A pleasant wander again around our vibrant capital city, which doesn’t lie still, doesn’t get boring yet doesn’t ever appeal to me as a permanent residence. I sound cynical there of London’s virtues, not completely intended, since I consider the city to be enthralling in short bursts; an afternoon fleeting visit, a daytrip, a long weekend. It is there to showcase snippets of what is has to offer; cramming in too much is frankly implausible and tourist like. As a nomadic wanderer, London is best seen using multiple modes of transport. Today’s visit was no exception, but took a more serene path.
I took the eponymous tube first to Victoria, for a catch up Chinwag over breakfast with a longstanding southern friend, impressed of their instant awareness of the cafe I had faffed about choosing using TripAdvisor’s handy ‘highest rated near me’ tool. We then took a modern route master bus to Camden allowing a top floor view of many central London sites in the winter sun; Westminster Abbey, Houses of Parliament, London Eye, lost tourists, Camden Market, Amy Winehouse impersonators, to name but few.
Upon going separate ways from my friend at Camden, it was time to walk off the scrambled eggs and proceed on foot along the comparatively quiet oasis of the Regents Canal. Bar a plethora of panting joggers and the errant cyclist without a courtesy bell this jaunt was free of obstruction and allowed time to engage in deep thought. All while gently exercising at a reasonable amble and pretending to be David Bailey with a half arsed smartphone camera along the way.
The journeys taken today conveyed a sense of relaxation and rest, while on the move. The antithesis of Oxford Street, a tourist queue, or a commercial activity in general. Popular attractions have a vital place in a city’s economy but this has to be set around an environment that offers choice, diversity and eccentricity. Quaint spaces one can reach out to if they are in all manner of thoughts; escapism, exhaustion, curiousity, broadening cultural horizons, seeking solace, or its opposite. Escaping to places like Camden and the waterside in general teaches you that.
Following the route taken by Prunella Scales and her husband in Channel 4’s Great Canal Journeys, I headed past London Zoo in perhaps it’s quietest area free of squawking birds and children, and the large regency villas that front the waterside. Arriving at Little Venice, thoughts raced of the Rosie and Jim theme tune and a propensity to try and look out for the boat (even though I don’t think it’s even moored there). This was certainly a nice place to take a tea break, and convenient it was that I found the Waterside Cafe on board a narrow boat for a superb Portuguese Tart. Again a slightly unusual and very endearing catering experience, where it was quite plausible to spend over an hour of one’s time. Sod those chains!
Moving on continued the course of the canal towards London Paddington station, where I made a quick detour to observe the architecture of the train shed, which given I am used to the international prowess and grandeur of St Pancreas and the modern reinvention of Kings Cross, was mildly disappointing. Big plans are afoot for the Great Western Railway, however, which may suggest a lift to the station’s rather grubby appearance and dour atmosphere. A quick stop by the much smaller neighbouring station at Marylebone presented an altogether more visually pleasing building.
The twin station routing didn’t take place without getting lost several times running circles around Edgware Road, darting into an M&S Foodhall planning on an ordinary sandwich but leaving with offbeat Vietnamese Pork salad mini rolls, and walking through the seemingly thriving church street market. Getting lost in this case at least meant that I broadened my cultural horizons, not least because a £1.05 special offer was all it took to go momentarily to Hanoi, but because the markets are so special in London. True, there may possibly be better ones in the city, but the bustle, variety, sights, smells and overall dynamic of those sites are still present. Comparatively, walking into endless zombies with a mishmash of Selfridges yellow come semi-ripped primani paper bags ramming into one another on Oxford Street against a backdrop of buses, uber taxis, black cabs and neon signage is less special, more sterile.
The final stop of the day, or several should I say given the tiring feet, was Regent’s Park, designed by John Nash. Despite it being January, the park was not threadbare in the sights on offer and it retained its qualities as one of London’s great public open spaces, a tranquil, green and pleasant land upon which to initiate a walk. Set against the backdrop of white regency villas and the BT Tower, the stroll progressed through a large group of very tame herons, squirrels and for once the Canada geese seemed outnumbered. Wandering through the rose gardens invoked thoughts of flora and fauna during the warmer months, placing a mental bookmark to return to see them in full bloom.
The park, by now approaching dusk, was quiet, and as one of the simpler jaunts of the daytrip, was a good decision. Always try to incorporate an open space on a trip to an urban area, to pause for reflective thought, depart from pollution or planned clutter, watch wildlife or just to simply sit down. We should do our earnest to preserve our designated open spaces. Early evening, time to go home, another successful day in our capital, exploring some of its more laid back charms.
London may be big, noisy, expensive, a bit showy, but if you take yourself on a mystery tour and a spontaneous one at that, prepared to get lost, do a lot of pausing and thinking, you may come across a few things taken for granted that offer just as much, possibly more satisfaction on their own merits than those London destinations highest up the search engine list. Go out and explore, depart from the default, take your time and you’ll be surprised.
Chrisadvisor 