Thames Day 2: Battersea to Lambeth Bridge...

The next bridge was Vauxhall, a steel and granite deck arch bridge which opened in 1906.

Little did I know when I took this photo of a tourist’s unusual outfit, that masks would be much more than a fashion statement just a few months later.

Four statues, depicting such disciplines as Science, Fine Arts and Architecture and each weighing two tons, were installed one year after the bridge opened, only to be seen from the river banks or river itself.

We couldn’t pass under the bridge due to a big construction project surrounding the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS or MI6) Building, which you might remember from recent James Bond movies. I was so intimidated by the incredible number of surveillance cameras around the building, that I failed to take any photos as we skirted around the impressive building.

The next bridge was Lambeth, built in 1932, with the first glimpse of Victoria Tower at Westminster Palace, built in 1860.

Just before we reached Lambeth Bridge, we stopped for lunch at Tamesis Dock aboard a converted 1930s Dutch barge.

It was cozy inside and the food was affordable and yummy.

It was also pretty funky, which was a nice change from the usual pubs.