Visiting Central London
NEARLY TWO YEARS AFTER MY LAST VISIT
I took a trip to (central) London in late summer, after not having been there in nearly two years! A lot was the same, but a lot was also different. There were entire streets that had changed completely, including buildings totally demolished and replaced.
The South Bank of the Thames was still pretty much the same, vibrant and busy as ever. I was delighted to see the Frozen Yogurt trunk, right where I left it almost two years prior, in all it's pink glory. It was my first pit stop after crossing the thames on one of the Golden Jubilee bridges.
There were these lions all over the place. We get these things here quite a lot. Sometimes they're bulls or cows. At times they're giant eggs. This time they were put up by the organisation "Tusk" and it was called the "Tusk Lion Trail". It was in support of lion prides across Africa in coexistence with the local communities.
Afterwards I crossed back to the north bank of the river and headed to Covent Garden - another very cool part of the city. I think about half of my youth social life happened in this area of London. Having not been there in about two years, I was actually quite astonished by some of the changes that had occurred. Some of the grittiness was gone - replaced by shiny new shops and modern stone-paved floors. Some of the roads had also been fully pedestrianised, serving as outdoor sitting areas for cafes, restaurants and shops.
The Covent Garden Market was the same, thankfully, complete with the huge spectator crowds and super talented buskers. This particular area is popular with acrobats.
I actually spent the evening with a friend of mine on the day. We found a nice restaurant with outdoor sitting since it was a pleasant evening temperature-wise. I had missed doing this, sitting with friends, eating and drinking (coffee) and making merry in the city centre. I can imagine that was the backbone of many business there, that no doubt had closed down during the pandemic, due to the unsustainable London rent.
The place looks nice for sure but it was a shame that some of those previously gritty streets had lost their souls a little. Talking of souls, I saw something that really warmed my heard, but break my heart at the same time.
SOUL FOOD ON THE MOVE.
There was a food truck serving "Karma-free Vegan Zero Emissions" food. Govinda's Food For Life was parked at Covent Garden serving free food to anyone that wanted it. There was a long line around the corner consisting of mainly homeless people, but also random Londoners including people that looked like they were on their work lunch break.
It was just free food with no strings attached. No visible strings anyway.
London is a very large city with a lot of wealth. Pound for pound, it's probably the wealthiest place on the planet. However, there is a lot of poverty and homelessness here. Unfortunately because it's a very large and impersonal place, most people don't care about other people they don't know. That's why these selfless organisations and acts of generosity are much needed here in London to catch some of those folks who've fallen through the cracks.
Street Photography nostalgia /
Walking around London, almost like a tourist, re-ignited an old passion of mine - street photography. Sadly I didn't take my camera with me on the day but, as they say, the best camera is the one you have with you. On the day, it was my dear iPhone 11. It's already yesterday's technology, but it's plenty good for me.
While crossing the Thames to the south, I came across a scene that I thought described London perfectly. The opulence of the city, the grand structures, the carefree nature of Londoners and the poverty to which we turn a blind eye (or at least pretend not to see). I'd normally frame it much better, but everything was moving so quickly I didn't have the time. I also wanted to time it for when the man was exactly in front of the beggar and in a stride.
Yes, of course I could have just taken a "spray" shot (keep my finger pressed down, so the camera takes as many shots as it can per second), and then picked the best one. That misses the point of street photography. It's kind of a sport as well as art. It's most street shooters' goal to frame, anticipate, time and snap!, take the scene in one shot.
Peace & Love,
Adé