Just what is the deal with Barbican?
After my simulated post-apocalyptic trip to Barbican the other night, I decided to venture back there on Friday because the Museum of London was there and I wanted to see the remnants of the Roman Wall that was built around the city (that were also at this site).
The guidebooks were right about saying this is the most inaccessable museum in London, but having been in this part of town earlier in the week I was prepared for the convoluted walk up three flights of stairs to a flyover of a deserted road that then took you past a walkway and into a side entrance that then led you to the museum. To be fair, they have thrown a lot of money at revamping the site, and the new entrance opens on Tuesday. But all that new entrance will do is cut out the last side entrance. But anyway, inside there was fascinating stuff about the Roman settlements, and the periods since.
It is surprising how much history has been lost over the years. There are gaps of hundreds of years where very little evidence of life in the city exists. The museum ends at the Victorian era which was just as well as there is only so much one can take before getting information overload!
TV night
That night caught up with the aussies and watched Sex and the City and ate pizza. It was my first chance to catch up with Yvette. She had been touring Africa and Spain and the rest over the past few months. We agreed to go out one night as Yvette seemed to know the town well... She had also seen more celebrities than I (well actually she had only seen Sophie Dahl take money out of an ATM) and so I thought she could point out where I was going wrong. Maybe celebrities dont hang around those shops full of Turkish men at Haringey I don't know.
By the sea...
Saturday I decided to leave London and head for Brighton. It was a real treat, although walking on pebble beaches is a lot harder than I thought. Good leg workout perhaps. Had fish and chips on the Brighton pier and dodged the seagulls before making my way back home on the Brighton Express to Victoria station. Nice clean airconditioned train with a buffet cart should you feel a little peckish... Mind you at a 50 minute train ride how peckish can you get?
Calendar Girls
Caught up with Skye Saturday night and we decided to go and see Calendar Girls. Leaving the story out of it, it was the first film I saw where some of the little cultural references were known. Set in Yorkshire, it is a fictionalised account of a group of middle-aged women who take their clothes off for a calendar to raise money for Leukemia research. It was Skye's choice of film so it was a girly film but it was amusing and well-acted.
It was also my first foray into a Leicester Square cinema where I noticed a few things:
* The cinema was really nice and you have reserved seats
* There are really daggy ads to tell you to keep your hand on your valuables otherwise they might get knicked.
* The popcorn is served without coconut oil
* They give you drinks in a bucket
On that last point... Skye ordered a diet coke in a bucket and couldn't drink it all by the end of the film. As the credits started to roll she offered it to me but said, "It is hot and flat..."
To which I responded... "Well you are what you drink..."
After that we searched for a cafe and settled on belgian waffles at a nearby venue.
Be alert not alarmed...
With the amount of reality television on the box and number of CCTV cameras on the streets you could wonder if anything could happen in the Greater London area that wasn't caught on camera. But today a mock terrorist attack was staged at Bank station in The City.
Midweek touristing
Comes to an end for now. I have taken a temp job that will keep me busy for the next couple of months. Will wait and see after that! The days are getting shorter now anyway. It is now basically dark by 8pm!
Friday, September 05, 2003
Diets
It is still warm enough for people to go jogging around the streets and in the parks, so they do. The fitness levels of Londoners are quite fascinating. While many were having panic attacks when stories about the aitken's diet being a health risk broke, there are plenty of gyms and other weight control products for the punters out there to amuse.
Those returning from their holidays with tans and tone are keeping up their healthy regime by jogging the parks and streets. It all makes for interesting people watching... Mind you, none of this happens near me. Its all Turks and Kurds hanging outside shop stores, but it is only about 10 minutes away where it all happens.
Hot spots
The holiday spots of choice seem to be Ibiza and Africa. Well Australian's go to the Pacific or Bali...
It is still warm enough for people to go jogging around the streets and in the parks, so they do. The fitness levels of Londoners are quite fascinating. While many were having panic attacks when stories about the aitken's diet being a health risk broke, there are plenty of gyms and other weight control products for the punters out there to amuse.
Those returning from their holidays with tans and tone are keeping up their healthy regime by jogging the parks and streets. It all makes for interesting people watching... Mind you, none of this happens near me. Its all Turks and Kurds hanging outside shop stores, but it is only about 10 minutes away where it all happens.
Hot spots
The holiday spots of choice seem to be Ibiza and Africa. Well Australian's go to the Pacific or Bali...
Thursday, September 04, 2003
Zip! I'm a little hectic
One thing I didn't mention about last Saturday was that two things happened to me.
* I stepped in my first dog poop
* The zip to my Marcs trousers (thats WITHOUT an apostrophe) broke while I was at Oxford so I had to walk around with my fly down for most of the trip. Fortunately I was not only wearing high quality underwear, but I was also wearing a jersey that covered the problem.
Well anyway, I thought that I could get the problem fixed this week. Alas it turns out being somewhat fashionable trousers (you can't call them pants here as that is what they call underwear) they only have a five inch zip. Standard issue zips come at six inches. I was told on Green Lanes if I could come up with a five inch zip the tailors would fit it for £6.
Touristing II
* After hearing about 2 jobs that didn't work out, I went to the Tate Modern gallery to take a look at what was there. There was something for everyone there, although I did tend to wonder about some of the exhibits just being there as a dare by the artist to the curator. The best thing was the inflatable sculptures out the front, the black one being the largest inflatable object in the world. You could go inside it and buy for £3 candy from a vending machine based on its nose. Quite a joke.
* Armed with this weeks time out magazine (which has been very useful in finding out what is on in London since without a 128 page guide you wouldn't have a clue), I noticed that there was a new print of the Charlie Chaplin film "The Great Dictator" screening at the Barbican .
Had I checked my Time Out guide of London I would have read that the venue is the most inaccessable building in London. Located in the heart of The City, a massive sprawling complex of 4000 dwellings and purportedly the largest arts centre in Europe was built in the early 70s. It made me think of the tasteless Bardon Education Centre but multiply that at least ten times. This area was levelled by the Blitz and many Londoners are hoping something will level this attrocity again.
But it gets better. Inside the Barbican there are foyers and levels and walkways and signs all telling you not much. There was an eerie quiet inside the building as well. All you could hear was the hum of the fluro lighting and the opening and closing of a faulty automatic door. I eventually found out that the cinema was located two floors below the building and managed to get a ticket. The cinema itself was gorgeous, but it was such a perplexing adventure to get to it. Incidentally they are redeveloping the foyer section of the building and are demolishing many walkways and entrances that people have never used.
It is amazing how one building could be so bad. The stage door is more prominent than the entrance way. The signs are incoherent. There are only two lifts to take you to the basement out of four and you find out if you are on the right one once you are on it. Even the bathrooms are over-engineered. Rather than taps you have rubber steps that you step on to release water. You release the paper towels to dry your hands by pushing forward a lever and then the paper comes out and then you tear it off. Upon leaving the cinema and walking back to Barbican tube, it was like a set out of a futuristic sci fi film where only the hum of the air ducts and the whir of the CCTV cameras could be heard. The City at night is really quite deserted!
But as for the arts program at the Barbican... well it is very smart. The LSO and the English National Opera are there, so now that I have navigated my way around the place I will be back! Oh and the Charlie Chaplin film wasn't too bad. It is a bit eerie watching satire about persecution of jews made as they were being killed. His view of the industrial age pervades throughout, and he ends with a speech direct to the audience that was used against him during the McCarthy hearings in the 1950s suggesting he had socialist sympathies.
Stripes are holding
As for what is fashionable around the town...
* Stripey shirts are still in for another season... although more variety
* Shoes that are pointy are everywhere. If they are not pointy they are decorative (such as with a flower)
* Urban streetwear is still everywhere. Smart track tops, funky street shoes, and denim with marks or paint on it is the way to go...
One thing I didn't mention about last Saturday was that two things happened to me.
* I stepped in my first dog poop
* The zip to my Marcs trousers (thats WITHOUT an apostrophe) broke while I was at Oxford so I had to walk around with my fly down for most of the trip. Fortunately I was not only wearing high quality underwear, but I was also wearing a jersey that covered the problem.
Well anyway, I thought that I could get the problem fixed this week. Alas it turns out being somewhat fashionable trousers (you can't call them pants here as that is what they call underwear) they only have a five inch zip. Standard issue zips come at six inches. I was told on Green Lanes if I could come up with a five inch zip the tailors would fit it for £6.
Touristing II
* After hearing about 2 jobs that didn't work out, I went to the Tate Modern gallery to take a look at what was there. There was something for everyone there, although I did tend to wonder about some of the exhibits just being there as a dare by the artist to the curator. The best thing was the inflatable sculptures out the front, the black one being the largest inflatable object in the world. You could go inside it and buy for £3 candy from a vending machine based on its nose. Quite a joke.
* Armed with this weeks time out magazine (which has been very useful in finding out what is on in London since without a 128 page guide you wouldn't have a clue), I noticed that there was a new print of the Charlie Chaplin film "The Great Dictator" screening at the Barbican .
Had I checked my Time Out guide of London I would have read that the venue is the most inaccessable building in London. Located in the heart of The City, a massive sprawling complex of 4000 dwellings and purportedly the largest arts centre in Europe was built in the early 70s. It made me think of the tasteless Bardon Education Centre but multiply that at least ten times. This area was levelled by the Blitz and many Londoners are hoping something will level this attrocity again.
But it gets better. Inside the Barbican there are foyers and levels and walkways and signs all telling you not much. There was an eerie quiet inside the building as well. All you could hear was the hum of the fluro lighting and the opening and closing of a faulty automatic door. I eventually found out that the cinema was located two floors below the building and managed to get a ticket. The cinema itself was gorgeous, but it was such a perplexing adventure to get to it. Incidentally they are redeveloping the foyer section of the building and are demolishing many walkways and entrances that people have never used.
It is amazing how one building could be so bad. The stage door is more prominent than the entrance way. The signs are incoherent. There are only two lifts to take you to the basement out of four and you find out if you are on the right one once you are on it. Even the bathrooms are over-engineered. Rather than taps you have rubber steps that you step on to release water. You release the paper towels to dry your hands by pushing forward a lever and then the paper comes out and then you tear it off. Upon leaving the cinema and walking back to Barbican tube, it was like a set out of a futuristic sci fi film where only the hum of the air ducts and the whir of the CCTV cameras could be heard. The City at night is really quite deserted!
But as for the arts program at the Barbican... well it is very smart. The LSO and the English National Opera are there, so now that I have navigated my way around the place I will be back! Oh and the Charlie Chaplin film wasn't too bad. It is a bit eerie watching satire about persecution of jews made as they were being killed. His view of the industrial age pervades throughout, and he ends with a speech direct to the audience that was used against him during the McCarthy hearings in the 1950s suggesting he had socialist sympathies.
Stripes are holding
As for what is fashionable around the town...
* Stripey shirts are still in for another season... although more variety
* Shoes that are pointy are everywhere. If they are not pointy they are decorative (such as with a flower)
* Urban streetwear is still everywhere. Smart track tops, funky street shoes, and denim with marks or paint on it is the way to go...
Wednesday, September 03, 2003
I have not often walked down this street before...
* But there is less trash walking down the other side of the street where I live.
* I don't bother looking into the dark alleyways
Job on offer I can start next week. But there are a few others (that pay more £££) in the pipeline but they look like they are going to take a bit looooooonger to happen. A job in the hand I suppose is worth many more that could be out there...
Touristy things...
* After yesterday mornings interview I hit the internet cafe and then went to the National Portrait Gallery. There were quite a few things to fascinate and amuse there. The civil war section was interesting and so was the Victorian era and early 20th Century paintings. Incidentally on this day in 1658 the Lord Protector of England died trying to work out what sort of republic and system of government England should have. Silly git. By the time one got to the Andy Warhold silk screen print of Joan Collins, you couldn't help think that the last half of the 20th Century seemed to miss something that the previous five hundred years of portraiture offered.
* After spending a couple of hours at the NPG, I took the tube to the British Museum. I really wasn't in the mood for seeing room after room full of stuff the Empire had plundered from Egypt and Greece, although the Rosetta Stone was pretty interesting. I focussed mainly on the European history which was quite fascinating. The Roman occupation and the Viking invasions were most interesting. There was also a special exhibit on London in 1753 that also caught my interest. All told, four hours had elapsed before I emerged out of the museum. I believe my brain was full by then.
* But there is less trash walking down the other side of the street where I live.
* I don't bother looking into the dark alleyways
Job on offer I can start next week. But there are a few others (that pay more £££) in the pipeline but they look like they are going to take a bit looooooonger to happen. A job in the hand I suppose is worth many more that could be out there...
Touristy things...
* After yesterday mornings interview I hit the internet cafe and then went to the National Portrait Gallery. There were quite a few things to fascinate and amuse there. The civil war section was interesting and so was the Victorian era and early 20th Century paintings. Incidentally on this day in 1658 the Lord Protector of England died trying to work out what sort of republic and system of government England should have. Silly git. By the time one got to the Andy Warhold silk screen print of Joan Collins, you couldn't help think that the last half of the 20th Century seemed to miss something that the previous five hundred years of portraiture offered.
* After spending a couple of hours at the NPG, I took the tube to the British Museum. I really wasn't in the mood for seeing room after room full of stuff the Empire had plundered from Egypt and Greece, although the Rosetta Stone was pretty interesting. I focussed mainly on the European history which was quite fascinating. The Roman occupation and the Viking invasions were most interesting. There was also a special exhibit on London in 1753 that also caught my interest. All told, four hours had elapsed before I emerged out of the museum. I believe my brain was full by then.
Tuesday, September 02, 2003
Welcome to the Jungle...
It took a while to get going to move on Sunday afternoon. There was a lot of emailing and blogging to do for starters, and then when I got back to West Hampstead "The Way We Were" with Robert Redford and Barbara Streisand was on Channel Five. Since neither Skye nor I had seen it from beginning to end, that was an excuse to delay things as well. And then after the ending we both had to compose ourselves before heading out. Well actually, it wasn't that emotional for me as just as those chords started playing for the intro to the title song, the voice over for the upcoming programs started which sort of killed it for me. But I digress...
It took under an hour for us to get to Manor House station, but there was a good 10 minute walk to go. A good 10 minute walk is more like a good 15 minute walk with luggage. Fortunately Skye was there to assist. As we walked up the street past Finsbury Park and smack bang into Haringey, Skye started to get a little jumpy. I hadn't noticed the groups of Turkish men hanging outside all the shops. There didn't seem to be very many women about at all. Strangely enough I didn't notice this fact a couple of weeks back. Fortunately Skye was there to point this out. At some point the topic came onto the prospects of getting mugged but I didn't think that was likely just because we were dragging matched Parklite luggage down Green Lanes. There also seemed to be much more trash on the street than the last time I was there. Still, by the time I got to my new home, Skye and I were relieved and impressed at how big and spacious and light and airy and nice it was. It actually is double the size of my room back in Brisbane so that was an added bonus. We decided to go out to eat that night and enjoy some of the fantastic (and cheap) eats in the neighbourhood.
But I will miss West Hampstead... It was my first stop in London and I was just getting the hang of the neighbourhood. It is probably a 40 minute walk away. It is an hour on the tube and God only knows how long on the overland trains so it isn't that far by London time standards.
Cheep Cheep
Yesterday was spent buying cheap sheets from Argos (sort of like a counter-only version of IKEA) and catching up with Lish hearing her stories from her week in Scotland. Sounds like a fine place to go.
Honk if you're...
The English are very polite when they see a girl they think is a bitofallright. Rather than doing something Australian like yelling out the window of the car, "Show us yer tits!" they just give a quick peep of their car horn. Regardless of class, race, creed or culture they all seem to do it. Yesterday I was a bit perturbed stepping out of Sainsbury's and hearing it and there was not a girl in sight however... Hmmm....
Putting the V back in Variety...
It is so refreshing having a choice of newspapers to read here. Mind you, some of them are a bit suspect. But it is so refreshing to read news that isn't full of crap about superannuation, the dire future, floods, property prices and one's place in the world. Mind you, I do miss reading stories about David Oldfield showering with his budgie. I guess one can't have everything.
Housekeeping...
I have changed the format of this page so I could also include some links on the top right hand side. Mainly so you can view or sign my guestbook. I have no idea who reads this!
It took a while to get going to move on Sunday afternoon. There was a lot of emailing and blogging to do for starters, and then when I got back to West Hampstead "The Way We Were" with Robert Redford and Barbara Streisand was on Channel Five. Since neither Skye nor I had seen it from beginning to end, that was an excuse to delay things as well. And then after the ending we both had to compose ourselves before heading out. Well actually, it wasn't that emotional for me as just as those chords started playing for the intro to the title song, the voice over for the upcoming programs started which sort of killed it for me. But I digress...
It took under an hour for us to get to Manor House station, but there was a good 10 minute walk to go. A good 10 minute walk is more like a good 15 minute walk with luggage. Fortunately Skye was there to assist. As we walked up the street past Finsbury Park and smack bang into Haringey, Skye started to get a little jumpy. I hadn't noticed the groups of Turkish men hanging outside all the shops. There didn't seem to be very many women about at all. Strangely enough I didn't notice this fact a couple of weeks back. Fortunately Skye was there to point this out. At some point the topic came onto the prospects of getting mugged but I didn't think that was likely just because we were dragging matched Parklite luggage down Green Lanes. There also seemed to be much more trash on the street than the last time I was there. Still, by the time I got to my new home, Skye and I were relieved and impressed at how big and spacious and light and airy and nice it was. It actually is double the size of my room back in Brisbane so that was an added bonus. We decided to go out to eat that night and enjoy some of the fantastic (and cheap) eats in the neighbourhood.
But I will miss West Hampstead... It was my first stop in London and I was just getting the hang of the neighbourhood. It is probably a 40 minute walk away. It is an hour on the tube and God only knows how long on the overland trains so it isn't that far by London time standards.
Cheep Cheep
Yesterday was spent buying cheap sheets from Argos (sort of like a counter-only version of IKEA) and catching up with Lish hearing her stories from her week in Scotland. Sounds like a fine place to go.
Honk if you're...
The English are very polite when they see a girl they think is a bitofallright. Rather than doing something Australian like yelling out the window of the car, "Show us yer tits!" they just give a quick peep of their car horn. Regardless of class, race, creed or culture they all seem to do it. Yesterday I was a bit perturbed stepping out of Sainsbury's and hearing it and there was not a girl in sight however... Hmmm....
Putting the V back in Variety...
It is so refreshing having a choice of newspapers to read here. Mind you, some of them are a bit suspect. But it is so refreshing to read news that isn't full of crap about superannuation, the dire future, floods, property prices and one's place in the world. Mind you, I do miss reading stories about David Oldfield showering with his budgie. I guess one can't have everything.
Housekeeping...
I have changed the format of this page so I could also include some links on the top right hand side. Mainly so you can view or sign my guestbook. I have no idea who reads this!
Sunday, August 31, 2003
Please Hello...
After being in London for less than a month, one of the striking things is how uncultured the mass of the city is. Starbucks is on every corner serving bland coffee and styrofoam food. Deep pan pizza buffets are on every other corner serving stuff that wouldn't rate at a Sizzler restaurant back home. Fosters is a popular drink here and they have a special tap to generate an "artificial head" on the beer so it lasts while you finish it off. Ben Elton has a hit show with his stringing together of Queen songs into what is purported to be a musical, and he is about to do the same to Rod Stewart songs with the show Tonight's the night. Fortunately amongst all the trash in London, there are quite a few bright spots. One being the Donmar Warehouse.
On Friday I saw their latest production, Pacific Overtures (a co-production with the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre) and it was a knockout. A small all-male cast, a theatre in the round, and Sondheim was all that was needed for a spectacular and entertaining evening. As a show I was totally unfamiliar with, I was expecting that Sondheims treatment of the factual account of US warships arriving at Japan in the 1850s demanding that they have a "friendly relationships" and trade to be quite hard going. It fuses kabuki and noh theatre styles with western musical influences. It was a flop when it first premiered in 1976. But all that was put at ease after the first few minutes. The soaring melodies and scathing commentary on Western approach to diplomacy and influence seemed more relevant today than ever. The basic argument of the show (and the book it was based on) is that the Western approach to diplomacy in the 1850s planted the seeds for the Japanese expansion in the 1940s. The final number (updated to the present) suggests that American (and the rest of the Western societies) understanding of different cultures hasn't improved that much. Hmm it probably isn't too hard to guess why American audiences hated it.
It was a night of very civilised entertainment. It was nice to see it as I knew too that such an intelligent and entertaining show would never make it to Australia either (at least staged professionally). It isn't Ben Elton... That's what the mass of punters prefer nowadays.
Get outta town
Saturday I decided to take a day trip to Oxford. It was great to get out of the city and as the start of the academic year was about to happen it was a happening place as well with lots of people moving in.
Getting off the bus after a 90 min ride from London, I decided to buy a tourist map and see the sights. Not being a very good tourist I decided to sit down and have a coffee and cheese and ham toastie and plot my route. I liked the idea of eating the toastie not only because it was delicious and the cheese here is nothing like the crap that our dairy industry in Queensland tries to pass off as cheese, but because they actually called it a toastie and I just love it as a word. Anyway I digress. Over coffee and a toastie I mapped out a route and then walked it. It included a few stops in book stores and the usual Oxford landmarks. I spent the last few hours in Oxford reading The Times by the banks of one of their canals. Very sensible and civilised I thought!
Today...
After I finish blogging I will go and move my things to North East London. My first place by myself. Woo-hoo!
After being in London for less than a month, one of the striking things is how uncultured the mass of the city is. Starbucks is on every corner serving bland coffee and styrofoam food. Deep pan pizza buffets are on every other corner serving stuff that wouldn't rate at a Sizzler restaurant back home. Fosters is a popular drink here and they have a special tap to generate an "artificial head" on the beer so it lasts while you finish it off. Ben Elton has a hit show with his stringing together of Queen songs into what is purported to be a musical, and he is about to do the same to Rod Stewart songs with the show Tonight's the night. Fortunately amongst all the trash in London, there are quite a few bright spots. One being the Donmar Warehouse.
On Friday I saw their latest production, Pacific Overtures (a co-production with the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre) and it was a knockout. A small all-male cast, a theatre in the round, and Sondheim was all that was needed for a spectacular and entertaining evening. As a show I was totally unfamiliar with, I was expecting that Sondheims treatment of the factual account of US warships arriving at Japan in the 1850s demanding that they have a "friendly relationships" and trade to be quite hard going. It fuses kabuki and noh theatre styles with western musical influences. It was a flop when it first premiered in 1976. But all that was put at ease after the first few minutes. The soaring melodies and scathing commentary on Western approach to diplomacy and influence seemed more relevant today than ever. The basic argument of the show (and the book it was based on) is that the Western approach to diplomacy in the 1850s planted the seeds for the Japanese expansion in the 1940s. The final number (updated to the present) suggests that American (and the rest of the Western societies) understanding of different cultures hasn't improved that much. Hmm it probably isn't too hard to guess why American audiences hated it.
It was a night of very civilised entertainment. It was nice to see it as I knew too that such an intelligent and entertaining show would never make it to Australia either (at least staged professionally). It isn't Ben Elton... That's what the mass of punters prefer nowadays.
Get outta town
Saturday I decided to take a day trip to Oxford. It was great to get out of the city and as the start of the academic year was about to happen it was a happening place as well with lots of people moving in.
Getting off the bus after a 90 min ride from London, I decided to buy a tourist map and see the sights. Not being a very good tourist I decided to sit down and have a coffee and cheese and ham toastie and plot my route. I liked the idea of eating the toastie not only because it was delicious and the cheese here is nothing like the crap that our dairy industry in Queensland tries to pass off as cheese, but because they actually called it a toastie and I just love it as a word. Anyway I digress. Over coffee and a toastie I mapped out a route and then walked it. It included a few stops in book stores and the usual Oxford landmarks. I spent the last few hours in Oxford reading The Times by the banks of one of their canals. Very sensible and civilised I thought!
Today...
After I finish blogging I will go and move my things to North East London. My first place by myself. Woo-hoo!
Friday, August 29, 2003
As luck would have it...
I read in today's papers that I was a few minutes away from being stranded underground on my tube ride to Hampstead Heath. Darn missing out on that adventure... The best commentary was a cartoon in tonight's Evening Standard where the station billboards stating when the next trains arriving were instead displaying "Next passenger... Joe Blogs 2 minutes, Mary Rose 3 minutes" and you could see these dirty people trundling out of a tunnel.
Spin to the end...
In a city desperate for news Alastair Campbell's resignation has filled the gap for now. Tony Blairs right hand man of spin was going to go anyway so it was not really a surprise... but the media to make a story started writing about why he went today instead of tomorrow for instance. The PR was that he wanted to spend "more time with his family". Such are the times we live in when such a noble cause is trotted out as an excuse when one's job situation is untenable. You don't quit or get sacked anymore, you just "spend more time with your family". Of course when you are an asshole like Alastair I guess they are all who are left. Of course, the papers all agree that it isn't the last we have seen of Alastair... (play scary music)
Handy things to know about Her Majesty's Governemnt
* The only people who walk down Whitehall are the tourists (and even they are few and far between)
* Don't stand at the gates at Downing Street, there really is nothing to see
* Don't let on you know anything about the government, as you may find yourself dead in the woods
And now for something completely different...
* Pacific Overtures tonight...
I read in today's papers that I was a few minutes away from being stranded underground on my tube ride to Hampstead Heath. Darn missing out on that adventure... The best commentary was a cartoon in tonight's Evening Standard where the station billboards stating when the next trains arriving were instead displaying "Next passenger... Joe Blogs 2 minutes, Mary Rose 3 minutes" and you could see these dirty people trundling out of a tunnel.
Spin to the end...
In a city desperate for news Alastair Campbell's resignation has filled the gap for now. Tony Blairs right hand man of spin was going to go anyway so it was not really a surprise... but the media to make a story started writing about why he went today instead of tomorrow for instance. The PR was that he wanted to spend "more time with his family". Such are the times we live in when such a noble cause is trotted out as an excuse when one's job situation is untenable. You don't quit or get sacked anymore, you just "spend more time with your family". Of course when you are an asshole like Alastair I guess they are all who are left. Of course, the papers all agree that it isn't the last we have seen of Alastair... (play scary music)
Handy things to know about Her Majesty's Governemnt
* The only people who walk down Whitehall are the tourists (and even they are few and far between)
* Don't stand at the gates at Downing Street, there really is nothing to see
* Don't let on you know anything about the government, as you may find yourself dead in the woods
And now for something completely different...
* Pacific Overtures tonight...
Thursday, August 28, 2003
Dark and Damp
After staring at government files all day trying to put them in order I decided that despite the light drizzle, I would go for a walk around Hampstead Heath again. It was nice to walk in open spaces and a light rain (the first rain that has occurred since I have been here). Little did I know that the Underground was shutting down as I walked around taking in the open space. Well New York had its outage, it was time for London I guess to follow suit...
While it is possible to walk home from Hampstead Heath, by the time I wanted to the light rain became a little less light than I was hoping for. Still I had some sense of direction so I just headed in that way. I could have pulled out my London A-Z but I thought I would keep walking for a bit and not try and stuggle in the rain with silly things like where I was heading.
About 20 minutes later I realised that I had walked to South Hampstead when I really needed to go west. Fortunately I spotted a tube station on my line and walked over to a nearby bus stop. Busses passing through were intimately packed so I didn't fancy my chances getting on one in a hurry.
The weather had turned a little cooler so I decided to see if my Orange WAP phone could tell me the location of the nearest coffee shop. It could, but then a bus arrived that I managed to force my way on. I rode on the front platform for the 5 minutes it took to get home. Technology is good, but getting home was good too.
People were still struggling to get home by 10.30 with the buses still packed as I walked over to Easy Internet on Kilburn High Road.
Seeing double
You really can see the same person in London more than once. Tonight it was a girl on a bike who nearly ran over Skye the other day. The other day it was a couple with their dog casper. On Saturday they were at Hamstead Heath and on Monday they were at the Notting Hill Carnival. Both times I saw them I was with Skye. "Perhaps we should become friends with them," I suggested to Skye. But then we realised that the guy was crouching down and showing plumber's butt - and particularly hairy plumber's butt - and the woman was a bit of a lush. We both agreed that plumber's butt men and lushes weren't the sort of people we needed to know.
If tonight you weren't washing your hair...
* Sky News re-enacts the day's proceedings from the inquiry into the death of British scientist Dr David Kelly. Tonight would have been gripping as it would have been Tony Blair's testimony. Well it would have been a cure for insomnia. Some punter's have commented on the PM's cold detachment over the whole affair. Nowadays the only thing that seems to get him passionate is a good price on a flat. But hey, it's summer news...
After staring at government files all day trying to put them in order I decided that despite the light drizzle, I would go for a walk around Hampstead Heath again. It was nice to walk in open spaces and a light rain (the first rain that has occurred since I have been here). Little did I know that the Underground was shutting down as I walked around taking in the open space. Well New York had its outage, it was time for London I guess to follow suit...
While it is possible to walk home from Hampstead Heath, by the time I wanted to the light rain became a little less light than I was hoping for. Still I had some sense of direction so I just headed in that way. I could have pulled out my London A-Z but I thought I would keep walking for a bit and not try and stuggle in the rain with silly things like where I was heading.
About 20 minutes later I realised that I had walked to South Hampstead when I really needed to go west. Fortunately I spotted a tube station on my line and walked over to a nearby bus stop. Busses passing through were intimately packed so I didn't fancy my chances getting on one in a hurry.
The weather had turned a little cooler so I decided to see if my Orange WAP phone could tell me the location of the nearest coffee shop. It could, but then a bus arrived that I managed to force my way on. I rode on the front platform for the 5 minutes it took to get home. Technology is good, but getting home was good too.
People were still struggling to get home by 10.30 with the buses still packed as I walked over to Easy Internet on Kilburn High Road.
Seeing double
You really can see the same person in London more than once. Tonight it was a girl on a bike who nearly ran over Skye the other day. The other day it was a couple with their dog casper. On Saturday they were at Hamstead Heath and on Monday they were at the Notting Hill Carnival. Both times I saw them I was with Skye. "Perhaps we should become friends with them," I suggested to Skye. But then we realised that the guy was crouching down and showing plumber's butt - and particularly hairy plumber's butt - and the woman was a bit of a lush. We both agreed that plumber's butt men and lushes weren't the sort of people we needed to know.
If tonight you weren't washing your hair...
* Sky News re-enacts the day's proceedings from the inquiry into the death of British scientist Dr David Kelly. Tonight would have been gripping as it would have been Tony Blair's testimony. Well it would have been a cure for insomnia. Some punter's have commented on the PM's cold detachment over the whole affair. Nowadays the only thing that seems to get him passionate is a good price on a flat. But hey, it's summer news...
Wednesday, August 27, 2003
Safe at work and play...
Working at Whitehall isn't all that bad... once you get used to the security procedures. It reminded me that yesterday after I strolled from Hyde Park back in the city and stumbled onto Grosvenor Square where the American Embassy was behind two layers of temporary fencing and a concrete barricade on the street. It would have made for a wonderful photo but I didn't know whether the guards with automatic weapons would have understood I was merely a tourist. Well I was struggling to work out where I was with a map but I wasn't so sure.
The other thing I have been travelling around with is my Diesel side bag. It is quite useful for storing an A-Z map of London book, a cd player and my pocket computer or camera. Of course when it is stocked full of these goodies it has caused some guards to be slightly alarmed at what I was carring to make it looked so packed. How could I explain it was just a few maps and Ute Lemper? I plan to get a more sensible work bag as soon as I have the opportunity but it has been so useful in the meantime.
Hard facts...
* The water here is hard, but I kinda like it. It tastes quite allright.
* Expats here blame the hard water for their hair falling out... They see their kettles full of crud and think "Oh my gawd that's in my hair". I don't know if there is any correlation between the calc buildup in kettles and the buildup in ones scalp. I just use more product.
* I try not to look too much at the floaty bits of calc that seem to find their way into the teacup anyway
Things that are so much better here...
* Supermarkets there is so much choice and everything is brightly packaged (although a drawback is the people who work in them but then again they don't speak English and are on minimum wage so why would they care?)
* Any food ending in "berry"
* Crisps... they seem to taste so much better... although salt and vinegar packets are green not purple which can be initially confusing
Working at Whitehall isn't all that bad... once you get used to the security procedures. It reminded me that yesterday after I strolled from Hyde Park back in the city and stumbled onto Grosvenor Square where the American Embassy was behind two layers of temporary fencing and a concrete barricade on the street. It would have made for a wonderful photo but I didn't know whether the guards with automatic weapons would have understood I was merely a tourist. Well I was struggling to work out where I was with a map but I wasn't so sure.
The other thing I have been travelling around with is my Diesel side bag. It is quite useful for storing an A-Z map of London book, a cd player and my pocket computer or camera. Of course when it is stocked full of these goodies it has caused some guards to be slightly alarmed at what I was carring to make it looked so packed. How could I explain it was just a few maps and Ute Lemper? I plan to get a more sensible work bag as soon as I have the opportunity but it has been so useful in the meantime.
Hard facts...
* The water here is hard, but I kinda like it. It tastes quite allright.
* Expats here blame the hard water for their hair falling out... They see their kettles full of crud and think "Oh my gawd that's in my hair". I don't know if there is any correlation between the calc buildup in kettles and the buildup in ones scalp. I just use more product.
* I try not to look too much at the floaty bits of calc that seem to find their way into the teacup anyway
Things that are so much better here...
* Supermarkets there is so much choice and everything is brightly packaged (although a drawback is the people who work in them but then again they don't speak English and are on minimum wage so why would they care?)
* Any food ending in "berry"
* Crisps... they seem to taste so much better... although salt and vinegar packets are green not purple which can be initially confusing
Monday, August 25, 2003
A holiday comes to an end...
Just when I was enjoying myself at the Science Museum and wandering through Hyde Park I am back at work again for the rest of the week. In the meantime I have posted the photos from my first three weeks. Select the link "Paul is in London" and you will get there.
Just when I was enjoying myself at the Science Museum and wandering through Hyde Park I am back at work again for the rest of the week. In the meantime I have posted the photos from my first three weeks. Select the link "Paul is in London" and you will get there.
Bank Holiday Weekend
Regarded as the last gasp of the summer holidays, people use it as an excuse to get the hell out of town. By Friday night convoys of caravans and cars were clogging up all routes out of London. I didn't think it would be the best of weekends to go touristing so I decided to take in the city with Skye. This weekend huge sections of the National Rail were going to be closed for repairs but you could still be creative
After Hamstead Heath on Saturday, on Sunday I went back to the Theatre Museum for a jazz concert with Rosemary George. Well it was jazz versions of broadway music so it was very sensible. Legendary reed player JD Parran was also there to accompany her and did a solo version of "My Favourite Things". It was a pity such a jazzy show was in such a stately room full of pensioners (and me) but you get that. The show went late after ending with the song Ain't misbehavin' (which I thought was very sensibly appropriate for me) which meant I was late to meet up with Skye and her friends at Richmond.
The Underground was an interesting way to get to
Richmond on Sunday. Riding in the cramped trains was an intimate experience. It was compounded by having a long weekend and a Rolling Stones concert on the same day, but I managed to get there eventually.
Being in Richmond with Skye and her friend and boy the friend was with for a while taking in the view and the drinking out of plastic cups on a terrace over the Thames was a very sensible way to spend a Sunday evening in London I thought. The boy was a bit of a prat (but he was from Manchester) so it was a little bit louder of an experience than I had expected. By 8pm prat boy wanted to eat in a Chinese Restaurant in Leicester Square but I happened to know two things
1) Nothing in Leicester Square is worth eating as its for the tourists or the pigeons
2) After coming all the way out to Richmond I wasn't fucking going back to Leicester Square to eat!
After diplomatically suggesting that we should eat locally we settled for an italian place where sensible pasta and pizza was consumed.
Notting Hill
The other highlight for those in London over the bank holiday weekend is the Notting Hill Carnival. After hearing that it is a hot, sweaty and intimate experience as over 1 million people take to the city's biggest street party, I did think twice about seeing it. But it is said that everyone who lives in London should go to it at least once... even if there aren't enough toilets and that you are bound to get mugged you will have a great time.
Fortunately the weather today was very mild so at least it wasn't going to be hot and sweaty. After arriving from the tube in a very coordinated fashion we found ourselves watching one of the several parades that went all afternoon. By the end of the afternoon there were a few things that became a little apparent
* Too much aluminium foil and foam went into the costuming
* Production values were a little low. Maybe they need more grant money.
* Sometimes all you need is a whistle and a horn to have a good time (although maybe alcomohol was part of the mix there too)
* You can never have enough hunks-o-meat to go on smokey grill barbeques. Despite the odd look and the dubious food hygeine standards it did look, smell, and taste great.
Skye and I sat and watched the punters go by for a while which was tremendously entertaining. Because the carnival started from Caribbean roots as black migrants moved into the area to meet London's demand for (cheap) labour there was a strong non-white-Christian flavour to the proceedings. Fortunately the Christians were there to make sure we knew that Jesus was our saviour. One woman tried to interest us in our church "I am sure you have seen us on television", to which Skye told her to piss off. The lady told her that one day she will need Jesus in her life and then asked if I was interested. Not being quite the Londoner I was a little more polite saying that "I would be just fine"
The carnival went until 9pm tonight but we didn't last that long. Instead we went back in the city and did some shopping along Oxford Street instead.
Entrepreneurs every one of 'em
* Throughout the carnival there were peddlers who need to have a "peddler's license" but throughout the carnival there were also shifty people carrying cooler bags full of "cold" beer asking if you wanted one for £2 or so...
* Walking down Kilburn High Road (just around the corner from me at West Hampstead) was a little deserted this morning. Public Holidays really mean public holidays here as many of the shops were shut... but there were plenty of street stalls and open vans where people were flogging their wares.
* Some places along the parade route apparently opened their homes so you could use their toilets for £1 or more...
Back to the grind...
* It looks like I may be moving to Manor House by the end of this week. Once I settle on the bond and four weeks rent...
* Later this week... more temping...
Regarded as the last gasp of the summer holidays, people use it as an excuse to get the hell out of town. By Friday night convoys of caravans and cars were clogging up all routes out of London. I didn't think it would be the best of weekends to go touristing so I decided to take in the city with Skye. This weekend huge sections of the National Rail were going to be closed for repairs but you could still be creative
After Hamstead Heath on Saturday, on Sunday I went back to the Theatre Museum for a jazz concert with Rosemary George. Well it was jazz versions of broadway music so it was very sensible. Legendary reed player JD Parran was also there to accompany her and did a solo version of "My Favourite Things". It was a pity such a jazzy show was in such a stately room full of pensioners (and me) but you get that. The show went late after ending with the song Ain't misbehavin' (which I thought was very sensibly appropriate for me) which meant I was late to meet up with Skye and her friends at Richmond.
The Underground was an interesting way to get to
Richmond on Sunday. Riding in the cramped trains was an intimate experience. It was compounded by having a long weekend and a Rolling Stones concert on the same day, but I managed to get there eventually.
Being in Richmond with Skye and her friend and boy the friend was with for a while taking in the view and the drinking out of plastic cups on a terrace over the Thames was a very sensible way to spend a Sunday evening in London I thought. The boy was a bit of a prat (but he was from Manchester) so it was a little bit louder of an experience than I had expected. By 8pm prat boy wanted to eat in a Chinese Restaurant in Leicester Square but I happened to know two things
1) Nothing in Leicester Square is worth eating as its for the tourists or the pigeons
2) After coming all the way out to Richmond I wasn't fucking going back to Leicester Square to eat!
After diplomatically suggesting that we should eat locally we settled for an italian place where sensible pasta and pizza was consumed.
Notting Hill
The other highlight for those in London over the bank holiday weekend is the Notting Hill Carnival. After hearing that it is a hot, sweaty and intimate experience as over 1 million people take to the city's biggest street party, I did think twice about seeing it. But it is said that everyone who lives in London should go to it at least once... even if there aren't enough toilets and that you are bound to get mugged you will have a great time.
Fortunately the weather today was very mild so at least it wasn't going to be hot and sweaty. After arriving from the tube in a very coordinated fashion we found ourselves watching one of the several parades that went all afternoon. By the end of the afternoon there were a few things that became a little apparent
* Too much aluminium foil and foam went into the costuming
* Production values were a little low. Maybe they need more grant money.
* Sometimes all you need is a whistle and a horn to have a good time (although maybe alcomohol was part of the mix there too)
* You can never have enough hunks-o-meat to go on smokey grill barbeques. Despite the odd look and the dubious food hygeine standards it did look, smell, and taste great.
Skye and I sat and watched the punters go by for a while which was tremendously entertaining. Because the carnival started from Caribbean roots as black migrants moved into the area to meet London's demand for (cheap) labour there was a strong non-white-Christian flavour to the proceedings. Fortunately the Christians were there to make sure we knew that Jesus was our saviour. One woman tried to interest us in our church "I am sure you have seen us on television", to which Skye told her to piss off. The lady told her that one day she will need Jesus in her life and then asked if I was interested. Not being quite the Londoner I was a little more polite saying that "I would be just fine"
The carnival went until 9pm tonight but we didn't last that long. Instead we went back in the city and did some shopping along Oxford Street instead.
Entrepreneurs every one of 'em
* Throughout the carnival there were peddlers who need to have a "peddler's license" but throughout the carnival there were also shifty people carrying cooler bags full of "cold" beer asking if you wanted one for £2 or so...
* Walking down Kilburn High Road (just around the corner from me at West Hampstead) was a little deserted this morning. Public Holidays really mean public holidays here as many of the shops were shut... but there were plenty of street stalls and open vans where people were flogging their wares.
* Some places along the parade route apparently opened their homes so you could use their toilets for £1 or more...
Back to the grind...
* It looks like I may be moving to Manor House by the end of this week. Once I settle on the bond and four weeks rent...
* Later this week... more temping...
Saturday, August 23, 2003
My first working week...
My first working week ended with a whimper with the headache thing... But I had Friday off to do more of the job search thing. That bought about some more promising leads so I am optimistic there. But if all else fails... temping... while it doesn't pay so well... can cover the bills for the time being...
After meeting some ex colleagues at the airport I caught my first London cab.
As a bit of an aside, cabs like many things in London are such a scam here. While they are obliged to pick up people and take them where they want to go, when it is late at night the situation is different. Cabs will often not pick people up to take them home if they live on the opposite side of town to where they want to go. This has led to a proliferation of mini-cabs - both licensed and unlicensed - to fill the gap. It is an unfortunate problem that the unlicensed mini-cab drivers have been known to rape women trying to get home. But in a typical London response nobody wants to do anything about it as taking unlicensed mini-cabs off the street would mean a huge gap in providing transport for people to get home.
In this case a cab from Heathrow wasn't such a big deal, and I wasn't paying for it so I rode backwards and kept gawking out all the windows at the scenery and the other drivers. I have made a mental note that overly tanned mid-forties women tend to drive Merc convertabiles.
What to do on the Bank Holiday Long Weekend
It is the Bank Holliday weekend. The trains are late, the city is crowded, and the Notting Hill fair is happening but this is what I did today:
* Went for breakfast at Polly's at Hampstead Heath with Skye. It was a lovely tea house and it was decked out with old English wooden advertising that I knew Nurse would have been so excited about had he had been there. Apart from marvelling at the quality decor the breakfast wasn't too bad for the price. Spent another few hours in the heath reading the newspapers and enjoying the quiet (all except for a fun fair that was going on in the background).
* Rescued Skye's mobile phone. In a moment of insanity Skye dropped her phone into what you could say was once the garden of a basement appartment. Alas there were no stairs from the street to get to it. After a quick chat to a neighbour who told us he had neither a ladder nor a rope (and he wasn't warming to my suggestion about knotted bedsheets) I decided that it wasn't all that deep to jump down (or rather delicately CLIMB down) and fetch it. A few grazed knees and a broken plastic case was all that happened. So it was all good!
My first working week ended with a whimper with the headache thing... But I had Friday off to do more of the job search thing. That bought about some more promising leads so I am optimistic there. But if all else fails... temping... while it doesn't pay so well... can cover the bills for the time being...
After meeting some ex colleagues at the airport I caught my first London cab.
As a bit of an aside, cabs like many things in London are such a scam here. While they are obliged to pick up people and take them where they want to go, when it is late at night the situation is different. Cabs will often not pick people up to take them home if they live on the opposite side of town to where they want to go. This has led to a proliferation of mini-cabs - both licensed and unlicensed - to fill the gap. It is an unfortunate problem that the unlicensed mini-cab drivers have been known to rape women trying to get home. But in a typical London response nobody wants to do anything about it as taking unlicensed mini-cabs off the street would mean a huge gap in providing transport for people to get home.
In this case a cab from Heathrow wasn't such a big deal, and I wasn't paying for it so I rode backwards and kept gawking out all the windows at the scenery and the other drivers. I have made a mental note that overly tanned mid-forties women tend to drive Merc convertabiles.
What to do on the Bank Holiday Long Weekend
It is the Bank Holliday weekend. The trains are late, the city is crowded, and the Notting Hill fair is happening but this is what I did today:
* Went for breakfast at Polly's at Hampstead Heath with Skye. It was a lovely tea house and it was decked out with old English wooden advertising that I knew Nurse would have been so excited about had he had been there. Apart from marvelling at the quality decor the breakfast wasn't too bad for the price. Spent another few hours in the heath reading the newspapers and enjoying the quiet (all except for a fun fair that was going on in the background).
* Rescued Skye's mobile phone. In a moment of insanity Skye dropped her phone into what you could say was once the garden of a basement appartment. Alas there were no stairs from the street to get to it. After a quick chat to a neighbour who told us he had neither a ladder nor a rope (and he wasn't warming to my suggestion about knotted bedsheets) I decided that it wasn't all that deep to jump down (or rather delicately CLIMB down) and fetch it. A few grazed knees and a broken plastic case was all that happened. So it was all good!
Friday, August 22, 2003
Not last night I had a headache...
I was going to update the blog last night after finishing my temp job for the week but Dame Fortune had other ideas. She gave me a headache so after taking two Mersyndol I was off in another calm and tranquil world... This calm and tranquil world was still in West Hampstead on a comfy couch but I was still in another world. But I digress...
Theatre review
* The Madness of George Dubbya was great. It was a mild satire at first, but by the second act it started to get really on the money. One of the highlights was the voiceover at the beginning: "This is a reminder that if you have a pager, cellphone or other device to please switch it ON during tonights performance. That way in the event of a terrorist attack on this theatre you will be able to send final messages to loved ones." It was interesting times to be watching a show that had Jasmina the cleaner as a Hammas suicide bomber cleaning a US Air Force Base in Britain. Tony Blair copped a (rightful) drubbing. Everyone here seems to be waiting for him to just go. Naturally the inquiry about some former arms inspector who topped himself in the woods because he had to sex up the IRAQ dossier is grinding all government business to a halt.
Can I have warm chicken salad and cigarette butts?
* Some things take forever in the UK and one of the things is to introduce a ban on smoking where food is being consumed. It won't happen any time soon. And if they aren't smoking they are nagging on about their latest theory on Iraq or complaining to a waiter about the quality of a banana smoothie.
When searching for a flat...
* Don't go to Whitechapel. Sure the flat you may find there (a redeveloped 1920's style council flat) is gorgeous with a spacious room but outside no pasty white boy will be fitting in to the area. The last census said that 22% of the residents were from Bangladesh. The rest must be from Pakistan.
* Don't take the bus from Whitechapel to Manor House. After getting away from the very talkative Londoner who was half Maltese who owned the flat, I took the bus to what I thought was Manor House. This was to see a room in that part of town. Busses may be getting better but it is still hard to read the bus stop signs. Asking the driver wasn't an option as the bus was crowded. I got off at a stop that was "Approaching Manor House" and found myself not quite at Manor House but in the part of town that was where all the Hasidic Jews hung out. The irony of travelling from Muslim territory to Jew territory did amuse me however and I made a mental note about where to go in future should I wish to practice their faith sometime in the future.
* Find three nice gay men to share with. The place at Manor House was great. Fabulous house, faboulous room. It is also two zones out, serviced by three busses (should I dare to go on one again) and two night busses (should I need to get home after midnight). And there was a nice feel about the neighbourhood with various pubs, eateries and a 24 hour Sainsbury's nearby.
The adventure of Wednesday evening did take me longer than I expected so Alicia was a little worried that I had not returned. She rang twice and I answered it the second time. I explained to the guys that this was because before she left for work in the morning, I left the details of where I was going on the kitchen table and informed her "so if I don't come home you know where to find the body"... I think the humour gave me some brownie points but I will find out next week if I have got the place...
I was going to update the blog last night after finishing my temp job for the week but Dame Fortune had other ideas. She gave me a headache so after taking two Mersyndol I was off in another calm and tranquil world... This calm and tranquil world was still in West Hampstead on a comfy couch but I was still in another world. But I digress...
Theatre review
* The Madness of George Dubbya was great. It was a mild satire at first, but by the second act it started to get really on the money. One of the highlights was the voiceover at the beginning: "This is a reminder that if you have a pager, cellphone or other device to please switch it ON during tonights performance. That way in the event of a terrorist attack on this theatre you will be able to send final messages to loved ones." It was interesting times to be watching a show that had Jasmina the cleaner as a Hammas suicide bomber cleaning a US Air Force Base in Britain. Tony Blair copped a (rightful) drubbing. Everyone here seems to be waiting for him to just go. Naturally the inquiry about some former arms inspector who topped himself in the woods because he had to sex up the IRAQ dossier is grinding all government business to a halt.
Can I have warm chicken salad and cigarette butts?
* Some things take forever in the UK and one of the things is to introduce a ban on smoking where food is being consumed. It won't happen any time soon. And if they aren't smoking they are nagging on about their latest theory on Iraq or complaining to a waiter about the quality of a banana smoothie.
When searching for a flat...
* Don't go to Whitechapel. Sure the flat you may find there (a redeveloped 1920's style council flat) is gorgeous with a spacious room but outside no pasty white boy will be fitting in to the area. The last census said that 22% of the residents were from Bangladesh. The rest must be from Pakistan.
* Don't take the bus from Whitechapel to Manor House. After getting away from the very talkative Londoner who was half Maltese who owned the flat, I took the bus to what I thought was Manor House. This was to see a room in that part of town. Busses may be getting better but it is still hard to read the bus stop signs. Asking the driver wasn't an option as the bus was crowded. I got off at a stop that was "Approaching Manor House" and found myself not quite at Manor House but in the part of town that was where all the Hasidic Jews hung out. The irony of travelling from Muslim territory to Jew territory did amuse me however and I made a mental note about where to go in future should I wish to practice their faith sometime in the future.
* Find three nice gay men to share with. The place at Manor House was great. Fabulous house, faboulous room. It is also two zones out, serviced by three busses (should I dare to go on one again) and two night busses (should I need to get home after midnight). And there was a nice feel about the neighbourhood with various pubs, eateries and a 24 hour Sainsbury's nearby.
The adventure of Wednesday evening did take me longer than I expected so Alicia was a little worried that I had not returned. She rang twice and I answered it the second time. I explained to the guys that this was because before she left for work in the morning, I left the details of where I was going on the kitchen table and informed her "so if I don't come home you know where to find the body"... I think the humour gave me some brownie points but I will find out next week if I have got the place...
Tuesday, August 19, 2003
Who gives a shit about Lara?
Tonight as I made my way through Leicester Square I found that I couldn't make my way through the square. There were barricades around a theatre. A movie theatre of course. Punters were out everywhere waiting for the premiere UK screening of the latest Lara Croft flick. The director was on the morning show this morning so the usual smoozing and PR is to take place. Alas cinema being at the forefront of our culture I guess this is what one has to put up with. You could say the square is a haven for shit flicks actually as apart from the Lara franchise at one of the theatres, there is the Terminator franchise at the theatre opposite and the Legally Blonde franchise at a theatre nearby. I sighed as I made my way to the TKTS booth to buy a ticket for the show The madness of George Dubbya... A retake on Dr Strangelove apparently...
Things I keep forgetting... is it jetlag?
* I got a haircut on Friday. I no longer have tourist hair. But the weather sure took its toll. The haircut was at a hairdresser at Covent Garden. Skye was getting hers done so I thought what the hell? The haircut was by Josh, an albino hairdresser from the Ukraine with soft fingertips. He kept trying to put more conditioner in my hair so thats why I knew about the fingertips. Neither of us could understand each other but I still believe we established a good inital hairdresser-client rapport.
* Aussie barbeques... On Sunday at Skye's place... We had sausages, golden circle beetroot (because the stuff here the aussies say is crap), and iced vovos. I had more Australian food on Sunday than I usually ate in Australia. We sat in a garden area and watched the pidgeons on the rooftops nearby.
I have a zzzzzzjaaab
While waiting for better offers, I am temping at a hospital and doing filing. This could be somebody's revenge as I never filed anything in Australia. I mainly just threw it out or stored it online. It is keeping me occupied until Thursday, and it isn't that bad. Have more real interviews for later in the week. Apparently I am so good at filing that I could get another offer to do it next week... Egad...
Lets stick to the weather
* London weather is returning to my expectations. No topless flabby pink Brits on the streets anymore as the temperature is maxing at the low 20s.
* Read a fascinating report on the state of London's health today (well I am working in a hospital). London has the worst pollution in the UK and among the worst in Europe (only Berlin, Paris and Moscow are worse). Nitrogen Dioxide levels exceed annual targets and fine particles have exceeded hourly targets here.
This got me thinking about yesterday's conversation with Alicia. While waiting for the train after a walk last night with Alicia around Hamstead Heath, she decided to ask me if I have noticed something about my nasal passages since getting here. This led to a fascinating conversation about why one's snot is black in the city. Alicia's view is that its the underground that is the main culprit. That breeze of air when the train comes rushing into the station isn't quite a fresh breeze. When it is hot in the underground any breeze is good though. London locals apparently say the black stuff goes away after a while. They believe it is because their nasal hairs are burnt off by then.
And as for Hampstead Heath, it was lovely. It was starting to get a bit drizzly yesterday when we went out for a walk but it gave it so much more ambient atmosphere. It was all a bit Wuthering Heights-ish... I was expecting Heathcliff to arrive on the scene any minute. An excellent place to go after work I thought. Have made a mental note to return again, and also to visit the cafe nearby where you can get a £5 monster breakfast.
Technominology
* I finally can access the internet anywhere... either using WiFi or my Orange phone. Easy internet is still cheaaaaper so that's where I am right now though!
Tonight as I made my way through Leicester Square I found that I couldn't make my way through the square. There were barricades around a theatre. A movie theatre of course. Punters were out everywhere waiting for the premiere UK screening of the latest Lara Croft flick. The director was on the morning show this morning so the usual smoozing and PR is to take place. Alas cinema being at the forefront of our culture I guess this is what one has to put up with. You could say the square is a haven for shit flicks actually as apart from the Lara franchise at one of the theatres, there is the Terminator franchise at the theatre opposite and the Legally Blonde franchise at a theatre nearby. I sighed as I made my way to the TKTS booth to buy a ticket for the show The madness of George Dubbya... A retake on Dr Strangelove apparently...
Things I keep forgetting... is it jetlag?
* I got a haircut on Friday. I no longer have tourist hair. But the weather sure took its toll. The haircut was at a hairdresser at Covent Garden. Skye was getting hers done so I thought what the hell? The haircut was by Josh, an albino hairdresser from the Ukraine with soft fingertips. He kept trying to put more conditioner in my hair so thats why I knew about the fingertips. Neither of us could understand each other but I still believe we established a good inital hairdresser-client rapport.
* Aussie barbeques... On Sunday at Skye's place... We had sausages, golden circle beetroot (because the stuff here the aussies say is crap), and iced vovos. I had more Australian food on Sunday than I usually ate in Australia. We sat in a garden area and watched the pidgeons on the rooftops nearby.
I have a zzzzzzjaaab
While waiting for better offers, I am temping at a hospital and doing filing. This could be somebody's revenge as I never filed anything in Australia. I mainly just threw it out or stored it online. It is keeping me occupied until Thursday, and it isn't that bad. Have more real interviews for later in the week. Apparently I am so good at filing that I could get another offer to do it next week... Egad...
Lets stick to the weather
* London weather is returning to my expectations. No topless flabby pink Brits on the streets anymore as the temperature is maxing at the low 20s.
* Read a fascinating report on the state of London's health today (well I am working in a hospital). London has the worst pollution in the UK and among the worst in Europe (only Berlin, Paris and Moscow are worse). Nitrogen Dioxide levels exceed annual targets and fine particles have exceeded hourly targets here.
This got me thinking about yesterday's conversation with Alicia. While waiting for the train after a walk last night with Alicia around Hamstead Heath, she decided to ask me if I have noticed something about my nasal passages since getting here. This led to a fascinating conversation about why one's snot is black in the city. Alicia's view is that its the underground that is the main culprit. That breeze of air when the train comes rushing into the station isn't quite a fresh breeze. When it is hot in the underground any breeze is good though. London locals apparently say the black stuff goes away after a while. They believe it is because their nasal hairs are burnt off by then.
And as for Hampstead Heath, it was lovely. It was starting to get a bit drizzly yesterday when we went out for a walk but it gave it so much more ambient atmosphere. It was all a bit Wuthering Heights-ish... I was expecting Heathcliff to arrive on the scene any minute. An excellent place to go after work I thought. Have made a mental note to return again, and also to visit the cafe nearby where you can get a £5 monster breakfast.
Technominology
* I finally can access the internet anywhere... either using WiFi or my Orange phone. Easy internet is still cheaaaaper so that's where I am right now though!
Sunday, August 17, 2003
Streetlife and XXXX
Things to do on a Saturday when you have time:
*Visit the Royal Park at Greenwich and see your first squirrel. I had no idea that there were deer there however. There were thousands of people at the park but you would not have known it. One also took in the views from the Royal Observatory at Greenwich. On a clear day you really can see forever. Well at least past St Paul's Cathedral.
* Spend time around and about Canary Wharf. Apart from the lovely tube stations in this part of the woods there were plenty of sensimible shops to have a wander and a browse through. Resisted the temptation to purchase anything for now but made a mental note to return.
* Have a drink at The Gloucester at Greenwich... just because it was in the film Beautiful Thing. Also managed to pick up a copy of the Pink Pages which details sensible accomodation and jobs to look for...
Other things to do on a Saturday:
* Go with (straight) friends to Club Aquarium. Apart from the standard issue club setup and faux-bamboo walls (maybe Gilligan and Ginger did the interior dec), this club in Old Street boasts an indoor swimming pool complete with spa etc. They were having a 70s Carwash night which meant that we all had to dress in 70s style. Well almost all of us. We arrived at the club early for a private function and that helped. It was only £10 cover and £3 drinks then...
When the club opened and the music started one by one things started to remind me of Brisbane. Whether it was Randy Crawford's Streetlife or the promotions for XXXX there was a distinct Australian feel to the evening. It could have also been the other expats in the group as well.
I ended up leaving before midnight and missing the pool opening. When the pool did open after midnight it apparently was clothing optional. Through the glass doors to the pool the non-swimming punters could see women baring their beavers and breasts to the delight of the local lads (especially those there for a swim). At least it answers that question commonly asked by some folk... can straight saunas happen? Well at least they can in Old Street in London...
Up for today
* An aussie barbeque...
Things to do on a Saturday when you have time:
*Visit the Royal Park at Greenwich and see your first squirrel. I had no idea that there were deer there however. There were thousands of people at the park but you would not have known it. One also took in the views from the Royal Observatory at Greenwich. On a clear day you really can see forever. Well at least past St Paul's Cathedral.
* Spend time around and about Canary Wharf. Apart from the lovely tube stations in this part of the woods there were plenty of sensimible shops to have a wander and a browse through. Resisted the temptation to purchase anything for now but made a mental note to return.
* Have a drink at The Gloucester at Greenwich... just because it was in the film Beautiful Thing. Also managed to pick up a copy of the Pink Pages which details sensible accomodation and jobs to look for...
Other things to do on a Saturday:
* Go with (straight) friends to Club Aquarium. Apart from the standard issue club setup and faux-bamboo walls (maybe Gilligan and Ginger did the interior dec), this club in Old Street boasts an indoor swimming pool complete with spa etc. They were having a 70s Carwash night which meant that we all had to dress in 70s style. Well almost all of us. We arrived at the club early for a private function and that helped. It was only £10 cover and £3 drinks then...
When the club opened and the music started one by one things started to remind me of Brisbane. Whether it was Randy Crawford's Streetlife or the promotions for XXXX there was a distinct Australian feel to the evening. It could have also been the other expats in the group as well.
I ended up leaving before midnight and missing the pool opening. When the pool did open after midnight it apparently was clothing optional. Through the glass doors to the pool the non-swimming punters could see women baring their beavers and breasts to the delight of the local lads (especially those there for a swim). At least it answers that question commonly asked by some folk... can straight saunas happen? Well at least they can in Old Street in London...
Up for today
* An aussie barbeque...
Saturday, August 16, 2003
Shopping and... shopping...
After yesterday's adventurous visit to the London Transport Museum, I decided to cook pizza's last night. This mean a trip to the supermarket. Usually this wouldn't rate a mention but at Sainsburys things just looked a little brighter and more colourful than usual. It was an exciting adventure running up and down aisles trying to find Tomato Paste when it was called Tomato Puree, but what normally would have been a stressful endeavour was made all the more pleasant under the soft lighting and light pastels of the supermarket store.
The tranquility of my supermarket experience was just the tonic for having to take a diversionary route on the Tube after a security alert closed half of the stations in central London.
Off to a straight nightclub tonight for a 70s car wash party... Hmmm!
After yesterday's adventurous visit to the London Transport Museum, I decided to cook pizza's last night. This mean a trip to the supermarket. Usually this wouldn't rate a mention but at Sainsburys things just looked a little brighter and more colourful than usual. It was an exciting adventure running up and down aisles trying to find Tomato Paste when it was called Tomato Puree, but what normally would have been a stressful endeavour was made all the more pleasant under the soft lighting and light pastels of the supermarket store.
The tranquility of my supermarket experience was just the tonic for having to take a diversionary route on the Tube after a security alert closed half of the stations in central London.
Off to a straight nightclub tonight for a 70s car wash party... Hmmm!
Friday, August 15, 2003
The rain in spain stays mainly on the pla-in...
It had to happen. Last night I saw my first West End musical to mark a week in London. It was the thouroughly Londern musical My Fair Lady. Henry Higgins was played by Anthony Andrews which gave me some amusement since ten or so years back I had seen him again and again and again in the TV movie The Scarlett Pimpernel. As my favourite sister was a bit of a fan I sort of became a fan by default.
The show last night was sensational. I had only ever seen that dreadful still-born movie of it starring the lip-syncing Audrey Hepburn and directed by the near death George Cukor. He was good in his day but his day was thirty years before and I found the movie was as slow and decrepit as he probably was. The songs I could have danced all night and On the street where you live just simply stopped the show. There was spectacle and excitement in this production and it never dragged.
It is quite a unique show. And of course it was fun to see a show in the area in which it was actually set. Such a pity however that in less than 100 years Covent Garden markets area have gone from a hobo slum to being a tourist slum. But one can't have everything I suppose!
But I digress... I thought My Fair Lady was a sensible show to see for my first week in London. I have found that diction and pronounciation is quite important. Even though we all share the same language, whether ordering a hamburger in an all-black Macdonalds or buying a railway ticket from a disinterested ticket seller, lazy Austraaaaylianisms just don't quite cut it. I have found enunciation has been enough to get me by for now.
Hot tips:
* When walking around being a tourist it comes in handy to note the day's particle count along with the temperature.
* Drinking 3litres of water a day means that having intimate knowledge of where the W.Cs are is quite advantageous. Sometimes it really is a privilege to pee!
* The words London and airconditioning don't really go together. I did let some people in on a secret that last summer Brisbane and airconditioning didn't really happen either.
* The theatre can be a hot and sweaty place too. Last night it was hotter inside the theatre than out as temperatures dropped for the first time in over a week to make for a mild summer's night.
Purchasing Power Parity
A Big Mac here may cost over A$7, but some things aren't too bad.
* Evian is 50p
* A cheeseburger and sprite is about the same
* Theatre tix cost the same or cheaper if you know where to go.
* A half pint of beer for under £2 gets me looking butch for over half an hour in a gay bar. Actually that might just be because I take forever to drink beer...
The Accidental Tourist
It has been a couple of days since postings so important things I have learned since last posting:
* The Theatre Musuem is a great free exhibit. I was expecting it to be cheesy and full of old stage props but instead found Noel Cowards bath robe, WS Gilbert's top hat, and a fantastic exhibition on the Redgrave family. The ghosts of theatre seemed to be lurking about in the dimly lit museum but in amongst Rudolf Nureyev's black cap and the rest it was a great place to learn about theatre in its historical context.
*Trafalgar Square isn't so shitty anymore... well it has lost its pidgeons and it looks a lot cleaner and brighter with a redevelopment that has closed off the road directly in front of the National Gallery. A concert is coming up to mark the grand occasion which isn't my cup of tea but apparently will attract loads of punters. I have spent a fair amount of time around the Trafalgar Square area in the past two days and am updating the blog from the easyInternet cafe nearby. Live webcam from Trafalgar Square
* Since I was in the neighbourhood, I thought I would pop in to the National Gallery. You could spend a good deal of time there, but I just drifted from crashing a tour group getting an explanation on a 16th century work of art to standing transfixed at Bathers at Asnires by Georges Seurat. I kept thinking "dot-dot-dot-dot" and "well there never was a hat!"
Limerance with London
I keep wondering when the honeymoon is over. It has been fun so far. I even enjoy the stuff like
* Saying no to hobos when they ask for money
* Riding the tube when its crowded
* Tripping over the silly woman's foot at the theatre who refused to move. Some people in London think London revolves around them so when she refused to move I just pressed on. She moaned and complained (which Skye mainly heard and not I) but it amused me as I thought how else was I to get by after exhausting the polite niceties and non verbals? If London really revolved around her the silly bitch would have been in a box seat anyway and not the dress circle.
* Community spirit. You are expected to help people when they need it and they will help you in return. Yesterday I had to help a lady with a stroller down the stairs at a tube station. The stroller was surprisingly heavy. Perhaps she was carrying a bowling ball.
* Walking everywhere is my substitute for gym for now.
Coming up on the schedule...
Re-entering the world of work for four days next week. I will be an office dogsbody but I think I can take a few days off from touristing.
It had to happen. Last night I saw my first West End musical to mark a week in London. It was the thouroughly Londern musical My Fair Lady. Henry Higgins was played by Anthony Andrews which gave me some amusement since ten or so years back I had seen him again and again and again in the TV movie The Scarlett Pimpernel. As my favourite sister was a bit of a fan I sort of became a fan by default.
The show last night was sensational. I had only ever seen that dreadful still-born movie of it starring the lip-syncing Audrey Hepburn and directed by the near death George Cukor. He was good in his day but his day was thirty years before and I found the movie was as slow and decrepit as he probably was. The songs I could have danced all night and On the street where you live just simply stopped the show. There was spectacle and excitement in this production and it never dragged.
It is quite a unique show. And of course it was fun to see a show in the area in which it was actually set. Such a pity however that in less than 100 years Covent Garden markets area have gone from a hobo slum to being a tourist slum. But one can't have everything I suppose!
But I digress... I thought My Fair Lady was a sensible show to see for my first week in London. I have found that diction and pronounciation is quite important. Even though we all share the same language, whether ordering a hamburger in an all-black Macdonalds or buying a railway ticket from a disinterested ticket seller, lazy Austraaaaylianisms just don't quite cut it. I have found enunciation has been enough to get me by for now.
Hot tips:
* When walking around being a tourist it comes in handy to note the day's particle count along with the temperature.
* Drinking 3litres of water a day means that having intimate knowledge of where the W.Cs are is quite advantageous. Sometimes it really is a privilege to pee!
* The words London and airconditioning don't really go together. I did let some people in on a secret that last summer Brisbane and airconditioning didn't really happen either.
* The theatre can be a hot and sweaty place too. Last night it was hotter inside the theatre than out as temperatures dropped for the first time in over a week to make for a mild summer's night.
Purchasing Power Parity
A Big Mac here may cost over A$7, but some things aren't too bad.
* Evian is 50p
* A cheeseburger and sprite is about the same
* Theatre tix cost the same or cheaper if you know where to go.
* A half pint of beer for under £2 gets me looking butch for over half an hour in a gay bar. Actually that might just be because I take forever to drink beer...
The Accidental Tourist
It has been a couple of days since postings so important things I have learned since last posting:
* The Theatre Musuem is a great free exhibit. I was expecting it to be cheesy and full of old stage props but instead found Noel Cowards bath robe, WS Gilbert's top hat, and a fantastic exhibition on the Redgrave family. The ghosts of theatre seemed to be lurking about in the dimly lit museum but in amongst Rudolf Nureyev's black cap and the rest it was a great place to learn about theatre in its historical context.
*Trafalgar Square isn't so shitty anymore... well it has lost its pidgeons and it looks a lot cleaner and brighter with a redevelopment that has closed off the road directly in front of the National Gallery. A concert is coming up to mark the grand occasion which isn't my cup of tea but apparently will attract loads of punters. I have spent a fair amount of time around the Trafalgar Square area in the past two days and am updating the blog from the easyInternet cafe nearby. Live webcam from Trafalgar Square
* Since I was in the neighbourhood, I thought I would pop in to the National Gallery. You could spend a good deal of time there, but I just drifted from crashing a tour group getting an explanation on a 16th century work of art to standing transfixed at Bathers at Asnires by Georges Seurat. I kept thinking "dot-dot-dot-dot" and "well there never was a hat!"
Limerance with London
I keep wondering when the honeymoon is over. It has been fun so far. I even enjoy the stuff like
* Saying no to hobos when they ask for money
* Riding the tube when its crowded
* Tripping over the silly woman's foot at the theatre who refused to move. Some people in London think London revolves around them so when she refused to move I just pressed on. She moaned and complained (which Skye mainly heard and not I) but it amused me as I thought how else was I to get by after exhausting the polite niceties and non verbals? If London really revolved around her the silly bitch would have been in a box seat anyway and not the dress circle.
* Community spirit. You are expected to help people when they need it and they will help you in return. Yesterday I had to help a lady with a stroller down the stairs at a tube station. The stroller was surprisingly heavy. Perhaps she was carrying a bowling ball.
* Walking everywhere is my substitute for gym for now.
Coming up on the schedule...
Re-entering the world of work for four days next week. I will be an office dogsbody but I think I can take a few days off from touristing.
Tuesday, August 12, 2003
On the buses
If you are going to familiarise yourself with a big city, a cheesy bus tour is definitely the way to go. Today I spent most of the day riding an open air double decker bus around the traps of London. It was called The Original Tour. Most sensible way to go about, although the commentary was a bit spotty I got a better sense of where I was including:
* Yesterday at Covent Garden I was a block away from the Strand
* Trafalgar square isn't that far away and Lord Nelson looked quite impressive way up there
* The British Museum had not lost any of its charm (but then again today was a smoggy day rather than a foggy day in London Town
* Margaret Thatcher has a police man outside her door still. Maybe it is to remind her nowadays where she lives since the press here love running "Maggies gone dotty stories". Like this one...
The tour included a complimentary £5 fish and chip meal at the Sherlock Holmes pub and that was edible. Alas it wasn't served with peas. Have made a mental note need to cook that meal when I find a place of my own!
Also included in the tour was a trip on the Thames. Well it almost nearly didn't happen as Skye caught up with me for that leg of my grand day out and presenting the same ticket that we bought two days earlier together to the wanker at the ferry he was going to make an issue about it not having the words "the original tour" on the ticket. And he added how much trouble that would create when this ticket gets back to central control er head office.
We could have argued all day about the finer points of this guy not knowing his own job since this ticket was part of his company's promotions, but Skye was much keener on just clobbering him with her bag. In the end having a copy of the flyer sold him on the idea that we had ponied up the dough for one of his shitty tickets and he had to give us one.
It is interesting that in a city where you can buy beer in a corner store you have to have a photo id to buy a weekly rail ticket (for no reason) and you have Original Tour ticket sellers not knowing their own tickets and then starting to complain to you about the problems of their job! Ah well its London. Mental note to fight and complain and get aggressive with unhelpful service workers... it seems to help!
Making the most of the internet terminals near Victoria Station tonight... Needing to go home and rest. Interview tomorrow at 11 which will bring my touristing to a brief halt. Since it is on the Strand though I might just take in a museum or two.
Other useful things to know:
* On hot days when drinking bottles of evian it is good to know where all the public conveniences are.
* Good looking joggers pop out of the Savoy hotel when you don't have your camera ready.
* Covent Garden may have been nice once... but it smelled too much like a tourist trap to me... I just noted where the theatres and museums were before quickly moving on.
* Stripey deck chairs in parks are very comfy
If you are going to familiarise yourself with a big city, a cheesy bus tour is definitely the way to go. Today I spent most of the day riding an open air double decker bus around the traps of London. It was called The Original Tour. Most sensible way to go about, although the commentary was a bit spotty I got a better sense of where I was including:
* Yesterday at Covent Garden I was a block away from the Strand
* Trafalgar square isn't that far away and Lord Nelson looked quite impressive way up there
* The British Museum had not lost any of its charm (but then again today was a smoggy day rather than a foggy day in London Town
* Margaret Thatcher has a police man outside her door still. Maybe it is to remind her nowadays where she lives since the press here love running "Maggies gone dotty stories". Like this one...
The tour included a complimentary £5 fish and chip meal at the Sherlock Holmes pub and that was edible. Alas it wasn't served with peas. Have made a mental note need to cook that meal when I find a place of my own!
Also included in the tour was a trip on the Thames. Well it almost nearly didn't happen as Skye caught up with me for that leg of my grand day out and presenting the same ticket that we bought two days earlier together to the wanker at the ferry he was going to make an issue about it not having the words "the original tour" on the ticket. And he added how much trouble that would create when this ticket gets back to central control er head office.
We could have argued all day about the finer points of this guy not knowing his own job since this ticket was part of his company's promotions, but Skye was much keener on just clobbering him with her bag. In the end having a copy of the flyer sold him on the idea that we had ponied up the dough for one of his shitty tickets and he had to give us one.
It is interesting that in a city where you can buy beer in a corner store you have to have a photo id to buy a weekly rail ticket (for no reason) and you have Original Tour ticket sellers not knowing their own tickets and then starting to complain to you about the problems of their job! Ah well its London. Mental note to fight and complain and get aggressive with unhelpful service workers... it seems to help!
Making the most of the internet terminals near Victoria Station tonight... Needing to go home and rest. Interview tomorrow at 11 which will bring my touristing to a brief halt. Since it is on the Strand though I might just take in a museum or two.
Other useful things to know:
* On hot days when drinking bottles of evian it is good to know where all the public conveniences are.
* Good looking joggers pop out of the Savoy hotel when you don't have your camera ready.
* Covent Garden may have been nice once... but it smelled too much like a tourist trap to me... I just noted where the theatres and museums were before quickly moving on.
* Stripey deck chairs in parks are very comfy
Monday, August 11, 2003
Back in London...
Found a link to Kingsgate Castle. The road is a bit better now than it was then and the beach has a lot more litter on it nowadays but you should get the general idea. That's what I spent a lot of time on the weekend looking at when I was down at the beach.
Trying to master the local dialogue... Offie, the minicabs the underground or the tube (not the subway or the train)... Its all good as they say... I felt better yesterday when I saw the cover of this week's Economist magazine. The article was titled The world comes to London. Amen to that!
Things to do today.
1. Try not to stare at people with flabby bodies and man boobs even though it is hard not to! Yesterday a man took off his shirt in the Victoria Station mall and continued eating. I was eating too and the sight of his pasty white skin and inverted nipples was a bit off putting. Really. Maybe Australians are way too modest and too high maintenance. I would have to Veet and Clip before feeling comfortable about doing that. Well maybe it is just me. Havent seen any handkerchiefs on top of heads yet though...
2. Drink plenty of water as I am delicate... Still haven't found San Pelligrino much around the traps. The punters prefer to go for some Scottish mineral water, which is almost as good.
3. See the sights around Covent Garden... including the
Donmar Warehouse
4. Try not to eat fish and chips for too many meals. Haven't yet eaten it out of a cone shaped paper thing though so I am going to have to do that soon.
5. Have fun and cheap laughs (well I can do that wherever I go)
6. Bought my own music. Listening to March of the Falsettos right now. It has nothing to do with London but works for me anyway.
Found a link to Kingsgate Castle. The road is a bit better now than it was then and the beach has a lot more litter on it nowadays but you should get the general idea. That's what I spent a lot of time on the weekend looking at when I was down at the beach.
Trying to master the local dialogue... Offie, the minicabs the underground or the tube (not the subway or the train)... Its all good as they say... I felt better yesterday when I saw the cover of this week's Economist magazine. The article was titled The world comes to London. Amen to that!
Things to do today.
1. Try not to stare at people with flabby bodies and man boobs even though it is hard not to! Yesterday a man took off his shirt in the Victoria Station mall and continued eating. I was eating too and the sight of his pasty white skin and inverted nipples was a bit off putting. Really. Maybe Australians are way too modest and too high maintenance. I would have to Veet and Clip before feeling comfortable about doing that. Well maybe it is just me. Havent seen any handkerchiefs on top of heads yet though...
2. Drink plenty of water as I am delicate... Still haven't found San Pelligrino much around the traps. The punters prefer to go for some Scottish mineral water, which is almost as good.
3. See the sights around Covent Garden... including the
Donmar Warehouse
4. Try not to eat fish and chips for too many meals. Haven't yet eaten it out of a cone shaped paper thing though so I am going to have to do that soon.
5. Have fun and cheap laughs (well I can do that wherever I go)
6. Bought my own music. Listening to March of the Falsettos right now. It has nothing to do with London but works for me anyway.
Sunday, August 10, 2003
Its hot up here...
Well today I lived a little bit of London history. It was the hottest day on record. I was out of town for most of the pleasure but I did manage to sweat it out on an un-airconditioned connex train on the way back from Broadstairs. Only the hot dusty breeze coming through some of the windows could make it somewhat more of a cooler experience. It took two hours the train ride but for me it was all new and exciting I just kept watching the scenery whiz by on the train.
As for the rest of the time this weekend. I managed to travel to this castle for my first weekend. I think I can be forgiven for again forgetting where it was, but it was near Viking Beach which was voted the best beach in the EU... Well it was very pretty and very English but it still was more amusing this weekend seeing all those pink brits roasting themselves. When I could get away with it (and even sometimes when I couldn't) I just had to take a few happy snaps of the whole experience...
Phew, hold everything Skye has emailed me and told me yet again that I had gone to Kingsgate Castle in Broadstairs which is part of Kent shire...
The weekend was also the weekend of a folk festival which meant that this quaint little village was a little more quaint and intimate than usual. There were hundreds of thousands of people there to savour the artless craft and the sun and the sand and the slight waves.
It was nice to see that folk means crap the world over, but Skye her dad and I managed to go for fish and chips at the Charles Dickens Tavern. I would have to say it was the best of fish and chips and it was the worst of fish and chips... and I did until Skye started hitting me as she thought that was a real dull joke. She is probably right but I think there is nothing like a few cheap laughs.
I did enjoy the fish and chips. Serving it with peas was a nice touch and it made me realise that I wasn't in Australia anymore. I was by the sea in Britain!
At the castle which was built as servants quarters and stables before Australia was even colonised I managed to savour the view of the white chalky cliffs. The castle was a hotel until just after the war when it was divided into separate flats. One of the occupants of the flat invited us over Saturday night to watch the sunset over the hills while having a foine white whoine and some cheese and crackers. It was a very sophistimicated way to spend a Saturday night.
Well today I lived a little bit of London history. It was the hottest day on record. I was out of town for most of the pleasure but I did manage to sweat it out on an un-airconditioned connex train on the way back from Broadstairs. Only the hot dusty breeze coming through some of the windows could make it somewhat more of a cooler experience. It took two hours the train ride but for me it was all new and exciting I just kept watching the scenery whiz by on the train.
As for the rest of the time this weekend. I managed to travel to this castle for my first weekend. I think I can be forgiven for again forgetting where it was, but it was near Viking Beach which was voted the best beach in the EU... Well it was very pretty and very English but it still was more amusing this weekend seeing all those pink brits roasting themselves. When I could get away with it (and even sometimes when I couldn't) I just had to take a few happy snaps of the whole experience...
Phew, hold everything Skye has emailed me and told me yet again that I had gone to Kingsgate Castle in Broadstairs which is part of Kent shire...
The weekend was also the weekend of a folk festival which meant that this quaint little village was a little more quaint and intimate than usual. There were hundreds of thousands of people there to savour the artless craft and the sun and the sand and the slight waves.
It was nice to see that folk means crap the world over, but Skye her dad and I managed to go for fish and chips at the Charles Dickens Tavern. I would have to say it was the best of fish and chips and it was the worst of fish and chips... and I did until Skye started hitting me as she thought that was a real dull joke. She is probably right but I think there is nothing like a few cheap laughs.
I did enjoy the fish and chips. Serving it with peas was a nice touch and it made me realise that I wasn't in Australia anymore. I was by the sea in Britain!
At the castle which was built as servants quarters and stables before Australia was even colonised I managed to savour the view of the white chalky cliffs. The castle was a hotel until just after the war when it was divided into separate flats. One of the occupants of the flat invited us over Saturday night to watch the sunset over the hills while having a foine white whoine and some cheese and crackers. It was a very sophistimicated way to spend a Saturday night.
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