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Bits from London
Arriving in London was a blur, an easy blur, but a blur none the less. Transport by "the Tube" to Russel Square from Heathrow airport was direct and simple, but my three bags cumulatively weighing over 115 lbs. were a force to contend with. While there are obvious cultural differences and city-systems to get used to, with the Oyster Card for the Tube etc., being able to speak the language of the city made the acclimatization very minimal. I was quite struck by current fashion trends of wide silver and gold belts, fringy 80's hair cuts and flats (of varying colors and decor).
On my first day I took an afternoon walk, had my first cup of English tea in Russel Square and found the Socialist bookstore with an incredible selection of books. I wanted to stay, but a mission to find "the lou" took me down the street and on to another adventure. The subsequent days were spent riding the tube (picadilly line, which was one of two lines not affected by the strike) into London, where I made my way from museum to museum, to parliament, cathedral, bridge to bridge and passed the London Eye. I spent a lot of time walking the South Bank, which gave lovely views of the Thames.
With tired feet one evening I hopped on a double-decker bus which was going vaguely in the direction of "home" and rode around the city as commuters got on and off the bus. From the comfort of my seat, I watched th light change and lights come on as lovely little fenced squares and gardens and increadle old stone buildings drifted by the windows. At the end of the line I reluctantly got off the bus to take the underground (which was back in "good working order") back to Russel Square.
After five days in London amongst the hustle and bustle of thousands around me, I felt that I had spent more time alone than I had spent in the past several months in the rural setting of Lorien. Perhaps the aloneness was compounded by the many people around me going about their own business. I began to understand the aloneness that I've heard described by city dwellers. The lack of small localized community in modern cities is so common today, which seems to make people feel isolated and disconnected from their environment and neighbors. In London I enjoyed the anonymity and also found it quite lonely.
Arriving in London was a blur, an easy blur, but a blur none the less. Transport by "the Tube" to Russel Square from Heathrow airport was direct and simple, but my three bags cumulatively weighing over 115 lbs. were a force to contend with. While there are obvious cultural differences and city-systems to get used to, with the Oyster Card for the Tube etc., being able to speak the language of the city made the acclimatization very minimal. I was quite struck by current fashion trends of wide silver and gold belts, fringy 80's hair cuts and flats (of varying colors and decor).
On my first day I took an afternoon walk, had my first cup of English tea in Russel Square and found the Socialist bookstore with an incredible selection of books. I wanted to stay, but a mission to find "the lou" took me down the street and on to another adventure. The subsequent days were spent riding the tube (picadilly line, which was one of two lines not affected by the strike) into London, where I made my way from museum to museum, to parliament, cathedral, bridge to bridge and passed the London Eye. I spent a lot of time walking the South Bank, which gave lovely views of the Thames.
With tired feet one evening I hopped on a double-decker bus which was going vaguely in the direction of "home" and rode around the city as commuters got on and off the bus. From the comfort of my seat, I watched th light change and lights come on as lovely little fenced squares and gardens and increadle old stone buildings drifted by the windows. At the end of the line I reluctantly got off the bus to take the underground (which was back in "good working order") back to Russel Square.
After five days in London amongst the hustle and bustle of thousands around me, I felt that I had spent more time alone than I had spent in the past several months in the rural setting of Lorien. Perhaps the aloneness was compounded by the many people around me going about their own business. I began to understand the aloneness that I've heard described by city dwellers. The lack of small localized community in modern cities is so common today, which seems to make people feel isolated and disconnected from their environment and neighbors. In London I enjoyed the anonymity and also found it quite lonely. 
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