London & Taunton Days 4-8
"It's called a mullet. Didn't your Beckham bring it back into fashion???"
I had to count the days to put in the little title bar. I think I'm going to stop doing that because it makes it feel too much like a count down and I know its just going to end when I already don't want it to.
Anywho.
Woke to the news of the attempted terrorist bombings on Thursday morning. So much more frigthteningly real in London. In Australia, it's all just shadows and political rhetoric shovelled by those with the most to gain (ie politicians and op-ed writers - which I refuse to dignify by calling Journalists). Here, its an actual threat or at least the physical proximity makes it feel like an actual threat. I wonder if Mark Story arrived in the UK before the flight restrictions?
Jason rang me at 5.30am to say hello. Thanks Jason. I seem to recall that I was cracking jokes that I thought were hilarious but I think left Jason a little bewildered. Thank you.
Made my way to the Tate Modern which was just awe-inspiring - the building itself and its contents. Only managed to do two floors in six hours: the turbine hall of modern sculpture and the paid exhibitions (Kadinsky and Hugyhe). I want to go back to see the more permanent collection. After seeing the William Blake and Francis Bacon at Tate Britain, I really want to see some Jeffery Smart and Rene Migrette if I can find them somewhere.
There was some quote by some artist at the exhibition "forget war and money, women will destroy your heart". Too true.
After that, I wandered the streets of London for 3 hours or so. What I particularly like about London is that the Thames is such a geographical marker. I can make my own way to places (See that Cathedral top? I'm giong to walk that way) AND be able to find my way back to Waterloo. Mighty useful.
I probably should add some acidic sacrasm to the proceedings here.
On my wanderings, I went through Victoria Park which seems to be the post-work make-out place for Britons. Tongue-ing was going on all about me.
Pip didn't like me getting lost and not calling. Sorry Pip. We spent much of that night talking about management philosophies - part of her job is looking after the corporate culture of her company. Lots of things to learn from her.
Friday saw me wander through Soho and Covent Garden. Had one of the few good coffees I've had in a week in a little italian place called Cafe Miro. It was furnished with wood and pot plants and old italian man talking. (And the cops were there too). The old man complained his daughter was beign raised by his ex-wife in Estonia and he hasn't had a chance to warn her about men now that she's 16. Let's hope she isn't being raised in Tallin, eh? :)Curious thing about Londin is just how many Cafes are franchises... Starbucks, Cafe Nero, Pet, Eat, blah blah blah. I hate them. They serve up bitter dishwater and call it coffee. So hard to find a small, owner-run cafe in this place.
Soho was bars, restraunts, adult book shops and lingere stores compressed into a few streets. I liked it.
If only IMAX 3D added a third dimension to characters then I might have bothered with seeing Superman Returns again.
Went to Metal Militias - a metal merchanding store off Oxford St. I think I've been there before, many many years ago, but I can't remember.
Then I caught a two hour train to Taunton.
Which is where the story slows down.
Staying with my family in Taunton which is frightfully uneventful, yetrelaxing and lovely. Staying in what I'd call a Country Manor (though its a renovated servants quarters). I'm being well looked after as my Aunt is a retired chef and I even have an en suite in my room. I had to join the local library to get internet access as there is no internet cafe here. So early 90s.
We'll go up to Wells and maybe Bath during the week. Off to Edinburgh for the festival on Friday. Wondering how much I need to book ahead.
I need coffee.
I had to count the days to put in the little title bar. I think I'm going to stop doing that because it makes it feel too much like a count down and I know its just going to end when I already don't want it to.
Anywho.
Woke to the news of the attempted terrorist bombings on Thursday morning. So much more frigthteningly real in London. In Australia, it's all just shadows and political rhetoric shovelled by those with the most to gain (ie politicians and op-ed writers - which I refuse to dignify by calling Journalists). Here, its an actual threat or at least the physical proximity makes it feel like an actual threat. I wonder if Mark Story arrived in the UK before the flight restrictions?
Jason rang me at 5.30am to say hello. Thanks Jason. I seem to recall that I was cracking jokes that I thought were hilarious but I think left Jason a little bewildered. Thank you.
Made my way to the Tate Modern which was just awe-inspiring - the building itself and its contents. Only managed to do two floors in six hours: the turbine hall of modern sculpture and the paid exhibitions (Kadinsky and Hugyhe). I want to go back to see the more permanent collection. After seeing the William Blake and Francis Bacon at Tate Britain, I really want to see some Jeffery Smart and Rene Migrette if I can find them somewhere.
There was some quote by some artist at the exhibition "forget war and money, women will destroy your heart". Too true.
After that, I wandered the streets of London for 3 hours or so. What I particularly like about London is that the Thames is such a geographical marker. I can make my own way to places (See that Cathedral top? I'm giong to walk that way) AND be able to find my way back to Waterloo. Mighty useful.
I probably should add some acidic sacrasm to the proceedings here.
On my wanderings, I went through Victoria Park which seems to be the post-work make-out place for Britons. Tongue-ing was going on all about me.
Pip didn't like me getting lost and not calling. Sorry Pip. We spent much of that night talking about management philosophies - part of her job is looking after the corporate culture of her company. Lots of things to learn from her.
Friday saw me wander through Soho and Covent Garden. Had one of the few good coffees I've had in a week in a little italian place called Cafe Miro. It was furnished with wood and pot plants and old italian man talking. (And the cops were there too). The old man complained his daughter was beign raised by his ex-wife in Estonia and he hasn't had a chance to warn her about men now that she's 16. Let's hope she isn't being raised in Tallin, eh? :)Curious thing about Londin is just how many Cafes are franchises... Starbucks, Cafe Nero, Pet, Eat, blah blah blah. I hate them. They serve up bitter dishwater and call it coffee. So hard to find a small, owner-run cafe in this place.
Soho was bars, restraunts, adult book shops and lingere stores compressed into a few streets. I liked it.
If only IMAX 3D added a third dimension to characters then I might have bothered with seeing Superman Returns again.
Went to Metal Militias - a metal merchanding store off Oxford St. I think I've been there before, many many years ago, but I can't remember.
Then I caught a two hour train to Taunton.
Which is where the story slows down.
Staying with my family in Taunton which is frightfully uneventful, yetrelaxing and lovely. Staying in what I'd call a Country Manor (though its a renovated servants quarters). I'm being well looked after as my Aunt is a retired chef and I even have an en suite in my room. I had to join the local library to get internet access as there is no internet cafe here. So early 90s.
We'll go up to Wells and maybe Bath during the week. Off to Edinburgh for the festival on Friday. Wondering how much I need to book ahead.
I need coffee.
posted by stu willis at
9:21 pm
2 Comments:
"ONE TO STU, NONE TO MEGAN"
Hi Stu
It's Megan (Damien's annoying girlfriend who always seemed to be over and doesn't know the difference between encoding and enzipping). Sounds like you're having a fun time!
Anywho, I did some research on gastro and I think that you may have been right about the possibility of catching gastro from kissing!
According to the Victorian Government on their health website:
"The most common germs that cause gastroenteritis are bacteria, viruses and certain parasites. They may be found in soil, wild and pet animals including birds, and humans.
Gastro occurs when these germs are taken in by mouth and this may happen in any of the following ways:
From person to person. This may occur directly by close personal contact or contact with the faeces of an infected person, or indirectly by touching contaminated surfaces such as taps, toilet flush handles, children's toys and nappies
Eating contaminated food
Drinking contaminated water
Airborne through vomiting, coughing and sneezing (mainly viruses)."
While "kissing" is not expressly referred to, I think a valid argument can be made that kissing is like sneezing and coughing. This is because, when someone sneezes/coughs around people and when two people kiss, fluids from the mouth can travel from person A to person B.
Alternatively, kissing Damien is akin to coming into contact with faeces. Hehehehe (Sorry Damien, that joke was just too tempting to pass up!)
So Stu, you win... this time!
Love Megs :)
By
Anonymous, at Thu Aug 17, 06:06:00 pm AEST
Hey Stu,
This might find you a bit late to be useful, but if you get a chance to head back to Soho in London you should seek out this hardcore/metal cafe-bar joint I went to. I spent about an hour in there guzzling white wine (it was the cheapest booze they had - and boy was it cheap) and they played Metal Militia from Kill 'em All as well as some old Motorhead and a couple of other tunes of the same ilk that I didn't recognise.
From memory it's across the road from the Denmark Street entrance (i.e. at the top of the "T"). Denmark Street itself is pretty rock'n'roll as you probably saw.
Having said all that it's been over three years since I was there so maybe it has made way for a neat, polished floor and metal establishment we're so used to seeing in Sydney.
David
PS - Megan that medical dissertation was hard to stomach.
By
Anonymous, at Fri Aug 18, 12:36:00 pm AEST
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