South Bank – Don't Gel Too Soon

Repost – Best of Don’t Gel 2009: Loving London

That old rascal Samuel Johnson told us that when we were tired of London, we'd be tired of life
I know it's summer when any city is inviting but this week is cool and
bright and breezy and London is full of British school groups and kids
from everywhere else too, and we have an apartment right in the middle
of Covent Garden (well NOT the market, God forbid, just the
neighborhood) and our older son and his new wife are only 40 minutes
away and we have friends here, too. So how could we be tired?

What you see here is the view from Waterloo Bridge (and yes that's St. Paul's Cathedral in the background.) This morning I went out and walked all along the , over where the trees are, then crossed a bridge just out of view on the right and returned via South Bank,
London's wonderful (relatively) new arts and museum area. My entire
walk was around three miles and I'm realizing that it's much easier to
do the walking when there are new things to look at, not just the old
neighborhood or, as lovely as it is, Rock Creek Park.

The wonder of a great city is that it's always changing, that even the most
trivial journey is full of surprises. On my way home tonight I came
across a group of teenagers – one of dozens of groups we've been seeing
ever since we got here. The reason they're all sitting on the sidewalk
is that they're exchanging addresses and spelling them out – different
nationalities, different spelling. Kind of an EU photo.

Of course there's lots else going on here. Huge waves of immigration, the
wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, what looks to me to be an appalling
amount of youthful alcohol consumption and unemployment all take their toll. There's something about the
place despite those issues though. The day after the2005 subway bombing that killed 52 people, Londoners got back on the train and went to work. They did that all during the Blitz as much of the rest of the world watched them face down Hitler almost alone.

Cities are supposed to change. That's what makes them exciting. Even so,
London has seen more than its share: waves of immigration that have
transformed it, an early history of wars and fires and plagues,
contemporary royal scandals and of course the "troubles" between
Belfast and the rest of Ireland and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
After all, who would have believed before it arrived to help celebrate
the Millennium, that there would be a ferris wheel right in the center
of town? They call it the London Eye to
make it sound fancy but it's still a ferris wheel, here in same town
that has a real live queen living in a real live palace? It's pretty
amazing.

I'm
thinking that while we're here I can try to get past some of what I've
written here and learn a bit of what it's like to truly live
here. It's got to be different from wandering around with no need to
be on time or face the traffic or crowded mass transit and infinite
numbers of tourists and, incidentally, deal with what appears to be an
enormous amount of alcohol consumption – especially by men. I'm hoping
to keep you posted as I make my way. I hope you'll come along.

Last Day in London, for Now, and What Did I Find?

This bench sits along the Thames, on the South Bank, between Waterloo and BlackFriars Bridges. It’s a nice bench. Since we leave London tomorrow I had my last walk along the river today. And it gave me a gift

I walked around it, to sit down and say goodbye to the river, the bridges and London – found this:

It’s been a lovely time. We fly in the morning. See you on the other side.

Hooray for Justice Sotomayor but I’m in London SO Let’s Look at These

You’re going to love Borough Market, right across from the London Bridge Tube Station and just off the Thames.

Amazing olive bread

Do you believe these? Gorgeous! (My favorite picture)

Well,that’s that. Here we go out, take a left and hit the Thames River Walk. It was a lovely day.

Lovely London Day 5

Yes, those are polka dot trees, adding a little color to the South Bank promenade from Waterloo Bridge down toward Parliament. I’m loving these walks although with the Sotomayor hearings (not carried on the BBC, at least in the cable systems in this apartment, (which doesn’t offer CNN either until evening), I feel pretty cut off from home. I’ve chosen just to go with it though. It’s so lovely to work for a while, spend an hour walking along the Thames, then return, take a shower, read Wired while I eat lunch and then work once more, and it’s only five weeks, so I’m just going to enjoy it.

For now, here are a couple of others photos from today’s wanderings.

You know what this is, but it’s fun to stand across the river and see it right before you.

This is a sanctioned skate park with permitted graffiti and it’s right along the river in the showcased, artsy South Bank area. I tried to catch a kid on one of the ramps but I had only my phone and not my camera and it just wasn’t fast enough.

See you tomorrow!

London Bridges, Kids, and Ferris Wheels

That old rascal Samuel Johnson told us that when we were tired of London, we’d be tired of life. I know it’s summer when any city is inviting but this week is cool and bright and breezy and London is full of British school groups and kids from everywhere else too, and we have an apartment right in the middle of Covent Garden (well NOT the market, God forbid, just the neighborhood) and our older son and his new wife are only 40 minutes away and we have friends here, too. So how could we be tired?
What you see here is the view from Waterloo Bridge (and yes that’s St. Paul’s Cathedral in the background.) This morning I went out and walked all along the Embankment, over where the trees are, then crossed a bridge just out of view on the right and returned via South Bank, London’s wonderful (relatively) new arts and museum area. My entire walk was around three miles and I’m realizing that it’s much easier to do the walking when there are new things to look at, not just the old neighborhood or, as lovely as it is, Rock Creek Park.

The wonder of a great city is that it’s always changing, that even the most trivial journey is full of surprises. On my way home tonight I came across a group of teenagers – one of dozens of g The wonder of a great city is that it’s always changing, that even the most trivial journey is full of surprises. On my way home tonight I came across a group of teenagers – one of dozens of groups we’ve been seeing ever since we got here. The reason they’re all sitting on the sidewalk is that they’re exchanging addresses and spelling them out – different nationalities, different spelling. Kind of an EU photo.

Of course there’s lots else going on here. Huge waves of immigration, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, what looks to me to be an appalling amount of youthful alcohol consumption and unemployment all take their toll. There’s something about the place despite those issues though. The day after the 2005 subway bombing that killed 52 people, Londoners got back on the train and went to work. They did that all during the Blitz as much of the rest of the world watched them face down Hitler almost alone.

Cities are supposed to change. That’s what makes them exciting. Even so, London has seen more than its share: waves of immigration that have transformed it, an early history of wars and fires and plagues, contemporary royal scandals and of course the “troubles” between Belfast and the rest of Ireland and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. After all, who would have believed before it arrived to help celebrate the Millennium, that there would be a ferris wheel right in the center of town? They call it the London Eye to make it sound fancy but it’s still a ferris wheel, here in same town that has a real live queen living in a real live palace? It’s pretty amazing.

I’m thinking that while we’re here I can try to get past some of what I’ve written here and learn a bit of what it’s like to truly li
ve here. It’s got to be different from wandering around with no need to be on time or face the traffic or crowded mass transit and infinite numbers of tourists and, incidentally, deal with what appears to be an enormous amount of alcohol consumption – especially by men. I’m hoping to keep you posted as I make my way. I hope you’ll come along.