Reunited in London, England

On Sunday, we arrived in London via the English Channel on a Eurostar train.

For the next few days, J and I explored London. It was my third visit and her second, so we didn’t need to retread many of the popular sights.

We stayed north of the the center on the eastern edge of Islingston borough. We were within walking distance of two friends who had also come to town from a foreign land. The neighborhood we stayed in was a gumbo of humanity.

Below are a few photos and observations on London, or as Londoners call it: “The Old Apple”.

image
Oh Vietnamese soup, how I’ve missed you.
image
Cover.
image
Hoist the bucket.
image
Not worth it.
image
Golden wings.
image
Big Ben.
image
Beer barge.
image
Suspension cables.
image
There’s a train in there somewhere.
image
Illiterates.

It’s the most diverse city we’ve seen on the trip.

In our neighborhood, I didn’t feel comfortable walking around with my camera out.

I really wanted to buy some real yams, but I wasn’t sure how to cook them.

Despite an improved exchange rate ($1.5 per £), the cost of things will pound your ass into the ground.

Tipping is confusing here. It might be included on a restaurant receipt, or it might not. And even so, people sometimes leave a little extra. You don’t tip in cabs, but you do round up. You don’t tip the sewer sweep, but you do tip the wet nurse. Shillings are no longer accepted.

image
Brutal windows.
image
This piper lures no one.
image
Ribbed for structural integrity.
image
Bashful bus.
image
The Southwark Experience!™
image
Draw myself like one of your French girls.
image
Museum people.
image
The gum painter.
image
Dedicated message.
image
Gum car.

Trodger doesn’t mean coffee.

Scones are a wonderful food, but the more you eat the more you’re rude.

The Oyster Card is both easy and necessary. You can’t even buy a ticket on the busses.

The Thames looks dirty, and probably is dirty.

The Tate Museum has no tots, but the top floor cafe has a great view and reasonable prices.

image
Top deck.
image
My other name.
image
Banana buckets.
image
I wish I had an N to support my wood.
image
Robot elephant takes over the Stanford building.
image
An expensive Indian feast.
image
Old restaurant.
image
Tile dingbats.
image
The amazing main hall of the Natural History Museum.
image
Ceiling detail.

Keep in mind that fish means “french fries” and chips means “fried fish” when ordering.

It’s baby waterfowl season: coots, ducks, geese.

The top floor of the London busses is the best floor, especially on buses with the back stairs.

It’s legal to paint on the gum stuck to the Millennium Bridge.

There is tons of good food to be had, especially of the snack platter variety.

image
Darwin’s cryptic expression.
image
Climbing monkeys.
image
Reunited with another camera man.
image
Gate.
image
This is where they put it when they gentrify a neighborhood.
image
Gated path.
image
The surveyor.
image
Crappy, colorful pavilion.
image
Platter of deliciousness.
image
Micro cemetery.

Even a company I left seven years ago still feels like home when I sit in the lobby of its London office.

I don’t like Haldiram’s Indian snack mixes as much as I like. The spicy nuts rip my mouth off.

I love the overgrown, old cemeteries.

The tap water tastes nasty.

Dishoom is overrated.

image
Picket fence and petals.
image
Dueling doors.
image
Oil can parking spot holder.
image
The overgrown Abney Cemetery.
image
Fallen statue, new mouse house.
image
Woods and plots.
image
The vines are taking over.
image
Nice type.
image
The abandoned chapel.
image
Front view.

Tesco Express broccoli is awful.

Groceries don’t expect you to have your own reusable bag.

Too many people feed the waterfowl in the public parks.

Dark beer isn’t as common as I thought it would be, but there are tons of hard ciders.

Rhubarb soda makes my mouth explode with joy.

image
Side view.
image
Barbican overpass.
image
A view of the ponds.
image
Brutalist and massive.
image
Pressing vinyl like it never went out of style.
image
Lobby in orange.
image
Lobby in green and purple.
image
My nesting doll on display at W+K London.
image
Cracked.
image
Canal overpass.

All of the construction stirs up a lot of dust that seems drawn to my eyes.

I love the scenery along the canals.

The Barbican Center is massive. It feels like a utopian city built by Kubrick or Robocop.

There are a lot more hipster and/or ethnic restaurants than there was a few years ago.

I finally got to try on the Apple Watch. Not as ugly as I anticipated, but way too thick.

image
Colorful canal and houseboats.
image
Ivy.
image
Cyan house.
image
Resting and reading.
image
Missed a spot.
image
Green doorway.
image
C amongst the flowers.
image
My hatch!

The gorgeous Natural History Museum building is more interesting than the exhibits.

The omnipresent cops and cameras make me feel more nervous than safe.

The price of entry for The Shard tower’s observations decks is laughably high (I did not go).

A one day tube strike had little effect on our travels.

I felt uncomfortable riding around on the anniversary of the transit bombings.

image
It sure is!.
image
The smartest blue shirts in London.
image
J waits for a bird.
image
Thistles at the base of the heap.
image
Recessed neon.
image
CHURCHWALK.

Pub food can be excellent.

British english just sounds so much better than American english. And if you don’t agree, then kick me in the fanny.

Just remember to put your trunk in the boot of the rental car.

Wear sunscreen if you walk to the top of Hampstead Heath.

image
Classy compound entrance by Highgate Cemetery.
image
Symmetry.
image
Missing something in the middle.
image
My sister and I played with these when we were young. Surprised they still exist.
image
London is a patient woman.

On Friday, the tube strike was over.

We left our AirBnB, walked through the chaotic neighborhood to the nearest station, took an overground train, then an underground train, and caught an intercity train departing ten minutes after we arrived at St. Pancreas. Our transit timing was perfect.

London was enjoyable. We had a few good meals, enjoyed visiting friends, explored a few places we hadn’t seen before, and dipped deeper into our savings.

July 10th, 2015. Categories / England, London

News Menu

About Categories Archives