All quiet in London Town
Sep 4th 2003, 3:27 pm
#1
Here in Dunedin
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2003
Location: Dunedin
Posts: 1,975
All quiet in London Town
Well this forum seems to have gone dead today, so I thought I would start something off for a change. Might also warm Wilf's heart when he logs in tomorrow morning.
It is an absolutely lovely day here in London, about 20 degrees and the sun is shining. After the summer break the City is fully back to work this week, and serious money is running through its veins once again.
Last evening I had the great pleasure of walking out of the office after work, and walking over London bridge in the twilight.
First I passed the Monument, remembering the Great Fire of London. Pass a few pubs with punters spilling out onto the streets (Wednesday night, but still heaving). Barrelled ale with weekly guest ales is available in one, while another is all trendy and has Hoegarden and other European type beers.
On to the bridge and on my left is the Tower of London and then Tower Bridge, both looking fabulously old (although only one is). Some new avant garde architecture is on display past Hayes wharf where the new London Assembly building is, and back over my shoulder I can now see the Lord Foster building (aka giant gherkin).
On my right I can see on the horizon Westminster and the London Eye, and as I reach the middle of the bridge I look back to get a stunning view of St Pauls cathredral, silhouetted against a wide pink sky. My eyes then linger over a dozen spires of little old churches (all those ones mentioned in "Oranges and Lemons").
The Modern Tate is sketched in blue neon, a mix of modern and industrial. Not bad for a disused power station (The whole SouthBank is brilliant these days - went to Borough market last week and loved the range and quality of good food).
So I'm walking over the bridge, theres a bit of a hum in the background which is the bustle and heartbeat of a breathing city, and looking down into the Thames the shags are fishing, and the seagulls calling. And another barge moves along.
OK - so I'm being sentimental. So what - I'm leaving this place soon, and my experiences and memories are important to me. Hope you don't mind me sharing them with you.
It is an absolutely lovely day here in London, about 20 degrees and the sun is shining. After the summer break the City is fully back to work this week, and serious money is running through its veins once again.
Last evening I had the great pleasure of walking out of the office after work, and walking over London bridge in the twilight.
First I passed the Monument, remembering the Great Fire of London. Pass a few pubs with punters spilling out onto the streets (Wednesday night, but still heaving). Barrelled ale with weekly guest ales is available in one, while another is all trendy and has Hoegarden and other European type beers.
On to the bridge and on my left is the Tower of London and then Tower Bridge, both looking fabulously old (although only one is). Some new avant garde architecture is on display past Hayes wharf where the new London Assembly building is, and back over my shoulder I can now see the Lord Foster building (aka giant gherkin).
On my right I can see on the horizon Westminster and the London Eye, and as I reach the middle of the bridge I look back to get a stunning view of St Pauls cathredral, silhouetted against a wide pink sky. My eyes then linger over a dozen spires of little old churches (all those ones mentioned in "Oranges and Lemons").
The Modern Tate is sketched in blue neon, a mix of modern and industrial. Not bad for a disused power station (The whole SouthBank is brilliant these days - went to Borough market last week and loved the range and quality of good food).
So I'm walking over the bridge, theres a bit of a hum in the background which is the bustle and heartbeat of a breathing city, and looking down into the Thames the shags are fishing, and the seagulls calling. And another barge moves along.
OK - so I'm being sentimental. So what - I'm leaving this place soon, and my experiences and memories are important to me. Hope you don't mind me sharing them with you.
Sep 4th 2003, 3:36 pm
#2
Forum Regular
Joined: Jul 2003
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 92
Hi Southerner
I for one don't mind at all! That's a lovely post.
I'm leaving London for Australia very soon and I keep on finding things I love - like coming back from town on the tube on a Saturday afternoon with all the different (mostly lower division) football shirts chatting happily, the skaters and speakers in Hyde Park, even passing the hassled pinstripes in the city where I work. It all seems so vibrant, I will really miss it.
Spent last weekend at the Shakespeare's Globe theatre and walking along the river. You could almost feel the history jostling you as the ghosts of London past stood on every corner. Think I will buy the London Biography by Peter Ackroyd, there's so much I don't know about the place (I'm a northerner by birth).
I for one don't mind at all! That's a lovely post.
I'm leaving London for Australia very soon and I keep on finding things I love - like coming back from town on the tube on a Saturday afternoon with all the different (mostly lower division) football shirts chatting happily, the skaters and speakers in Hyde Park, even passing the hassled pinstripes in the city where I work. It all seems so vibrant, I will really miss it.
Spent last weekend at the Shakespeare's Globe theatre and walking along the river. You could almost feel the history jostling you as the ghosts of London past stood on every corner. Think I will buy the London Biography by Peter Ackroyd, there's so much I don't know about the place (I'm a northerner by birth).
Sep 4th 2003, 3:38 pm
#3
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Joined: Apr 2003
Location: currently Toronto CANADA enroute to BrisVegas
Posts: 346
Yep here on Oxford Street all is well too.
Hari Krishna's just walked by banging away on their drums; an American is speaking through a big microphone asking us if we want to be sinners or winners....god can help us.
Late night shopping tonight (yee haa the shops are open until the amazingly late time of 9pm) so the tube back to Highbury Islington won't be too packed at 530pm.
Oh look, there is a homeless person being totally ignored by the masses....maybe they can't see him because of all their bags.
And looky over there.....a kid has just thrown his McDonalds cheeseburger wrapper on the ground...will his mum yell at him and tell him to pick it up...? No...bless, she's just ignored it. Best thing I suppose. If she starts yelling at him somebody will yell "child abuse" and the mother will get into trouble. She'll probably wait until she gets home and then beat the living day lights out of her kid instead. But I shant worry coz the council will find out about it before the kid is killed.
The sun is indeed shinning and it's brilliant. I can hardly see anything because everyone is smiling so much that the whites of their teeth is blinding me.
Oh what a beautiful morning
Oh what a beautiful day......
Can't hear any birds though...wonder why?
V
Hari Krishna's just walked by banging away on their drums; an American is speaking through a big microphone asking us if we want to be sinners or winners....god can help us.
Late night shopping tonight (yee haa the shops are open until the amazingly late time of 9pm) so the tube back to Highbury Islington won't be too packed at 530pm.
Oh look, there is a homeless person being totally ignored by the masses....maybe they can't see him because of all their bags.
And looky over there.....a kid has just thrown his McDonalds cheeseburger wrapper on the ground...will his mum yell at him and tell him to pick it up...? No...bless, she's just ignored it. Best thing I suppose. If she starts yelling at him somebody will yell "child abuse" and the mother will get into trouble. She'll probably wait until she gets home and then beat the living day lights out of her kid instead. But I shant worry coz the council will find out about it before the kid is killed.
The sun is indeed shinning and it's brilliant. I can hardly see anything because everyone is smiling so much that the whites of their teeth is blinding me.
Oh what a beautiful morning
Oh what a beautiful day......
Can't hear any birds though...wonder why?
V
Sep 4th 2003, 3:49 pm
#4
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Joined: Apr 2003
Location: currently Toronto CANADA enroute to BrisVegas
Posts: 346
Originally posted by Vee
Yep here on Oxford Street all is well too.
Hari Krishna's just walked by banging away on their drums; an American is speaking through a big microphone asking us if we want to be sinners or winners....god can help us.
Late night shopping tonight (yee haa the shops are open until the amazingly late time of 9pm) so the tube back to Highbury Islington won't be too packed at 530pm.
Oh look, there is a homeless person being totally ignored by the masses....maybe they can't see him because of all their bags.
And looky over there.....a kid has just thrown his McDonalds cheeseburger wrapper on the ground...will his mum yell at him and tell him to pick it up...? No...bless, she's just ignored it. Best thing I suppose. If she starts yelling at him somebody will yell "child abuse" and the mother will get into trouble. She'll probably wait until she gets home and then beat the living day lights out of her kid instead. But I shant worry coz the council will find out about it before the kid is killed.
The sun is indeed shinning and it's brilliant. I can hardly see anything because everyone is smiling so much that the whites of their teeth is blinding me.
Oh what a beautiful morning
Oh what a beautiful day......
Can't hear any birds though...wonder why?
V
Yep here on Oxford Street all is well too.
Hari Krishna's just walked by banging away on their drums; an American is speaking through a big microphone asking us if we want to be sinners or winners....god can help us.
Late night shopping tonight (yee haa the shops are open until the amazingly late time of 9pm) so the tube back to Highbury Islington won't be too packed at 530pm.
Oh look, there is a homeless person being totally ignored by the masses....maybe they can't see him because of all their bags.
And looky over there.....a kid has just thrown his McDonalds cheeseburger wrapper on the ground...will his mum yell at him and tell him to pick it up...? No...bless, she's just ignored it. Best thing I suppose. If she starts yelling at him somebody will yell "child abuse" and the mother will get into trouble. She'll probably wait until she gets home and then beat the living day lights out of her kid instead. But I shant worry coz the council will find out about it before the kid is killed.
The sun is indeed shinning and it's brilliant. I can hardly see anything because everyone is smiling so much that the whites of their teeth is blinding me.
Oh what a beautiful morning
Oh what a beautiful day......
Can't hear any birds though...wonder why?
V
V
Sep 4th 2003, 3:54 pm
#5
Here in Dunedin
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2003
Location: Dunedin
Posts: 1,975
Vee
Why not pop around the corner to Soho Square and feed the sparrows, or walk through Highbury fields and see the squirrels collecting their nuts.
Why not pop around the corner to Soho Square and feed the sparrows, or walk through Highbury fields and see the squirrels collecting their nuts.
Originally posted by Vee
Can't hear any birds though...wonder why?
V
Can't hear any birds though...wonder why?
V
Sep 4th 2003, 4:02 pm
#6
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Joined: Apr 2003
Location: currently Toronto CANADA enroute to BrisVegas
Posts: 346
Originally posted by southerner
Vee
Why not pop around the corner to Soho Square and feed the sparrows, or walk through Highbury fields and see the squirrels collecting their nuts.
Vee
Why not pop around the corner to Soho Square and feed the sparrows, or walk through Highbury fields and see the squirrels collecting their nuts.
If I went to Soho Square or Highbury I would for sure see squirrels and birds...but I would also see about 75 other people. All looking for squirrels and birds.
Sorry, I'm not in a very positive mood today....working on Oxford Street day in and day out really makes me want to take a semi automatic machine gun and....well you get the picture.
I don't think I'm really a "people person" anymore!
Thanks for the ideas though. There are some wonderful green spaces in London (personal fave is Regents Park) but unfortuantely they are always filled with people, people, more people and all their rubbish.
I need a holiday!
Vx
Sep 4th 2003, 4:09 pm
#7
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Joined: Dec 2002
Location: newbury
Posts: 1,015
i was in soho sq today..saw loads of empty parking bays ;-))
cheers
richard
cheers
richard
Sep 4th 2003, 5:13 pm
#8
A Male Member
Joined: Apr 2003
Location: Townsville
Posts: 2,106
Where do you guys work?
I'm in Cavendish Square, just behind Oxford Street....
Pete.
I'm in Cavendish Square, just behind Oxford Street....
Pete.
Sep 4th 2003, 5:17 pm
#9
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Joined: Dec 2002
Location: newbury
Posts: 1,015
me -all bloody over london..
I've just been appointed london/s.e branch manager for a specialist facilities company ;-)
cheers
richard
I've just been appointed london/s.e branch manager for a specialist facilities company ;-)
cheers
richard
Sep 4th 2003, 5:50 pm
#10
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Joined: Jan 2003
Location: Sussex, formerly Christchurch
Posts: 395
Re: All quiet in London Town
Originally posted by southerner
Well this forum seems to have gone dead today, so I thought I would start something off for a change. Might also warm Wilf's heart when he logs in tomorrow morning.
It is an absolutely lovely day here in London, about 20 degrees and the sun is shining. After the summer break the City is fully back to work this week, and serious money is running through its veins once again.
Last evening I had the great pleasure of walking out of the office after work, and walking over London bridge in the twilight.
First I passed the Monument, remembering the Great Fire of London. Pass a few pubs with punters spilling out onto the streets (Wednesday night, but still heaving). Barrelled ale with weekly guest ales is available in one, while another is all trendy and has Hoegarden and other European type beers.
On to the bridge and on my left is the Tower of London and then Tower Bridge, both looking fabulously old (although only one is). Some new avant garde architecture is on display past Hayes wharf where the new London Assembly building is, and back over my shoulder I can now see the Lord Foster building (aka giant gherkin).
On my right I can see on the horizon Westminster and the London Eye, and as I reach the middle of the bridge I look back to get a stunning view of St Pauls cathredral, silhouetted against a wide pink sky. My eyes then linger over a dozen spires of little old churches (all those ones mentioned in "Oranges and Lemons").
The Modern Tate is sketched in blue neon, a mix of modern and industrial. Not bad for a disused power station (The whole SouthBank is brilliant these days - went to Borough market last week and loved the range and quality of good food).
So I'm walking over the bridge, theres a bit of a hum in the background which is the bustle and heartbeat of a breathing city, and looking down into the Thames the shags are fishing, and the seagulls calling. And another barge moves along.
OK - so I'm being sentimental. So what - I'm leaving this place soon, and my experiences and memories are important to me. Hope you don't mind me sharing them with you.
Well this forum seems to have gone dead today, so I thought I would start something off for a change. Might also warm Wilf's heart when he logs in tomorrow morning.
It is an absolutely lovely day here in London, about 20 degrees and the sun is shining. After the summer break the City is fully back to work this week, and serious money is running through its veins once again.
Last evening I had the great pleasure of walking out of the office after work, and walking over London bridge in the twilight.
First I passed the Monument, remembering the Great Fire of London. Pass a few pubs with punters spilling out onto the streets (Wednesday night, but still heaving). Barrelled ale with weekly guest ales is available in one, while another is all trendy and has Hoegarden and other European type beers.
On to the bridge and on my left is the Tower of London and then Tower Bridge, both looking fabulously old (although only one is). Some new avant garde architecture is on display past Hayes wharf where the new London Assembly building is, and back over my shoulder I can now see the Lord Foster building (aka giant gherkin).
On my right I can see on the horizon Westminster and the London Eye, and as I reach the middle of the bridge I look back to get a stunning view of St Pauls cathredral, silhouetted against a wide pink sky. My eyes then linger over a dozen spires of little old churches (all those ones mentioned in "Oranges and Lemons").
The Modern Tate is sketched in blue neon, a mix of modern and industrial. Not bad for a disused power station (The whole SouthBank is brilliant these days - went to Borough market last week and loved the range and quality of good food).
So I'm walking over the bridge, theres a bit of a hum in the background which is the bustle and heartbeat of a breathing city, and looking down into the Thames the shags are fishing, and the seagulls calling. And another barge moves along.
OK - so I'm being sentimental. So what - I'm leaving this place soon, and my experiences and memories are important to me. Hope you don't mind me sharing them with you.
Sep 4th 2003, 5:52 pm
#11
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Joined: Oct 2002
Location: Sussex
Posts: 1,927
Great post Southerner brought back wonderful memories of a weekend spent in London earlier in the year.
footie chick
footie chick
Sep 4th 2003, 6:57 pm
#12
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Joined: Jun 2003
Location: Eatons Hill, Brisbane
Posts: 2,289
Re: All quiet in London Town
Originally posted by southerner
Well this forum seems to have gone dead today, so I thought I would start something off for a change. Might also warm Wilf's heart when he logs in tomorrow morning.
It is an absolutely lovely day here in London, about 20 degrees and the sun is shining. After the summer break the City is fully back to work this week, and serious money is running through its veins once again.
Last evening I had the great pleasure of walking out of the office after work, and walking over London bridge in the twilight.
First I passed the Monument, remembering the Great Fire of London. Pass a few pubs with punters spilling out onto the streets (Wednesday night, but still heaving). Barrelled ale with weekly guest ales is available in one, while another is all trendy and has Hoegarden and other European type beers.
On to the bridge and on my left is the Tower of London and then Tower Bridge, both looking fabulously old (although only one is). Some new avant garde architecture is on display past Hayes wharf where the new London Assembly building is, and back over my shoulder I can now see the Lord Foster building (aka giant gherkin).
On my right I can see on the horizon Westminster and the London Eye, and as I reach the middle of the bridge I look back to get a stunning view of St Pauls cathredral, silhouetted against a wide pink sky. My eyes then linger over a dozen spires of little old churches (all those ones mentioned in "Oranges and Lemons").
The Modern Tate is sketched in blue neon, a mix of modern and industrial. Not bad for a disused power station (The whole SouthBank is brilliant these days - went to Borough market last week and loved the range and quality of good food).
So I'm walking over the bridge, theres a bit of a hum in the background which is the bustle and heartbeat of a breathing city, and looking down into the Thames the shags are fishing, and the seagulls calling. And another barge moves along.
OK - so I'm being sentimental. So what - I'm leaving this place soon, and my experiences and memories are important to me. Hope you don't mind me sharing them with you.
Well this forum seems to have gone dead today, so I thought I would start something off for a change. Might also warm Wilf's heart when he logs in tomorrow morning.
It is an absolutely lovely day here in London, about 20 degrees and the sun is shining. After the summer break the City is fully back to work this week, and serious money is running through its veins once again.
Last evening I had the great pleasure of walking out of the office after work, and walking over London bridge in the twilight.
First I passed the Monument, remembering the Great Fire of London. Pass a few pubs with punters spilling out onto the streets (Wednesday night, but still heaving). Barrelled ale with weekly guest ales is available in one, while another is all trendy and has Hoegarden and other European type beers.
On to the bridge and on my left is the Tower of London and then Tower Bridge, both looking fabulously old (although only one is). Some new avant garde architecture is on display past Hayes wharf where the new London Assembly building is, and back over my shoulder I can now see the Lord Foster building (aka giant gherkin).
On my right I can see on the horizon Westminster and the London Eye, and as I reach the middle of the bridge I look back to get a stunning view of St Pauls cathredral, silhouetted against a wide pink sky. My eyes then linger over a dozen spires of little old churches (all those ones mentioned in "Oranges and Lemons").
The Modern Tate is sketched in blue neon, a mix of modern and industrial. Not bad for a disused power station (The whole SouthBank is brilliant these days - went to Borough market last week and loved the range and quality of good food).
So I'm walking over the bridge, theres a bit of a hum in the background which is the bustle and heartbeat of a breathing city, and looking down into the Thames the shags are fishing, and the seagulls calling. And another barge moves along.
OK - so I'm being sentimental. So what - I'm leaving this place soon, and my experiences and memories are important to me. Hope you don't mind me sharing them with you.
nice post southerner
best of luck to you,
regards
rach
Sep 4th 2003, 9:56 pm
#13
Proudly Deplorable
Joined: May 2003
Location: Alloha snack bar
Posts: 24,246
Watched the cricket at the Oval on TV this afternoon, South Africa taking England apart. Not a cloud in the sky, full crowd having a few beers in the sun, really enjoying themselves. How I wished I could have been there. More of the same tomorrow in that great city.
Sep 4th 2003, 10:22 pm
#14
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,185
Re: All quiet in London Town
Originally posted by southerner
Well this forum seems to have gone dead today, so I thought I would start something off for a change. Might also warm Wilf's heart when he logs in tomorrow morning.
It is an absolutely lovely day here in London, about 20 degrees and the sun is shining. After the summer break the City is fully back to work this week, and serious money is running through its veins once again.
Last evening I had the great pleasure of walking out of the office after work, and walking over London bridge in the twilight.
First I passed the Monument, remembering the Great Fire of London. Pass a few pubs with punters spilling out onto the streets (Wednesday night, but still heaving). Barrelled ale with weekly guest ales is available in one, while another is all trendy and has Hoegarden and other European type beers.
On to the bridge and on my left is the Tower of London and then Tower Bridge, both looking fabulously old (although only one is). Some new avant garde architecture is on display past Hayes wharf where the new London Assembly building is, and back over my shoulder I can now see the Lord Foster building (aka giant gherkin).
On my right I can see on the horizon Westminster and the London Eye, and as I reach the middle of the bridge I look back to get a stunning view of St Pauls cathredral, silhouetted against a wide pink sky. My eyes then linger over a dozen spires of little old churches (all those ones mentioned in "Oranges and Lemons").
The Modern Tate is sketched in blue neon, a mix of modern and industrial. Not bad for a disused power station (The whole SouthBank is brilliant these days - went to Borough market last week and loved the range and quality of good food).
So I'm walking over the bridge, theres a bit of a hum in the background which is the bustle and heartbeat of a breathing city, and looking down into the Thames the shags are fishing, and the seagulls calling. And another barge moves along.
OK - so I'm being sentimental. So what - I'm leaving this place soon, and my experiences and memories are important to me. Hope you don't mind me sharing them with you.
Well this forum seems to have gone dead today, so I thought I would start something off for a change. Might also warm Wilf's heart when he logs in tomorrow morning.
It is an absolutely lovely day here in London, about 20 degrees and the sun is shining. After the summer break the City is fully back to work this week, and serious money is running through its veins once again.
Last evening I had the great pleasure of walking out of the office after work, and walking over London bridge in the twilight.
First I passed the Monument, remembering the Great Fire of London. Pass a few pubs with punters spilling out onto the streets (Wednesday night, but still heaving). Barrelled ale with weekly guest ales is available in one, while another is all trendy and has Hoegarden and other European type beers.
On to the bridge and on my left is the Tower of London and then Tower Bridge, both looking fabulously old (although only one is). Some new avant garde architecture is on display past Hayes wharf where the new London Assembly building is, and back over my shoulder I can now see the Lord Foster building (aka giant gherkin).
On my right I can see on the horizon Westminster and the London Eye, and as I reach the middle of the bridge I look back to get a stunning view of St Pauls cathredral, silhouetted against a wide pink sky. My eyes then linger over a dozen spires of little old churches (all those ones mentioned in "Oranges and Lemons").
The Modern Tate is sketched in blue neon, a mix of modern and industrial. Not bad for a disused power station (The whole SouthBank is brilliant these days - went to Borough market last week and loved the range and quality of good food).
So I'm walking over the bridge, theres a bit of a hum in the background which is the bustle and heartbeat of a breathing city, and looking down into the Thames the shags are fishing, and the seagulls calling. And another barge moves along.
OK - so I'm being sentimental. So what - I'm leaving this place soon, and my experiences and memories are important to me. Hope you don't mind me sharing them with you.
Than you very much, old boy. You write well and your description warms the cockles of my heart. For you to have felt this means that London has got under your skin.
I love a lot of the old buildings too, but, like you, also many of the newer ones. When I go back, I am looking forward to seeing the following: the new library at Peckham, the London Eye big wheel, the globe reconstruction, the milennium bridge, the new hungerford footbridge, the new Gtr London Authority building, the new building at westminster, the new tube stations, and a few other things I forget now. Just goes to show how alive and growing London is, all those things in a pretty short period. I also enjoy all the exhibitions that always come to London. I like the atmosphere on the streets - not when it is bad, obviously, but that is perhaps the downside, along with the greater density of course (but that is not all bad - anonymity is enjoyable too; we do not all enjoy small town life and outlooks) but these things can be balanced against so much that I see the scales falling over and off the table in favour of London, myself. Maybe it's because I'm a Londoner.
Anyway, very nice post mate.
Sep 4th 2003, 10:31 pm
#15
Not here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,621
The bus in from Oxford, the tube to the Docklands Light Rail. The walk under the foot tunnel over to Greenwich, a walk up through the park to the observatory. I wander through to see Harrison's clocks. The solution to the longitude problem, a living history of perseverence and the application of knowledge. I like that.