London

[liadnan]

I lived here in London from 1991 to 1994, and I came back for good in 1999

Many things about it send the red mist rising. The pollution, the crowds some days when I want quiet. The tube, day after day. The prices, in particular the house prices. Quite often I contemplate moving out, commuting in two or three days a week and relying on broadband interweb for the rest when I'm not in trial.

On days like today I'm reminded just how much I love the place, and just how fantastic most of the people here can be when the shit really hits the fan. Who needs the Olympics to feel good about this place? Seven million people, three hundred languages, every possible kind of shop, one of the greatest concentrations of museums, galleries, concert halls and venues in the world, and some 22,000 licensed premises. Old Compton Street in Soho at 3AM on a Saturday morning. The view across the river into the City from Southwark, or up Ludgate Hill to St Pauls at midnight. Or the middle of Regent's Park on a sunny afternoon. It's a dirty, rowdy, sprawling, chaotic place, layer upon layer of it. And that's the point of the place.

I finally left the flat around 7 to go and buy some food. Still an eerie calm everywhere round here, apart from the odd screaming siren. As I crossed back over the railway bridge, the sun shone through, the first time I've seen it properly today, bouncing off puddles of water from here up the railway line towards St John's Wood, a truly beautiful sight.

The fields from Islington to Marylebone,
to Primrose Hill and Saint John’s Wood,
were builded over with pillars of gold,
and there Jerusalem’s pillars stood.

William Blake - Jerusalem, 1804

Perhaps it's an odd kind of Jerusalem, but it's ours. Screw you, whoever you are. London's still standing. And if it burns to the ground, we'll just build it again. We've done it before.

Comments

[huskyteer.livejournal.com]

Well said!

I felt the same in 1999, when I'd just moved to London and the Paddington rail crash happened. I went to give blood and was in a queue for three hours as everyone else in the capital had had the same idea.

[nicnac.livejournal.com]

A couple of people have linked to this post, which says something similar to you although not in such an elegant fashion:
http://www.livejournal.com/users/markeris/358726.html?view=2417222#t2417222

[liadnan]

Think that's rather better than mine.

[nicnac.livejournal.com]

Nah, they didn't quote Blake.

[rparvaaz.livejournal.com]

That's beautiful. But not better. Just different from yours in that you talk of the city and he doesn't. The attitude is the same though. Just what I expected, and said to itchyfidget yesterday.

[liadnan]

This one's rather good too.

[rparvaaz.livejournal.com]

Yep. Thanks.

[blonde222.livejournal.com]

no yours was better than both of those. Shorter & more Churchillian. I think you need to move into Crime and be Rumpole of the Bailey.

[sshi.livejournal.com]

absolutely.

and I only have the barest scrape of Londoner on me, but living there for a year was enough to appreciate that sense of being part of a great, big, messy, complicated something

[greyarea.livejournal.com]

Inspirational stuff. Sums up the enticing and amazing madness of London perfectly.

Great post, Marcus. Great post. And I know, because it made me sad, proud and happy all at once.

[greyarea.livejournal.com]

Is there an irony in the fact that "eloquent" was the word I was searching for there, and couldn't find?

[rparvaaz.livejournal.com]

*lol*

[memetic-glutton.livejournal.com]

Hear hear.

[ianmcdonald.livejournal.com]

Blake, as always, says it.

[ianmcdonald.livejournal.com]

Indeed, also as does Ray Davis:



'As long as we look on
Waterloo Sunset
We are in Paradise.'



(a long time London lover)

[liadnan]

Indeed. Glad to see you're a man of taste,

[sobelle.livejournal.com]

an eloquent fury!

bastards!

sending my love to you all.

anti v

[(Anonymous)]

Welcome to our world - Experience. While Innocence is bliss, you'll never be the same, and you'll be better for it, despite the pain.

-Bunty.

[rparvaaz.livejournal.com]

Screw you, whoever you are. London's still standing. And if it burns to the ground, we'll just build it again. We've done it before.

*applauds*

[fi.livejournal.com]

Bravo.

[frankie-ecap.livejournal.com]

This made me cry.

[joffstar.livejournal.com]

I was all set to write something similar (I even had a Blake quote! honest I did!), but you've said it all mate. I might still post something, though.

{applause}

[qkellie.livejournal.com]

That was beautiful.