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"London - city of secrets" a London Travel Page by KennetRose

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"London - city of secrets" a London Travel Page by KennetRose

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KennetRose   
Nothing is more repressive than the repression of curiosity.


Real Name: Rosalind Mitchell
Lives In: Reading, UK
Member Since: Jul 10, 2002
VT Rank: 517

Travel Page Contest 3rd Place.

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Page Views: 13,995            Last Visit to London: -      

London - city of secrets

by KennetRose - last update: Jan 30, 2003

Alas, I can no longer claim to be the only VT London page without a picture of Big Ben. But I was so pleased with the way this picture - taken from the new Hungerford footbridge - came out that it was worth the sacrifice, don't you agree?

Technical details for those interested - the picture was taken with a Minolta Dynax 5 (known as "the Toy") mounted on a tripod, Fuji Velvia film, 30 seconds at f5.6. It was 7.15pm, the weather was clear with some light cloud blowing in on a brisk (ie bloody freezing!) north-westerly breeze.
Engraving from Blake's "Songs of Experience"

An introduction

I wander thro' each charter'd street,
Near where the charter'd Thames does flow,
And mark in every face I meet
Marks of weakness, marks of woe

[William Blake]

Earth hath not anything to show more fair:
Dull would he be of soul who could pass by
A sight so touching in its majesty

[William Wordsworth]

A man who is tired of London is tired of life
[Samuel Johnson]

Sooner or later I had to confront the task of creating a London page. It is an awesome task. I lived in Notting Hill for ten years from 1984 to 1994, and they were wonderful years. In 1984, Notting Hill was a regeneration area, a throbbing, multiracial, multicultural melting pot. Ten years later, when I moved to Bristol, it was the cool place to live. In 2001 when I wanted to come back, I found I couldn't afford to even think about it.

London is BIG. I mean, mind-bogglingly, sprawlingly, all-consumingly big. From Uxbridge in the west to Upminster in the east is 65km. The Central Line trip from West Ruislip to Epping is the longest unbroken ride on any metropolitan railway in the world. You can live a lifetime in London and not know more than a fraction of it. So, I make no apology if this page is biased towards West London, because that's where I lived. I know comparatively little of London south of the Thames, except for passing through, nor of anything much east of the Aldgate Pump.

London is not the United Kingdom, nor is it even England. It is a World City in every possible sense of the term (if the term makes sense at all). It is the place to which British people aspire. When I first moved there, my chest swelled with pride because I was crossing the actual Portobello Road when I walked home from work.

London is infinitely subtle. It wears its showiest jewels openly, but keeps many more treasures well hidden. It is not a city to see, it is a city to absorb over a long period.

London is expensive. But with a little bit of guile and know-how, it can be tamed.

Others have written many times about the sights and I won't waste my time and yours with repeating all that. All I can do is to open a book of blank pages, and let London creep into them over time.

> Add to your Custom Travel Guide [What's This?]

Pros:"Heaven to live in"
Cons:"Hell to visit"
In A Nutshell:"Has to be the greatest city on earth!"
KennetRose's London Travel Tips

OverviewThings to Do
Tips: 33 - Photos: 31
 
Restaurants
Tips: 21 - Photos: 14
Hotels & Accommodations
Tips: 3 - Photos: 1
 
Nightlife
Tips: 14 - Photos: 8
Off The Beaten Path
Tips: 7 - Photos: 6
 
Tourist Traps
Tips: 5 - Photos: 1
Warnings Or Dangers
Tips: 2 - Photos: 1
 
Transportation
Tips: 6 - Photos: 3
Local Customs
Tips: 6 - Photos: 2
 
Packing Lists
Tips: 1
Shopping
Tips: 13 - Photos: 10
 
Sports Travel
Tips: 2 - Photos: 2
General Tips
Tips: 6 - Photos: 6

KennetRose's London Travelogues
Title [Click to view]Travel YearPictures
Portobello Market- 8
Parks and gardens- 5

Comments for KennetRose about London
StumpTim Wed Nov 4, 2009 21:54 UTC
 now that is a great picture - I can wait to go back to London - our goal is to live there for a year - and I love how you have old pictures now digitized - thanks for sharing
EccentricRichard Thu Aug 7, 2008 05:16 UTC
 Re 29 Melbury Road/Jimmy Page/ comment that younger readers will think 'who?'. I'm 17 and assure you there's not one self-respecting teenager I know who doesn't know exactly who Jimmy Page and Led Zeppelin are (even before December's recent reunion)!
pieter_jan_v Sat Aug 2, 2008 06:30 UTC
 Happy Birthday greetings from the Netherlands. PJ
emilesc Thu Aug 30, 2007 02:29 UTC
 Really informative London pages. Congrats on your win, well deserved.
See More Comments

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