saw some nice art.

Pretty diverse art at the back of Great Eastern Road and Shoreditch High Street
Pretty diverse art at the back of Great Eastern Road and Shoreditch High Street

If I was frustrated by not finding the hotel, I was due for more confusion. After first not finding the street with the museum because I was talking on my phone and not focussed enough, I then couldn’t find the museum anywhere. I looked again and again. It’s supposed to be in a church between Newark Road and Stepney Way. I could find no such thing. This puzzled me no end but no amount of looking or checking turned up anything that resembled a church or signage for the museum. There were, however, some original buldings around the hospital – reminds me of childhood. I was getting warmer and sweatier and on my third circuit, I headed for the bus home. Foiled twice in one day!

Old homes around the new London Hospital
Old homes around the new London Hospital

I’ve looked at the map at home since, with a cooler head. I think I may know what I did wrong. I’ll try again in the next week or two.