London is a city of many characteristics. Its attributes are perhaps the most varied in the world. Certainly, it's a place of constant, eternal movement. Whatever the weather, time or location, you can guarantee that a bus, train, tube station, bicycle, zebra crossing or river cruise is just around the corner. It was clear people I watched around the city had a purpose. They were smartly dressed businessmen and women off to Canary Wharf for another day of financial investing. They were tourists (like us), desperate to visit a significant number of the capital's attractions. The demography of London is so diverse. Yet the energy transport releases was homogeneous, as people revealed their determination and vigour for movement.
Surprisingly, the transport system involving millions of people was remarkably smooth. The trains to King Cross and back were on time, the tubes ran regularly, traffic lights changed colours swiftly after our commands and our city cruise boat rode the Thames victoriously. Travelling on water was especially memorable as we sat on deck, listening to a fantastic live commentary of our surroundings while taking multiple photos in awe of London. It is the workers, parents, couples, families and tourists who are moving. Those fixed in their seats are the individuals manning the transport. Where possible, I always try to thank the crew onboard for keeping us safe and arriving at our destination. Thinking about it, each day must be relatively similar for them. A polite gesture of thanks could, I suppose, go a long way in their daily uniformity of train carriages, tube tunnels and boat liners. ****************************************************************************************************************** As I have previously written, culture is the bedrock of a civilisation. While factors like money and time are, in one form or another, universal, the arts are what truly unique from place to place. And London is most certainly full of culture left, right and centre. We explored the British Museum for the first time, which appeared to have artefacts from every possible country and time period. There is nothing but joy to think about how those historical items have been entrusted with the key museum of our nation. Obviously, the highlight of the British Museum was the Great Court, and great it was. The beautiful glass structure, books everywhere, numerous pathways to adventure and a delightful cafe meant our visit to Great Russell Street was one of pure contentment. Another item on our radar was the Transport Museum. Located within the deluxe Covent Garden, the entity offers a full, engaging and accessible history of transport within the capital. Previously, we had only ever visited the gift shop, full of both typical tourist souvenirs and more insightful guides about transport's importance. From detailing the origin of the underground to the various London buses, the decline of horse and cart carriages to Thameslink developments, information was presented in a thoughtful manner which helped to facilitate educational enlightenment. To keep youngsters amused, there were many opportunities for transport interaction. I must say that even I couldn't resist driving a pretend bus! ****************************************************************************************************************** When I'm older, I hope that a large proportion of my disposable income is spent on cultural outlooks like books, films, television subscriptions, opera and music concerts. Something that will of course feature is the theatre. Our Saturday night was quite literally spent in the West End, with every production possible in the Leicester Square vicinity. We only managed to see a play because of a booth - which looks terribly like a toilet block - selling reduced ticket prices on the day. Out of all the selections, Adrian Mole at the Ambassador's Theatre looked like the best choice for us. And what a treat it was. Fantastic acting from the children, great singing and shedloads of simply bizarre humour. It captured the essence of Sue Townsend's work by chronicling the teenage struggle of love and finding your place. Thanks to those tickets, a light-end, jolly evening was had. Monday night entailed something slightly more serious. For my mother's birthday, I had booked tickets for us to see 'Jesus Christ Superstar' at the Barbican Centre. The centre is worth a visit in itself, such is its magnitude and scale. It contains a restaurant, cafe and kitchen in three separate locations! The production was truly speculator. Based on the final days of Jesus, the cast moved superbly around the stage, sung their hearts out and acted 100% of the time. They were a true triple threat, embracing us into their emotions by highlighting the universal human conflicts of love, betrayal and power. Excellently, the set and costumes remained simple, allowing actors to personally convey their talent. Despite remaining an avowed atheist, I cannot deny that the superstar play had a profound effect on me. ****************************************************************************************************************** We devoted a day to exploring Greenwich, that lovely eastern borough famous for its equestrianism and views. It's technically a part of Greater London, though seems a world away from the central hussle and bussle. There were certainly plenty of fellow tourists and residents, with delightful markets, shops and stools all competing to attract eager customers, but the pace of the place, compared to, say, Trafalgar Square, was far slower. Both the Cutty Sark, a mighty ship from the 19th century famous for its tea transportation, and the Royal Observatory, allowing anyone to stand in two time zones at once were explored. Following those, we relaxed on a bench in Greenwich Park. Only while sitting there, reading my latest crime fiction novel, could I truly appreciate the wonder of the green space. Think of an image of London. It is likely to contain an urbanised landscape. Yet this park, by no stretch of the imagination the biggest in London, dominated the views for as far as I could see. Being around the greenery, the joy of the natural world benefited people I watched. Some were sitting down, content to relax under the tree. Others would be walking in a slow manner, taking the time to look around at this untouched beauty. To think this quantity of greenery could be found and maintained in the UK's most populated city seemed unbelievable. As the world becomes more urbanised, in need of more housing with good quality resources, we should aspire towards green cities. The case for building on the green belt has never been stronger. Planning restrictions clearly prevent new housing which is desperately needed. Green belts create artificial commuter villages which, through costly transport and miserable commutes, can be environmentally and mentally damaging to humans and the planet. Instead, big cities with truly beautiful buildings should be celebrated. These megacities should, like London and New York, have huge, wonderful green parks within them. The best of both the manmade and nature would be on everyone's doorstep. ****************************************************************************************************************** I felt a psychological reaction by spending a considerable amount of time in the capital. Previously, we'd only partaken in day trips, which involve the inevitable rush to return home. Having that greater period of flexibility to explore the city allows one's mind to expand further. I came to the conclusion that London and I get along like a house on fire. I could easily see myself living here as an adult. Who wouldn't want all the buildings, culture and restaurants that London offers? Of course, it is easy to see how people can become isolated and lonely but that is just as possible in an Emmerdale style village. Provided I had a good circle of friends around me, things would be fine. Financially, the story may be slightly different but the romantic attraction I have towards London remains strong. It is the city of dreams (hopefully not of the Great Gatsby kind). That aspiration that people have towards London, as the place where they can lead a better, more fulfilling life for themselves, their family and society is precious and wholly worth defending.
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