Playing the Scot in Windermere

Windermere lake with Bowness-on-Windermere to the right. Aerial photo by Simon Ledingham.

I know it seems strange but I have actually been asked on two separate occasions as to whether I was Scottish.  Now regular readers will know that under all this grey fur hides a slightly paunchy middle-aged Chinese Malaysian.  So you might be wondering if these two persons were escapees from the mad house or were inebriated by a few wee drams of Scotland’s best Scotch Whiskey.  But no.  The reason for their puzzled faces and curious question is that at one time I spoke as if  “Ah was born a wee bairn oan th’ windswept scottish highlands“.  “Still dornt kin? Ah cannae make it clearer than thes……Ah spick loch scottie th’ wee engineer frae Star Trek”.  Okay before I go overboard …… let’s go on with my tale.

There is a reason for this strange phenomena …….. when one enters the “Dark Hole of Bowness-on-Windermere”, one does not come out of it unaffected.  But more about this at the end of the post.

I spent 5 years in United Kingdom leading up to my completion of my degree in Biochemistry.  Before going there, I was your typical country bumpkin who had never even been out of the country before …… not even to neighboring Singapore.  I did get some pre-conceptions about life in UK from reading books and novels.  From those readings, the things that stuck in my mind most was the bleak and windswept  Yorkshire Moors of  Wuthering Heights; the gentle hills and lakes of the Lake District which was home to Beatrix Potter and Peter Rabbit and the remote Scottish coast near the Isle of Skye which was the location of Camusfearna from the book “Ring of Bright Water“.

So during my second summer there, when looking for some work to help pay the bills, I suddenly had the idea of combining my work quest with my hopes of visiting one of these iconic places.  Together with my friend, James, also from Malaysia, we got a job as housekeeping staff at a guest house in the Lake District.

In those days, there were no super highways reaching that part of England and many went there by train, arriving at Windermere station which is still quite a distance from Windermere Lake.  The town is actually Bowness-on- Windermere (Windermere  is actually the name of the lake).  We walked the entire distance down to the  lake and then followed the lakeside trail out of town and past the line of cars waiting to catch the small ferry across the lake and a few minutes later, we arrived at a wonderfully quaint guest house which was called Meadowcroft.  There is still a guest house in Windermere by that name but I do not believe that it is the same one.

The place was really an old farmer’s home which had been converted into the guest house with about 8 rooms.  It was run by a young couple who had a 5 year old son.  Apart from ourselves, who were basically the summer reinforcements, the only other person was this middle-aged Scottish woman named Agnes.

Our typical day consisted of waking up at about 6.30 in the morning so that we could assist in getting the breakfast ready as well as packed lunches for guests that had requested it.  Breakfast was served between 7.30 and 9.30 am and then we helped clean up in the eating area and also cleaning the common areas.  Later in the morning, we would either help clean the rooms and make the beds or do the washing of plates and cutlery.  The place was also a working farm although it was small scale and so we would also then help on the farm.  If we were lucky, some days, the boss would let us off by about 2.30 pm after lunch and we would not be required back until 5.30 pm and so we would cram in as much hiking and sightseeing that we could.   We were also given a day off once a week which was so precious and highly anticipated.  Work resumed at night with the evening meal and washing up and then the nightcap of coffee, tea or hot chocolate and then washing up.  We’d finally crawl into bed all tired out at about 11pm.

Having to walk everywhere meant that we did not get to go very far from Meadowcroft but we could follow the lakeside to the south, we could climb the Fell immediately behind and to the east, we managed to take the ferry across the lake and tramp around Beatrix Potter’s house in Far Sawrey, we even managed to catch a bus to quaint town of Keswick on Derwentwater Lake.  It’s strange that I have few vivid images of all these places in my head but my memory is instead, more of  a feeling of  general and complete wellness and of being alive.

But, I do have vivid memories of the “Dark Hole of Bowness-on-Windermere”!   One of the least popular of all the chores was doing the washing up.  The dirty dishes were brought in and the organic wastes had to be separated form the rest (for food for farm animals).  Next, they were rinsed and then placed into a large scale dishwasher.  We then had to run the dishwasher which sprayed the plates and cutlery with hot soapy water and then rinse it with hot clean water.  Both times, steam fills this tiny room and the place gets really uncomfortably hot and incredibly humid.  We then had to  dry the dishes and cutlery in that hot humid environment.   It was inhumane conditions which brought to mind the story of the Dark Hole of Calcutta when in 1756, the Nawab of Bengal had British prisoners (including women and children) placed into a tiny prison with only a couple of small barred windows for ventilation.  It is believed that 146 prisoners was placed into a cell intended for just 4-5 people and as a result of the heat, humidity and lack of air, 123 were dead by the next day.

Okay, there were usually only two of us but it was still quite unpleasant.  Eventually, James took to dodging dishwashing duty by volunteering to do almost anything else which resulted in myself and Agnes being incarcerated repeatedly in our Bowness torture chamber.  Yet, it was in those times of enforced confinement and mutual suffering that Agnes and I had some really wonderful and open conversations about ourselves, our hopes and our beliefs.   I don’t remember much of what we shared but I have a strong almost physical memory of the heat, the humidity, the smell of soapy water and a sense of a rare and wonderful connection with a fellow human being.

Now Agnes had a very, very broad and infectious Scottish accent and so with the repeated subjection together to the Dark Hole of Bowness, I finally emerged not only with dishpan hands, a soap induced itch and possibly ringworm but I was speaking Scottish to boot.

Remembering a Broken Heart

Once in awhile, I come across a singer-songwriter that just knocks my socks off and makes me take notice.  A strong, distinctive and emotive voice together with a unique style are of course part of a winning hand for a singer.  I much prefer singers who perform well “live” and unplugged and do not rely on gimmicks or near nudity to sell themselves.   But my greatest respect and admiration go to those who write and perform their own original music. And once in awhile, there comes someone whose lyrics are just outstanding.

My recent “discovery” is Adele.  This British singer (full name is Adele Laurie Blue Adkins) has already come out with two best selling albums, “19″ and “21″.  Her relatively new and short career thus far has been strewn with awards and recognitions.  In 2008, she was named the Critics’ Choice at the BRIT Awards.  In 2009, she won “Best New Artist” and “Best Female Pop Vocal Performance” at the 51st Grammy Awards.  She is the first living artiste since the Beatles to achieve a top five hit in both the Singles and the Album charts at the same time.  Yet, I have not heard her get any airtime on Malaysian radio or TV – maybe they don’t “get” her music.

In the video below which features her singing her song at the recent 2011 BRIT Awards, the host presenter says that “she is able to describe exactly how you felt a certain point in your life and she is able to do that time and time again……….if you have ever had a broken heart, you are about to remember it now.”  I think it is quite an accurate description of her songs.  Are you ready to remember your broken heart?  Below are the amazing lyrics and song.

 

Someone Like You by Adele

I heard that you’re settled down,
That you found a girl and you’re married now,
I heard that your dreams came true,
Guess she gave you things I didn’t give to you,
Old friend, why are you so shy?
Ain’t like you to hold back or hide from the light,

I hate to turn up out of the blue uninvited,
But I couldn’t stay away, I couldn’t fight it,
I had hoped you’d see my face,
And that you’d be reminded that for me it isn’t over,

Never mind, I’ll find someone like you,
I wish nothing but the best for you, too,
Don’t forget me, I beg,
I remember you said,
“Sometimes it lasts in love,
But sometimes it hurts instead,”
Sometimes it lasts in love,
But sometimes it hurts instead, yeah,

You know how the time flies,
Only yesterday was the time of our lives,
We were born and raised in a summer haze,
Bound by the surprise of our glory days,

I hate to turn up out of the blue uninvited,
But I couldn’t stay away, I couldn’t fight it,
I had hoped you’d see my face,
And that you’d be reminded that for me it isn’t over,

Never mind, I’ll find someone like you,
I wish nothing but the best for you, too,
Don’t forget me, I beg,
I remember you said,
“Sometimes it lasts in love,
But sometimes it hurts instead,”

Nothing compares,
No worries or cares,
Regrets and mistakes, they’re memories made,
Who would have known how bittersweet this would taste?

Nevermind, I’ll find someone like you,
I wish nothing but the best for you,
Don’t forget me, I beg,
I remember you said,
“Sometimes it lasts in love,
But sometimes it hurts instead,”

Nevermind, I’ll find someone like you,
I wish nothing but the best for you, too,
Don’t forget me, I beg,
I remember you said,
“Sometimes it lasts in love,
But sometimes it hurts instead,”
Sometimes it lasts in love,
But sometimes it hurts instead.

 

Ga Ga or Gag Gag

Dear Ladies,  here is a business opportunity for you.  If any of you are perchance free ranging and organic, you might be interested to know that a certain ice cream maker in Covent Garden, London, England is keen to purchase your breast milk.  I kid you not.  The Ice Creamists are using breast milk to produce their line of Baby Gaga human breast milk ice creams.

Dear gentlemen, please replace drooling tongues into mouth.

Seriously though, do you think that the public will go Ga Ga over human breast milk ice cream or will they Gag Gag.  Let me know what you think.

In the spirit of revolution that seems to be sweeping the world of late, the Lone Grey Squirrel brings to you once again (Mad Cows and Angry Chickens), a video highlighting the plight of animals in modern battery farms and a call for a return to all that is free ranging and organic.  (Some women in the ice cream business might want to join this union).

Post Script:  Apparently Lady Gaga is not Goo-goo about Baby Gaga and is going to court to stop the use of that name.

Dead or Alive

The picture of the squirrel in the last post became a subject of some debate. Secret Agent Woman and Owen are of the opinion that the squirrel in said picture is actually deceased.

I indicated that I would bring in a couple of experts on the matter in this post and so, on that decidedly flimsy pretense, the Lone Grey Squirrel has spared no expense (indeed no expense was used) to bring you a version of the legendary Monty Python sketch, “The Dead Parrot“.

(Please note that this is a very special version indeed.  For those technically minded, please be informed that this is a talking-type video which is specially designed to enable you to the experience the story without having to exhaust your eyes.  So please switch on your ears and do not attempt to adjust your eyes.)

One Liner or Two

The results are in and the winner has been announced.  Eight comedy critics (what kind of killjoy becomes a comedy “critic”?)  shortlisted 24 one-liners from the comedy performances of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2010.  The public were then invited to vote for their favorites.

This resulted in the following top 10 one-liners and this grey squirrel risked life and limb to infiltrate the stronghold of those whisky swigging red squirrels to bring the results back for you:

1) Tim Vine “I’ve just been on a once-in-a-lifetime holiday. I’ll tell you what, never again.”

2) David Gibson “I’m currently dating a couple of anorexics. Two birds, one stone.”

3) Emo Philips “I picked up a hitch hiker. You’ve got to when you hit them.”

4) Jack Whitehall “I bought one of those anti-bullying wristbands when they first came out. I say ‘bought’, I actually stole it off a short, fat ginger kid.”

5) Gary Delaney “As a kid I was made to walk the plank. We couldn’t afford a dog.”

6) John Bishop “Being an England supporter is like being the over-optimistic parents of the fat kid on sports day.”

7) Bo Burnham “What do you call a kid with no arms and an eyepatch? Names.”

8) Gary Delaney “Dave drowned. So at the funeral we got him a wreath in the shape of a lifebelt. Well, it’s what he would have wanted.”

9) Robert White “For Vanessa Feltz, life is like a box of chocolates: Empty.”

10) Gareth Richards “Wooden spoons are great. You can either use them to prepare food. Or, if you can’t be bothered with that, just write a number on one and walk into a pub…”

They also voted for some of the worst one-liners which are……

Sara Pascoe “Why did the chicken commit suicide? To get to the other side.”

Sean Hughes “You know city-centre beat officers… Well are they police who rap?”

John Luke Roberts “I made a Battenberg where the two colours ran alongside each other. I called it apartheid sponge.”

Emo Phillips “I like to play chess with bald men in the park although it’s hard to find 32 of them.”

Bec Hill “Some of my best friends are vegan. They were going to come today but they didn’t have the energy to climb up the stairs.”

Dan Antopolski “How many Spaniards does it take to change a lightbulb? Juan.”

Interestingly, Dan Antopolski was the winner for best joke in last year’s festival.

His winning joke last year was: “Hedgehogs – why can’t they just share the hedge?”

I noticed something though.  Most of the “one-liners” actually consisted of two and even three lines.  Hmmm.  Is that a joke?  Perhaps that’s what happens in a Fringe Festival.  Here is one of my all time favorite from the Goon Show;  “My name is Eccles but everyone calls me by my nickname………..Nick!”

So do you know any good one-liners that you would like to share?  And apparently two or three lines are allowed.

Gold Dust – A World Cup Post

I am not a big soccer fan and have tried to avoid posting on the current World Cup competition just because so many blogs are.  However, I feel compelled to post on yesterday’s England – Germany game in the last 16 knockout round.  Just in case, you have been meditating in a remote Tibetan Monastery high in the Himalayas and had no excess to electricity, the final score was;

GERMANY 4 – ENGLAND 1

England was routed.  There was an unfortunate incident, when England was two goals, down when Frank Lampard (who was one of the better English players on the day) had his goal disallowed by a poor call from the linesman.  The ball was deemed as not having crossed the goal line whereas the TV replay clearly shows it did and by quite a distance.  However,  this misfortune should not distract from the fact that England’s performance was abysmal.  When compared with the youthful German Team, they seemed slow and disjointed.  Their defense was spectacularly ripped apart by the Germans and their offense seemed for the most part lacking coherence.  There were some short periods when England did well but Germany was a class above for most of the game.

Lampard's Disallowed Goal - What the Linesman Saw

Photo with thanks from here.

For some time, the current crop of soccer stars in England was dubbed the Golden Generation.   There was such an abundance of talent that it was believed that this group would achieve greater heights than any achieved before.  However, it never seemed as if the Golden Generation managed to live up to their potential, their fans’ expectations or the media hype.  This  tepid World Cup campaign ending with the disaster against Germany must surely be the swan song of England’s Golden Generation.

Now English soccer must re-invent itself after careful soul-searching or continue to fall behind the sport’s elites.  When England’s cricket fortunes suffered a similar humiliation at the hands of the Australians way back in 1882,  an English newspaper printed a satirical obituary announcing the death of English cricket and that the body had been cremated and the ashes given to Australia.  Since then, the two countries have regular test series to win back the mythical ashes.   Perhaps, it is time to similarly bury the Golden Generation and have the remains reduced to dust.  Gold dust.  Or perhaps more accurately, fool’s gold dust.

A Book, A Movie, A Song

Thank you all for your wonderfully diverse but helpful comments and advice to the previous post. Like in that post, the squirrel remains in a pensive and philosophical mood and the wanderings of my mind led me to this discovery.

A number of times, I have come across bloggers who do a meme on the books that they have read. They would share about the latest books they have read, favorite author etc. and very often, which have been the books that have influenced their lives most.

I have always not participated cause, when it comes to books that have influenced my life, my brain usually draws a blank. One because I am not a prolific reader, two because I am not a serious reader (i.e. I do not like to read heavy intellectual tomes) and three, my reading list is a little embarrassing.

So, as I said, I was surprised to make a discovery of what may be the book that has been most influential in my life (apart from the bible) during my recent mental wanderings. The book is “Ring of Bright Water” by Gavin Maxwell.

Well, it is actually a series of books including “The Rocks Remain” and “Raven Seek Thy Brother”. For those of you who are unfamiliar about Gavin Maxwell and his books, I have posted on it before. Follow this link. It is essentially an autobiography of a journalist, author and naturalist who purchases a small piece of land in a remote part of Scotland; his own personal bit of heaven which he named Camusfeàrna. The books also detail his relationship with a whole menagerie of otters; his first love, Mijbil; his long time companion, Edal; Teko who brought fresh hope; and the next generation including Mossy and Monday.

How has this book (or series of books) been influential in my life? Well, I first read “Ring of Bright Water” when I was about 13 or 14 years of age and I think it was the first book that taught me to love animals and especially animals in the wild. My current career in nature conservation some 3 decades later stems from this love that was first planted as a seed then. That makes it a major influence indeed.

The books were also a very brutally honest record of the difficulties, both personal and financial, that Maxwell faced in trying to make his little piece of heaven work. There were also the disasters and tragedies that struck. At that young age, this was my first time reading about a very human icon. He may be author and naturalist extraordinaire but he was far from faultless and far from knowing all the right answers. He made me appreciate that heroes are humans too and the real heroes are the ones that get up after being knocked down and start re-building again.

Maxwell could probably have continued his successful career or even entered into the diplomatic service but he gave it all up for a simpler life amongst his otters and outdoor pursuits in his tiny remote corner of Scotland. My dreams have been affected by his. Success is not as the world measures but by your own sense of happiness in doing what you love. I still seek a little piece of heaven on earth even now.

As I prepared for this post, I came across the old theme song for the movie based on the book. I had actually forgotten how wonderfully poignant and inspiring these words were to my younger self. They are wonderful. The song was sung by Val Doonican and here are the lyrics, followed by the song itself.

Where sun and wind play on a ring of bright water
That’s where my heartland will be
The deer on the hill in the first snow of winter
the gull in the sky winging free

I wandered away from the dark crowded city,
Leaving my old life behind,
And came to a place where a ring of bright water,
Dazzled the care from my mind.
So I live with the wonder of the sky and the sea
And I’ll always remember who revealed them to me

But now you are gone with your whirlpools of laughter
Racing me down to the sea
But I always smile when a ring of bright water
Echoes your laughter to me.

(key change)

But now you are gone with your whirlpools of laughter
Racing me down to the sea
But I always smile when a ring of bright water
Echoes your laughter to me.
Echoes your laughter to me

Here Lies Peter Rabbit And His Friends

Note: If the title of this post intrigued you, I’m afraid you will have to read through this long post as I only refer to it at the end. Of course, you could scroll to the end, there-by bypassing all the tripe at the front but that would be cheating and just “not cricket” as the British would say.

One of my unusual hobbies is to visit and photograph cemeteries. Since I started blogging, I have met a few kindred spirits who share in this particular interest.

Of late, I have had very little opportunity to visit interesting graveyards or cemeteries. So during my recent visit to London last month, I was straining at the bit for an opportunity to visit the famous Highgate Cemetery in north London. Unfortunately, I was thwarted by the unholy combination of foul (wet, cold and miserable) weather, inconvenient public transport routes and schedules, and an unwillingness of the guides (which you need to follow if you want to visit the more interesting part of the cemetery) to brave the winter winds except on weekends.

It’s a pity. Did you know that you can visit Karl Marx’s grave at Highgate Cemetery? But then, some people dismiss it as just another “communist plot”. “Communist plot”, did you get it? I made a small joke.

Anyway, instead of Highgate Cemetery, I placed my sights on Brompton Cemetery which was just round the corner from where I was staying.

Entrance to Brompton Cemetery (LGS)

Brompton Cemetery is located near Earl’s Court in West Brompton which is part of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It was part of the Magnificent 7 which were a series of private cemeteries which were commissioned through Parliamentary Bill in 1832 to address the fact that the inner city church graveyards in London were overflowing as result of the big population boom in London in the early part of the 19th Century.

Architecturally, it is interesting as it tried to follow an European layout and the design of its small chapel was meant to mimic St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

View of the Graves and Gravestones (LGS)

Today, the cemetery is managed by the Royal Parks and is open to the public to use as a park although funerals and burials still do occur. It is believed that there is in excess of 50,000 monuments and graves of every imaginable type. Below is a picture of a rather unusual and ornate copper clad coffin.

Ornate Copper Resting Place (LGS)

I particularly like monuments that rather imaginatively record the passing of entire families, like this one below.

The Cross Rises from the Family Plot (LGS)

The Chapel (LGS)

The Spirit Highway (LGS)

This cemetery is quite atmospheric and a real gem right in the middle of modern busy London. It is not surprising therefore that this has been used as a filming location for a number of movies including the films, “The Wisdom of Crocodiles“, “Johnny English” and the newly released movie “Sherlock Holmes” (2009) starring Robert Downey, Jr. and Jude Law.

The Wilder Side of the Tracks (LGS)

There is a whole list of important and famous people who are buried here. For those of you who may be a dead celebrity watcher or a paparazzi who prefer a stationary target, you can follow this LINK for a list of the famous.

I was interested to learn that the Sioux Chief, Long Wolf, was buried here in 1892. He took part in a tour of the Europe as part of the Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show but died of pneumonia. He was buried with a 17 month old Indian girl named Star Ghost Dog who is believed to have fallen from her mother’s arms while on horseback. He was finally re-interned on tribal land in South Dakota in 1997 after spending 105 years in England’s wet and green lands.

The other notable thing about this place is that it is the resting place of many childhood favorites. It seems that the famous author, Beatrix Potter, lived nearby at 2 Bolton Gardens and was a frequent visitor to Brompton Cemetery. For years there were rumours that she derived some inspiration from what she saw there. In 2001, James Mackay, a member of the Friends of Brompton Cemetery decided to investigate using recently computerised cemetery records and found a startling number of Ms. Potter’s story characters were interned there. There is, for example, Peter Rabbett as well as headstones for Mr. Nutkin (which of course inspired the creation of Squirrel Nutkin), Mr. McGregor (whose walled garden is believed to be modeled on the colonnades in Brompton Cemetery), Jeremiah Fisher, Tommy Brock and even a Tod (as opposed to the more commonly used “Todd”).

The Nutkin Family (Photo by Rehan Qayoom)

That’s me bravely investigating the spookier side of the cemetery. (LGS)

Squirrel’s Secret Spot 14 : Regent Canal and Camden Locks

Hi folks. Sorry I have been away for so long. It hasn’t been a great start to the year for me so far and that included being so swamped with work that I haven’t been able to even go see “Avatar” for the last three weeks. But that is not the focus of today’s post.

Instead, I want to carry on with my series of posts about my recent trip to London, England and coincidentally also add the 14th installment of Squirrel’s Secret Spots from around the world (which is another series that I have not posted on for quite awhile).

Well, one fine winter day (which means typical wet, cold and miserable in England), having sated my appetite for tourist attractions and bored myself silly, window shopping along Oxford Street for the umpteenth time, I followed my nose (which was buried in a tour guide) and found myself at a rather interesting place.

I took the Underground to Camden Town, got out and went in the wrong direction and ended walking along the northern end of Regent’s Park and took a circuitous route that almost took me back where I started but only after a walk of about 30 minutes. But I did not really mind apart from the bitter wind blowing because this route led me to walk along the blissfully charming Regent’s Canal.

The Regent’s Canal is a great place in summer to take a water tour by historical canal narrowboats from the Industrial Revolution period of the 19th Century. There is also a tow path that remains open for long walks in relative solitude long after the boating season is over. As the canal meanders its way between fields and buildings, walking along its towpath is like stepping back in time. I am a big fan of canals and canal boats. The calm surroundings, the brightly and gaily painted narrowboats, the often eccentric boat owners as well as the beautiful houses and buildings along the way would be more than enough to make me score this place very highly.

Stepping Back in Time (LGS)

Narrowboats (LGS)

Someone’s Traveling Home (LGS)

However, the Regent Canal walk rewards its adventurers by leading them to the Camden Locks. This area was once the confluence of a number of different transportation modes. The Locks themselves were important to allow the canal boats to go upstream to a higher water level. Nearby there were the Camden Stables where many horses were kept. Also nearby are a couple of railway bridges which mark another important transportation mode. At sometime in its history, the area became depressed and many of these facilities fell into disuse. But more recently, the whole area has been revived with a mixture of recreational boating and a lively outdoor and indoor market scene, rich in arts, crafts and souvenirs.

Sure some of the stuff was tacky but a lot of the others were quite imaginative. My wife bought some Lithuanian amber at a great price. I, in turn was rewarded with a taste of Moroccan cuisine for less than 4 pounds sterling. Wonderful. And I ate it sitting on these cute seats made to look like mini-scooters and with a great view of the canal.

I loved it. I’d go back again. And so Regent Canal and Camden Lock Market makes it on to the Squirrel’s Secret Spots’ list.

Camden Locks in Action (LGS)

Art Climbing the Walls (LGS)

Camden Lock – Also Good Shopping (LGS)

Even the Stables Now Host Shops (LGS)

Art Galloping off the Walls (LGS)

Mini-Scooters by the Canal (LGS)

London Revisited; The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

I am back in Malaysia and already in the real world of work, bills and responsibilities. My break in London was a good one though and i come back well rested and recharged.

As promised, I will be posting about this adventure. To start with, I thought I would give you an introduction and a general review which I will call the Good, the Bad and the Ugly of London today compared to the London I knew 25 years ago.

The Good
There were quite a few pleasant surprises. I arrived at Heathrow Airport at a terminal that I had never been before and was pleasantly surprised at the ease and efficiency of the place. This was quite different from the chaos that I remember from 13 years ago and given the increase of security procedures since 9/11, quite impressive. It was rather a long walk to the Underground train station but then the train whisked me effortlessly through the early morning right to Piccadilly Circus. I walked out into the crisp cold morning air and into a city that was just awakening to the rhythm of a new day. It was a good start.

Just a short 200 m walk and I reached the hotel and had a great reunion with my wife who had been traveling separately for the last fortnight on work assignment. I don’t like it when we are apart so the re-union was very good.

Eros at Piccadilly Circus in the early morning (LGS)

I spent the first few days in and around Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square, Soho Chinatown and Covent Garden. Generally, all of these experiences were good. I was particularly impressed with Trafalgar Square. It used to be pigeon and dove infested and felt very cold and unfriendly. Visitors spent their time avoiding the stale bird droppings on the ground and on the statues and ducking the aerial bombardment with the hot and fresh variety. Well, the birds are mostly gone and the space is very people friendly now. It feels more like a space that belongs to the people and to be used by the people.

I got a similar impression about the museums and the parks. They have begun to lose their stiff institutional demeanor and become more of a place to serve the public needs. Hence there were Christmas fairs in the park and open air ice rinks outside the august Natural History Museum. London has become less stuffy and more alive. Covent Garden too has become more organic and brimming with innovation and spirit. This new London is more fun and youthful.

Trafalgar Square (LGS)

Covent Garden (LGS)

Reindeer, both artificial and real at Covent Garden (LGS)

Carnival rides (Leicester Square) (LGS)

Skating rink outside the Natural History Museum (LGS)

Outdoor Ice Rinks – grooming future Torvil and Dean’s (LGS)

The food scene has also improved tremendously but that still doesn’t mean that London is where you would go for a culinary experience. The improvement is in the fact there are more reasonably priced variety available with an increased emphasis on fresh ingredients. For example, the chain, Pret a Manger, offers exciting variety of sandwiches which are a world apart from the traditional fried foods of yesteryear.

The Bad
As time has marched on, London has also lost some of its traditional charm. The traditional fish and chips shop has become a rarity. Most have either closed down or have morphed into a more up-market establishment (meaning costlier). I finally did find one traditional chippie way out in Fulham Broadway that served it just the way I remembered it. You are more likely to find Indian food round the corner.

I had hoped that the quaint but functioning fresh produce market that I used to shop at near Fulham Broadway would still be there with its individualistic and colorful stalls scattered along a narrow lane. A form of the market can still be found but it no longer lies within the atmospheric side lane but on the pavement of the main road itself. The supermarkets also seem to stock less of fresh produce and more of ready meals.

I went to visit my alta mater and had mixed feelings seeing the old student’s residence (which was a dump) converted now to choice apartments along the swanky King’s Road in Chelsea. Good to see the fire station which was the scene of many student-firemen water fights during orientation week is still there though.

The Ugly
And finally, there was the ugly. Well, there wasn’t really a lot of that. I guess the ugliest thing was the cold, wet rainy weather that I had to had to contend with for most of my stay and which resulted in me having a bad cough. But then again, cold wet rainy and miserable weather is part of the quintessential London winter experience so one really can’t complain, can one?