Hackney London

Its been 5 years since my last visit to London and its good to be back. Today we take a look at where I was born n raised - Hackney London and the surrounding areas of Dalston and Angel. We lived in a few locations around Hackney over the years. Schooling was in the nearby Stoke Newington and Leyton. This first photo is of Mare Street where the old town hall is.

The walks around Hackney today seemed so short and yet I remember the same distances seeming to take forever. I must have been that desperate to get out of Hackney ^^;

Voted one of the worst places to live in England, Hackney was a place that I didn't enjoy living in at all. My mum got mugged here 3 times already and was left unconscious with blood pouring from her head on one occasion. Ran to the hospital after getting a call and still remember her clothes covered in blood.

The council house that we live in had been falling apart over the years and the constant loud music played by the neighbors would shake the floorboards to make me feel even more like poo!

This time however, the council renovated our place so it felt like new - will take photos to show you ^^

I walk about Hackney over the past few days reflecting on the memories of the past. I don't have a hatred for Hackney like I used to many moons ago. Indeed without the environment that I was brought up in, I don't think I would be where I am today.

One of the things I've been enjoying about London is the great food - especially the bacon n egg brekkie with some toast n tea.

How about yourself - do you live in a country or city other than the one you was brought up in? How often do you get back to visit folks and was it a favorite place since childhood? Why did you leave?

Still need to prep the keynote for my talk at the University of London (SOAS) so will leave you here to wander around the rest of Hackney. If you have not registered yet then you still got time. Looks like just over 100 DC readers in the UK will join us ^^