London

[happy daze john in oz]

Well I came man to London town and all day long I looked around
Lots of people allin a hurry, never seen such a flap and a flurry
Some white peopletoo……………….so they said.


London, EastDulwhich to be precise, city of my birth and upbringing, but nolonger the city I knew.


Across the globecities are changing with population migration and war torn countriesexacerbating the changes.
But London hasundergone maybe more than many.


So much that I onceknew is no longer there.
Gone the Cockneyaccent of old, gone the Anglo Saxon complexion, gone the ‘wide boy;traders, shops and stores, and all the other aspects of the London Ionce knew.


A city of some 100million people living and working there.
But then there arethe tourists by the thousands milling around likes bees swarming ahive, so many heading in all directions.


The once well knownLondon person has much changed, now one lady in five wears a headscarf, men in long white flowing robes, more suited to the streets ofDubai or Doha, now walk Oxford street in numbers. English rarelyheard but when it is it comes from a local who would not look out ofplace in warmer climes such as those of some African nations.


Now considered to bethe third most expensive city and little wonder when one looks atprices of simple things such as a meal of fish and chips, or a glassof beer. Fish and chips for two with a pint of less then pleasantbeer along with a glass of second rate white wine all for just GBP 56in a local pub.


But I looked furtherafield to suburbs I once knew north of the city.
Took a couple of busrides, very cheap using the tap and go system with a daily maximum ofGBP 5.25 for all day travel.
How they havechanged, no longer the local shops full of English items, now thenames are in a foreign language or Arabic script, a sign of thechanging times.
Houses that oncestood proud and clean now in disrepair with flaking paint, brokenwindows, damaged front doors.
Gone the many pubsonce the hub of local society, showing the change in culture of theareas.


In the city, MarbleArch, a well known land mark taken over for a day on Saturday July29^th.
Some 5,000 men womenand children all in black descended on this landmark for the festivalof
Ashura bringing muchof the city to a stand still, no buses along main streets, police inattendance in numbers to keep unwanted crowds at bay and after the 5hour service was over ensure the attendants could move away in ease.could move away with ease.


But all was not bad,in Cannon street between St Paul’s and the Tower a very largebuilding locally known as the ‘Cheese Grater’ from the design.


35 storeys high witha viewing platform, bars and restaurants along with a roof top underglass garden made up of all manner of trees, shrubs and other plantsthat require minimal water.
Free attendance forthis attraction with a 365 degree aerial view of London.
And what a view,looking out as far as Greenwich to the south and north towards Wemblystadium.
Seeing the remainsof the old pre war buildings now mingled with the new architecturaldesigns.
Older buildings thathave stood not only the test of time but also the ravages of WW2.
Leadenahall Streetno longer as we knew it, gone the shipping office along with manyother aspects now a new 20 storey building under construction.
Looking to CanaryWharf, no longer a shipping dick, now a collection of some 20 highrise blocks for financial institutes with another 15 multi storeybuildings now approved including what will be the highest in Europe.


The ferry toGreenwich is a pleasant way to travel there, to see the many riverside sights such as ‘The Prospect of Whitby’, execution point,and the many Wharfs now converted to multi million pound apartments.Wharf being I was informed meaning, Whare House along River Front.
Greenwich is stilllittle changed, the ‘Cutty Sark’ stands tall and proud as a nowvery expensive and very popular tourist attraction.
The Maratine Museumas good as ever as is the other building now the Greenwich Universitysite.
It is still verymuch the Greenwich of old little changed over time and a reminder oftimes now long past.


I departed London,not with sorrow but with an understanding of a city so changed it isnow more a tourist haven than the city I once knew so well.
Should I againreturn no doubt me change will have eventuated, but such is the fateof so many places now.

[Johnny Kieran]

About say's it all John. I live just outside London now, and hate the place. We used to go into town on odd occasions, get on the train and 20 minutes to the city. I don't think I'll ever bother again, especially as I don't speak the language, and I'm too old to learn. There's nothing in London for me any more.

[Ivan Cloherty]

When I go to London to see my daughters I get on the #36 bus at Paddington, 50 minutes later I am in Dulwich, having travelled through seven different countries without a passport!

[Johnny Kieran]

Fear not though London, with me not venturing to town, town is venturing to me. We have many "Londoners" moving in around us now, so at least I can feel at home now. I asked the guy that moved in across the road where he was from, he replied in a strong African accent, that he was from London. Same with the new guy behind us, he moved from London too, although he speaks pretty good English. I feel a bit stupid when I tell them that we had also moved out of London, albeit some decades back.

[James Curry]

London is a victim of it's own success. Some may like the buzz of the place. Not for me I always viewed London as a place to get out off ASAP.

[Doc Vernon]

Thanks once again John for the nice Story of your Travels!
Yes i can agree with what you say about all, as when i was there on Holiday a few Years back i saw just how much the City of London had changed!
A few old things may still have been the same but in all it was a place of something all new to me!
But then progress is happening all over some for the good and some for the worse, its a World of change and we learn to live with it all dont we!

But glad that you had a great Holiday yet again , so when is the next Boking and where ?? LOL

Cheers

[Ivan Cloherty]

But glad that you had a great Holiday yet again , so when is the next BOKING and where ?? LOL

Cheers

Today's quiz :- is the missing letter an 'o' or an 'n'

[cappy]

Today's quiz :- is the missing letter an 'o' or an 'n'

Well i guessed he could have booked a bonk .......R683532

[Doc Vernon]

Who Knows Ivan it could be any of them! LOL

[happy daze john in oz]

John #2, yes for someone like me born there during the war the changes aer not what I wanted or expected. But we live in an ever changing world, and very often not for the better.

- - - Updated - - -

When I go to London to see my daughters I get on the #36 bus at Paddington, 50 minutes later I am in Dulwich, having travelled through seven different countries without a passport!

Only 7, did you take some form of short cut then?