London on foot
In the early 90s, when I ran an occult bookshop, I had a friend called Steve, aka Crystal Steve, who ran one of those Gaia-despoiling crystal shops, as well as selling jewellery.
Although Steve never got back to me about the £40 ring he sold me, that I returned to him for repair, I figure it was worth the lost £40, because he did give me two great tips, long before anyone else did:
1) Massive Attack: Protection, which I first heard in his shop, and heard again and again whenever I went into his shop for a week or two, and then heard most days in my home for the next year or so, sometimes more than once.
2) If you're in London and have a bit of time, walk around the place instead of getting the Tube. It doesn't take all that much longer, and it's a lot more fun.
So often, since then, if I was in London, it was for work, and at least somewhat urgent, or it was late at night, and at least somewhat scary. Last couple of times, though, I've done the walking thing, and he was so right.
This morning -- I got the overground train to London Bridge from where I'd been staying just outside London itself, then walked to Borough Market to pick up some amazing-looking charcuterie and sausages and anchovies from some of the organic free range delis and butchers there. (Naturally, since the weather outside has been at fridge temperatures all day, I figured I'd be OK to just keep it in my rucksack). When I first looked at the map, it seemed that Euston, where I had to go to get my train home, was way too far... till I really started looking at optimal routes, and realised that not only was it at most an hour or so's walk away, but that the optimal route went right past the Globe Theatre, *and* the Tate Modern gallery, *and* over the Millenium footbridge, *and* right through all the Gormenghastian baroque craziness of the Temple area, where the barristers have their weird secret society things... and that there didn't seem to be many busy roads en route either.
Cue another hour or so in the gallery, looking at the Poetry and Dream wing, which is a seriously good surrealist exhibition. Lots of great pieces there -- my favourite was Lightning With Stag In Its Glare:
Funniest moment came just outside the gallery, on the bridge. A woman, gazing intently at the tiny map on her iPhone, stopped me and asked me if I knew where the Tate Modern was. Had she paused to look directly ahead of her at the titanic edifice a few paces in front of her, which had the words "TATE MODERN" written in letters taller than her, she might not have needed to ask. Technology, eh...
Anyway. It was a lovely walk. If you're in London and have a bit of time, walk around the place instead of getting the Tube. And, I'm really not kidding about the sunscreen every day thing.
Although Steve never got back to me about the £40 ring he sold me, that I returned to him for repair, I figure it was worth the lost £40, because he did give me two great tips, long before anyone else did:
1) Massive Attack: Protection, which I first heard in his shop, and heard again and again whenever I went into his shop for a week or two, and then heard most days in my home for the next year or so, sometimes more than once.
2) If you're in London and have a bit of time, walk around the place instead of getting the Tube. It doesn't take all that much longer, and it's a lot more fun.
So often, since then, if I was in London, it was for work, and at least somewhat urgent, or it was late at night, and at least somewhat scary. Last couple of times, though, I've done the walking thing, and he was so right.
This morning -- I got the overground train to London Bridge from where I'd been staying just outside London itself, then walked to Borough Market to pick up some amazing-looking charcuterie and sausages and anchovies from some of the organic free range delis and butchers there. (Naturally, since the weather outside has been at fridge temperatures all day, I figured I'd be OK to just keep it in my rucksack). When I first looked at the map, it seemed that Euston, where I had to go to get my train home, was way too far... till I really started looking at optimal routes, and realised that not only was it at most an hour or so's walk away, but that the optimal route went right past the Globe Theatre, *and* the Tate Modern gallery, *and* over the Millenium footbridge, *and* right through all the Gormenghastian baroque craziness of the Temple area, where the barristers have their weird secret society things... and that there didn't seem to be many busy roads en route either.
Cue another hour or so in the gallery, looking at the Poetry and Dream wing, which is a seriously good surrealist exhibition. Lots of great pieces there -- my favourite was Lightning With Stag In Its Glare:
Click to viewFunniest moment came just outside the gallery, on the bridge. A woman, gazing intently at the tiny map on her iPhone, stopped me and asked me if I knew where the Tate Modern was. Had she paused to look directly ahead of her at the titanic edifice a few paces in front of her, which had the words "TATE MODERN" written in letters taller than her, she might not have needed to ask. Technology, eh...
Anyway. It was a lovely walk. If you're in London and have a bit of time, walk around the place instead of getting the Tube. And, I'm really not kidding about the sunscreen every day thing.