Well, all I can say is that London has certainly changed a lot since I was last in residence in the mid-sixties. Not necessarily for the worse, either. I noted that the London buses are now privately owned, which no doubt explains why, for example, the No. 295 takes you from Clapham Junction to Ladbroke Grove Sainsburys. It was nice travelling on the top deck of the good old double-decker once again after all these years, though I now find it hard to clamber nimbly up and especially down those stairs. Then why don't you stay on the lower deck, you jerk, I hear you cry? I would if I decently could, but my granddaughter insists that I join her upstairs as we clatter along to check out the "candy store" at Harrods. As you would expect on a Sunday afternoon, Harrods itself is full of foreign visitors wolfing down caviar and champagne at the various bars littered around the place. It struck me once again that the world is a wonderful place if you have money, and that London is a fabulous place if you have money (lots of it).
Guillaume couldn't agree more with you on that one...
ReplyDeleteI seem to have lost a post.
ReplyDeleteBut anyway, I agree with Guillaume.
Did we even know of Harrods at your grandaughter's age? I think we were content with the "candy" counter at the Essex Stores in Clifton Road. And their very good eclairs.
Harrods is not for the likes of us, I'm afraid!
DeleteThere seem to be a lot of people agreeing with Guillaume.
ReplyDeleteI was very taken with Fulham, uncharted territory for me. (I was more acquainted with NW8, now out of bounds to all but billionaires). Bishop's Park and Fulham Palace are well worth a visit. From the former you can make out the floodlights of Craven Cottage where Johnny Haynes once reigned supreme. As for Chelsea Football Club, if you didn't know better you could mistake it for a gated community.
Greetings Barnaby
DeleteThe new Boris double deck bus seems to me to be far better than even the old double deck buses and miles ahead of the hideous Mercedes (German?) bendy buses that Boris got rid of.
Probably most Londoners now agree as another 200 Boris buses have just (this week) been ordered from the Northern Irish double deck bus makers.
When you next visit London let me know - we could finally meet and perhaps have lunch together in or near to Lincoln's Inn Fields where I now work.
Remembrance Sunday Mass at the Beaumont war memorial tomorrow at 12 noon for the huge number of old boys who died in the wars and also for friends who died in 2014 - may they all RIP. I might blog post something tomorrow evening.
Hello Jerry. Lovely to hear from you. I wonder what the "bendy" buses you mention are? I did see some buses where you get on at the back, as with the old Routemasters. What I liked about the buses back in the 1950s was the presence of the conductor with his tray of different-coloured tickets.
DeleteIt would be wonderful if we could meet up in London one day and I will give you due notice (warning) of my next visit!