Oh my gosh. Totally my thing! Visit in the spring or in the summertime, otherwise I’d imagine you’d find yourself in an abandoned area of run down baracks or housing projects, uninhabited boat wrecks, and closed eateries. In the spring and summertime, on the other hand, Hackney Wick is at its full blossom. Young people flood here to have tacos, pizza and craft beer over River Lee Navigation canal, seniors are kayaking and waving to the youngsters on the shore, others bicycle along the canals here. And some people actually live in their barges as if we were in Amsterdam, just the barges and boats look shabbier.

You can reach the area by the London tube (Hackney Wick station) but brace yourself up for a decent walk if you want to trail along the canals. I entered the area by foot from another district, passing by one of the parks on the way. The White Building welcomed us to the vibrant and vivid character of Hackney Wick. This craft brewery and pizza eatery is also a creative space for artists and musicians and you can feel how the young energy vibrates here as people flock here to hang out over a glass and at an event. Their delicious zucchini pizza and beer fueled me for further trail along the canal.

Travel: North East London | Eat: The White Building pizza | Experience: seating with the crowd by the canal and eating pizza, drinking beer - walking along the canal, watching graffiti art

Graffiti art is the trademark of the Hackney Wick's along-the-canals landscape as it manifests young hearts and minds in a creative expression of many artists who rejuvenated the district in the recent years. Housing has boomed here as well diversifying the population that lives in Hackney Wick as I passed by renewed buildings along the canal adapted for apartments that retained their industrial facade. Lots of local eateries along the canals and the colorful shabby barges add to the distinctive feel of this area.

What used to be one of the poorest neighboorhoods in London is gaining its revamping thanks to artists, designers and younger creative generation who rent their studios and flats here or just live on a boat.

I read Hackney Wick houses gin distilleries as well, one of them actually offers a treat by its owner who takes you for a boat cruise along the canal to chat about his craft (and makes you taste his gin on the cruise). This I save for another visit here.