the tourist

I am so in love with London. Over the years, I've had a kind of love-hate relationship with this city. Before I worked here, I loved it - the accessibility, the shopping, the diversity. Then I graduated and started working in London. I started to loathe the noise, the traffic, the tourists and the high cost of living. I hated the commuting, particularly the Jubilee line. I also hated the commuters.

Days like today reaffirm my love for this city. It has everything. Whatever kind of person you are, there is a special place in London for you. Whatever you want to do, however you feel.

I played tourist today. It's tragic to live in a place so long and not have seen anything at all. Didn't get up particularly early - took the Central line to Bank and started walking. The City is especially beautiful on a rainless Sunday. It's always deserted, all the bankers at home or playing golf. The buildings are pristine, and when it's sunny it's a lovely walk through the clusters of coffee shops and offices. It was incredibly romantic, even if I was the only one to think so :)
The sun came out just as I reached St Pauls Cathedral, breathtaking but a little ragged around the edges. Then across the road along the Millenium Bridge. This is probably my favourite bridge in the world. Walking along this bridge is like walking in the air across the Thames. To the left, you can see the Gherkin, Tower Bridge and all the way to Canary Wharf. Once you cross to the other side, you can walk along the bank of the Thames all the way to Westminster, which I did. This walk can render many surprises, it's a very interesting journey. Outside the Shakespeare Globe Theatre, I watched some wannabe freerunners practising on some posts and benches. The mime artists gather around the London Eye, the skateboarders underneath the Purcell Room at South Bank, the bike stunters down by Southwark. A man sits with his mouth hidden inside what looks like a didgeridoo. "Come and see the amazing monkey!" he invites. I walked past, knowing much better. A man stirs his caramel peanuts listlessly, can barely be motivated to advertise his wares. As I sit with a long drink at the window of the Slug and Lettuce, the freerunners have caught with me and are running along the top of a covered walkway, jumping some obstacle that I cannot see. They have a long way to go - my guess is that they are newbies to the ever-increasingly popular sport. The idea is to give the impression of absolute spontaneity, but they probably had no idea that anyone was watching.

Continuing towards Westminster and Big Ben, I am surrounded by tourists and clicking cameras. Despite the now grey skies, the tourists are determined to get their shots. I cross the road to peer through the gates to get a closer look at the Houses of Parliament. Pity about the traffic lights and ramps, I think. Next stop is Westminster Abbey and St Margarets church. It's gone dusk now, and the lights give London a romantic glow. Opposite St Margarets are some public toilets. There is a sign outside declaring it the "Loo of the Year". I don't check to see if it deserves the award. Instead, I head back towards the West End through St James Park. Back to civilisation.