living here has had it's ups and downs, and there was a period of about 2 years where i hated everything about it and couldn't wait to leave. that's all changed now. there's too much to do, too many people to see, too many jokes to laugh. london is alive, colourful, historic and full of culture. it is a goulash of nationalities. it is a casserole of music and comedy and joy and opportunity.
don't get me wrong, i love going outside of the M25 and seeing the world. there's fresh air out there. there's peace and tranquility. there are places of natural beauty that could even rival the dome of st. paul's cathedral or stockwell tube station. there's no traffic. there's my family. there are pubs that serve pint glasses filled with prawns. i can go out into the world and love it, i can walk through a park in margate and barely even notice the drugs.
it only lasts a few days though. once i hit about 4-6 days of tranquility i start getting itchy hands and a nervous tick. i need stuff. i need to walk down tottenham court road at 2am. i need to catch a live comedy show or eat in a korean restaurant. i need to catch a bus in the early hours. i need the comforting sound of police helicopters and big issue salesmen. i need a shop that sells CDs. none of these things exist outside london.
the video to london calling by The Clash was filmed on cadogan pier on the river thames, right near chelsea bridge and walking distance from the houses of parliament. you couldn't get more london-ey unless you bathed in London Pride dressed as a pearly king.
i recently undertook a pilgrimage to the rock historic (historock?) pier. now it's a corporate business centre with boats that operate as offices. you can't even get on it as it has a big gate blocking the way, and i was wearing a leather jacket so i didn't want to swim over.
i would've liked to smell joe strummer's guitarry sweat, but instead i smelled the corporate stench of profitability guidelines (to which i am allergic). hah. that is SOOO london.
i went with this girl, though. she also lives in london, which improves it even further.
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