So, for this post I was going to write about Roof top bars, but instead I’m going to write about the namesake of this blog. James’ London was always meant to be my ongoing narrative of how I see London. My reaction and emotions when someone mentions London to me. I wanted to see if I could express my love for this great city in a format that the masses could understand. In a way I am doing that, and although London is awash with incredible architecture, attractions and culture, I decided to take a step back from it all. Instead of writing about an interesting thing in London, I am going to write about the very city itself.
I met with an old friend over the weekend. We met in our usual meeting point; standing by the stairs that descend into the labyrinth of the London underground in Oxford Circus. I don’t really know why we meet there, but its become a tradition. As has complaining about the huge throngs of people that pollute Regent and Oxford street, dreaming about a hypothetical future where London was abandoned. I think personally that when a city the size of London, and the noise of London, for it to be deserted would make it even more unbearable than if it was heaving.
Sporting a new pair of sunglasses, and having finally found my friend, we set off without any real purpose, without any real direction. We just started walking. I have always found the greatest memories I have from London are the ones where I don’t know where I am going. That’s one of my favourite things about this town; you can never really be lost. As big as it is, and as ubiquitous as it seems, its remarkably easy to navigate it. You’re never far away from a bus, and in central London, where its most interesting to wander, the vast majority of buses will take you to at least one well known land mark. Having that confidence when I walk these old, yet timeless streets is how I get the most out of my London experience.
Before I knew where we were, we had come to Tottenham Court Road where, as having previously discovered, there resides a Waterstones. After a complimentary browse, and my friend having to be subjected to my repetitive “Read it, read it, read it” only to be interrupted by either “Ooh you HAVE to read this” or “Don’t even bother picking this up”, we headed to Covent Garden.
As avid readers of my blog will know, I have already written about Covent Garden: it’s intriguing history and its vibrant social life. And in the spirit of our adventure, we didn’t plan on ending up there, more just turned up. Whenever I wander London by myself I’m constantly in a state of vague déjà vu; you would see my staring hard at a vaguely familiar building, or a slightly peculiar street, only for me to turn a corner and exclaim audibly as I finally remember that I’ve been here before.
Throughout our little expedition, the sun shone benevolently down, without a cloud to interrupt its gaze on the bustling streets of London. As we headed to Southbank, and walked over the Thames, the true glory of London revealed itself. There’s something about a body of water that make a landscape shot far superior than any other. With the sun glistening off the surface of the river, and London’s key sights creating crystal clear templates against the blue sky, it was impossible to think that anywhere else in the world could top London. Why visit anywhere when you could just jump on a bus to get to central London?
Maybe it was the weather, or maybe it was meeting an old friend, but I was filled with euphoria wandering up the Thames towards Waterloo. Going past the Southbank skate park, with young children gawping at men and women doing incredible things on skateboards, jumping over chairs and railings, and the sound of buskers that run the length of the Thames from Blackfriars bridge to the London Eye, I felt my all time favourite word crept out my lips. Community. People laughing, talking and making friends with strangers is something seldom seen normally when about in London, but when the sun is out, and the streets are shimmering bright, a whole new personality springs from Londoners.
We rounded off our little adventure at Victoria, crossing the river once more, and walking past the great halls of Westminster Abbey, itself standing mighty and noble against a slightly darker sky. I was reluctant to go down into the tunnels of London, because I knew that when I resurfaced at Kilburn the sun would have been in its final descent. Alas, like all great things it must come to an end, and I will be left with a beautiful and tranquil London embezzled in my memory. Something to bring out on wet and rainy days. But, at least for now, I have seen London in all of its glory, with the darker aspects of city life firmly put aside. You have to love the city in the sun!
Oh, by the way, here’s a Cormorant just chilling along Embankment. I think it must have been injured, but it was still pretty cool!
Ocean Life 