A grey walk along the Thames exploring Southbank
Of course, when I woke up, it was raining in London, because that is what London does.
Thankfully it did not last long, after some real rain it just drizzled on and off for the rest of the day, while the locals stared at the sky in absolute amazement at how wonderful the stunning clear summer day was.
It was very grey. Started grey, stayed grey. It will be grey from now until the end of the world sometime next Thursday.
Despite the numbing grey, I set off on an epic walk. It seems every time I come here I end up at Southbank, on the far side of the Thames. This time I walked the other way, for a long way, through some parks, past massive new developments, until I came back over a bridge into Chelsea to laugh at footballers wives and headed for the megamall for lunch.
For me this is a standard London weekend day, which means no pubs or palaces.
I took a lot of photos, and while the internet in my hotel room is fine for browsing and downloading, the upload speed is severely restricted, so if you happen to load this page during the hour or so it will take to upload, you may see partial or missing images. Alternatively I broke my website, which is also possible.
Photos of the rain. I always seem to end up here when I am in London. I think the landromat I have used in the past is very near this building. No need to go there this time, I did my laundry in Paris. Thankfully the cafes open at 7:30 even on Sunday, so I sat and had a coffee and stared at the rain.
Here is the Thames and some of the newer buildings. I think when I first came to London nearly 15 years ago, none of these were here. Because my website is awesome all the photos from then are still accessible, later I will do a comparison because I am a very boring person.
A ballerina is posing for some graffiti photos for instagram.
The SNOG froyo truck includes an upstairs disco. All the kids like yoghurt dancing.
Its the London eye, as seen from below. The Chinese tour groups were lined up waiting for it to open.
110 years ago, Shrek constructed this building for his own personal adventure.
If you came to London to see big ben, you will be disappointed, it is currently covered in tarps. No one has any idea what time it is.
The new Covent Garden market is nowhere near Covent Garden. It is just a shed with no customers. This reminds me of the relocation of the Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo. I suspect here in London it has been relocated for the 25 year crossrail construction project.
The biggest rejuvenation project in Europe, according to a sign. This used to be a dirty power station at Battersea, it is now being turned into housing. That would be very tricky, the ground would be very polluted.
Of course near the filthy old power station is a park, with duck pond.
The Battersea fountains rival those of Versaille, although theres no music to make the experience magical.
I was then attacked by hordes of dogs.
Someone has been allowed to construct a house within the park.
I was very aware of those around me and ensured my steps were out of time with theres.
Can you see the bridge wobbling as people ignore the sign and step in time?
This is as far down the Thames as I got today, further than on previous visits I think.
Houses in Chelsea generally look like this. Million dollar cars are left parked on the street.
Eventually it becomes Earls Court, also known as Little Australia. When I first came to London and did not select my own accommodation, I was made to stay here, because its where Australians stay. I saw 2 guys randomly vomiting in the street, so can confirm, Australia.
In nearby Holland Park there is a design museum, free entry apart from the Stanley Kubrick exhibition. British museums are generally free, and have free toilets, a winning combo. Actually they have decent healthy restaurants too, but I did not eat there today. This car was in the movie Clockwork Orange. Which I think is a movie about Englishmen pretending to be Frenchmen who kill prostitutes for sport before they all realise that they should be gay instead and wind up killing each other?
Now to take a stroll through Holland park. The buildings do not line up with the gardens.
Note the offset building here as well, frustrating.
London rats are absolutely enormous.
Very strangely, in 2018, Fukushima donated this garden to the city of London as thanks... for what?
It is in central London, but at times Holland Park feels like you are out in the dark woods.
Finally after many hours, I arrived at the local westfield, many years ago this was the first of their new design which was the template for all their newer designs throughout the world. I know all about this for some reason.
It has not changed since I first came here when it opened, although they are currently overhauling the eating area.
The salad place I have eaten at previously was gone, so I had a falafel wrap, but really I wanted the pickles and they were great.
After 30,000 steps, it was time to catch the tube back to my hotel. This station goes directly to my hotel, no transfers. Very convenient. Now to wait for the photos to actually upload.... come on internet! Its not as bad now as it was last night.
The sights and sounds of the ever changing Camden lock
Before doing the half made up stories of nonsense, I will talk about sport. Which helps carbon date my website.
London today simultaneously had the Wimbledon tennis final and the world cup cricket final. Both technically ended in a tie after regular play, at just about the exact same time, resulting in a tie break after 12-12 in the fifth set of the tennis and some kind of super over concept in the cricket. Thats just about the only time I would ever talk about sport.
This evening I went to the last place where you would find people who find sport interesting, but as you will see, people were still interested. I went to where the smelly punks and hippies sell things to tourists at Camden.
Like all things in London, it is newer and bigger than it used to be. Gentrified more than it already was, no doubt outraging many. That didnt mean I wasnt offered drugs a few times because I was, it also means I saw multiple people vomiting and a fight between homeless person. Perhaps they are all paid to add to the show.
There are lots and lots of places to eat, but most are the annoying stand up and eat something fried in some kind of bread places, eventually I found a sit down place, so regardless of what was on offer to eat, that was the place I would eat.
I also paid to urinate, a little bit of Paris in London.
Camden has many many market areas, this is the first one. It is the worst one.
Despite being early Sunday evening, the street is still very busy, and full of weird characters and lots of rubbish.
Most of the stores selling drug smoking apparatuses are now adorned with things to scare drug addicts above the door.
If you dont want a crack pipe, your choices are t-shirts or handbags, like every market.
Now to enter the extensive Camden lock area. Here is the lock.
Poisonous algae grows in the water.
Another of these weird boats designed to keep the sun off people and ensure you dont get a view.
There was lots of vegan food places, but its too hard to get a table, and the first rule of rulebook is, I do not stand to eat. Except in Paris.
I dont think tennis is very 'punk', but they have erected a super screen for tourist punks to watch people hit a ball who are only allowed to wear white.
I do recall going here previously. They sell t-shirts with batteries in them.
ITS ME! Posing with a Japanese hippo.
And as described in detail already, here is the place I could sit and eat. Its pasta. They were making the pasta fresh in the shop, small serve but quite nice. Small serve meant I could have some more fruit salad later.