London - such an amazing city. This morning I was in St Pancras churchyard near the University College Hospital. St Pancras church stands on a site that can trace its ecclesiastical origins to back before the Norman conquest. There was a track that wove its way from Hampstead towards the once tiny city of London right past this church. Farmers would bring their produce day after day. Now it is swallowed up by the London sprawl.In the eighteen seventies the authorities had to clear a lot of the graves in order to make way for train tracks leaving the twin stations - Kings Cross and St Pancras. The man charged with their removal was none other than young Thomas Hardy the novelist - before he met with fame and was a journeyman architect. He - or at least his men - stacked many of the old stones round a sapling which has now become a great lime tree known as Hardy's tree. Its roots almost meld in with the gravestones - life and death bound tightly together.
Of course that's not why we were in London. We went to see Hull City at 
Crystal Palace and then on to see a West End show - "Les Miserables" before a cheap and cheerful Chinese meal on Gerrard Street and then back to our nice little hotel in Pimlico. There are so many ways to look at London. So many different things to see. And it is great to get overground and walk instead of riding the exorbitant Tube system - £4 fora single journey. This morning we also visited Camden Market which our son always raves about but it didn't have quite the same impact on us. Clothing and fashion disinterest me. I would be happy running around in animal skins like a caveman!
Crystal Palace and then on to see a West End show - "Les Miserables" before a cheap and cheerful Chinese meal on Gerrard Street and then back to our nice little hotel in Pimlico. There are so many ways to look at London. So many different things to see. And it is great to get overground and walk instead of riding the exorbitant Tube system - £4 fora single journey. This morning we also visited Camden Market which our son always raves about but it didn't have quite the same impact on us. Clothing and fashion disinterest me. I would be happy running around in animal skins like a caveman!
Clothing and fashion disinterest me. I would be happy running around in animal skins like a caveman!
ReplyDeleteI knew it! You long for the freedom of the gorilla. Just make sure you're wearing faux animal skins, as wearing real animal skins would be cruel (to paraphrase The Bare-Naked Ladies).
Now there's a show I would gladly pay to see!!!!!
ReplyDeleteYP, darn sarf? Whatever next. I think you had better lie down in a darkened room.
ReplyDeletebring one of those gold paving stones back for me won't you YP
ReplyDeleteNice to read that you had a good time in the big smoke. Camden Market is a nightmare, if you ask me. And, yes, always walk when the weather permits, as it's much better than getting on the Tube.
ReplyDeleteI work about a one-minute walk from St Pancras church, you could have bought me a pint!
BRAD - Actually I think I would look cool in freshly skinned ape fur - mountain gorilla would suit me best.
ReplyDeleteARCTIC - Well worth it Foxy. Some stunning visual effects and a skilfully woven tapestry of pathos, comedy, high drama and song.
KRIP - Like missionaries in Africa, sometimes we northern chappies have to bring a little civilisation to the dog eat dog world that is "Darn Sarf".
ARTHUR - Sorry to disillusion you mate. The streets are actually paved with polystyrene chip trays!
REIDSKI - Yes I could have bought you a pint but you would have had to buy me one back! One minute from St Pancras church? Are you a security guard in the University College Hospital? Or maybe a barman in that nearby pub - what was it "The Prince Albert"? Seemed to have a couple of letters missing.
yet another interesting site to see when I finally muster the finances to visit jolly ol' London, Proper. The tree, that is - not the loincloth ;)
ReplyDelete