A reflection on London

[spindrift]

Ilbonito - your photos of the animals used for wars wrings my heart. The poor creatures certainly had no choice. Imagine putting such weight on a mule's back.

About taking photos in the museum - were there not uniformed people standing in every room keeping an eye on those who try to take pictures when it's not allowed? I'm sure that photography is forbidden. It is in the V & A museums...that's for sure!

I do find the crystal skull most interesting as well as the carvings of the African queen's head.

Bixa - if you come and stay with me we can spend days in London's art galleries and museums...

[bixaorellana]

"They had no choice" ~~ nor did the human conscripts. It is nice that the poor animals are remembered, but I'd like to see a monument to all the soldiers who were summarily executed by their own side in WWI after field courts martial, mostly on the Western front.

I actually read a book about that skull, many years ago. It was the usual mystical, ghostly hoo-ha.

Spindrift, that would be heaven!

[ilbonito]

"They had no choice" ~~ nor did the human conscripts.

That's what I thought too. As well as the fact that the "enemy" animals are just as worthy of commemoration, having no understanding of (or, I dare say, understanding of) which kind of humans were exploiting them!

About the photos - you are actually allowed to take them in the African galleries at the British Museum, which was cool. They are quite generous about their photo policy, it seems.

[ilbonito]

Anybody seen this?

[bixaorellana]

"The dream you start out with is not necessarily the dream you end up with."

I'd love to see that, & will keep looking for a copy.

Here's a online source (for pay) from Amazon. I don't know how much it is because I'm blocked since I'm in Mexico: www.clicker.com/movie/finisterre.html

[ilbonito]

I managed to download it (ssssh!!!) Not sure I'd recommend it to be honest. Its a strange documentary consisting purely of seemingly random images and faceless voiceovers, originally designed to promote an album by art-pop group St Etienne. I like this song (and clip) the best:

[Deleted]

"The dream you start out with is not necessarily the dream you end up with."

I like that quote too. Don't all our lives go in a different direction to what we thought they would or had planned once?...

[greyghost1]

Very interesting report and wonderful pictures. You asked: traffic calming means traffic slows down.
Another wonderful cemetary to visit is Kensal Green and the guided tour of the catacombs. This is one of the 7 cemetaries built outside the city to take up the overcrowding. It is very disordered and much is disintegrating badly. Only two cemetaries had catacombs and this is the only one with a tour. The cemetary is close to a canal the catacombs are always damp. There are stalactites and stalagmites growing and puddles to avoid. A great part of the iron gates, coffins, walls, shelves and who knows what else is damp, moldy, crumbling, collapsing, fallin in and down, rotting, and/or moss-covered. Apart from the visual, the smell and mental images, the cold, dank, lead bits, and coffin bits lie scattereds on the floors. Rusted hinges and great locks remain closed forever. Iron bars sag outward, framed windows lack glass, or the wood is rotting. Alas, no pictures are allowed.

[tillystar]

I loved looking at these pictures and reading ur commentary, it's really interesting seeing my city through someone else's eyes.

[bixaorellana]

Your word pictures are wonderful, too, GreyGhost.

[lola]

Yes, greyghost. You make is sound like everything an old London cemetery should be.

[greyghost1]

Thank you for the compliments. I have to say that all I wanted to do after exiting the catacombs was to sit on the sun-warmed wall for a while.

[bixaorellana]

Oh, I'll bet! All that gothic gloom must get oppressive after a while.

Here is an antidote from Tilly for you ~~ anyportinastorm.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=pictures&thread=983&page=1#14920

[joanne28]

I found the comments about the multiculturalism quite fascinating. When I was in London with a very good friend in 2002, after a couple of days there she said "London's quite a white town, isn't it?" Now, we did see people of colour and of course we were hitting the tourist spots & museums but on reflection, I think she was right.

Toronto has hit a milestone where the 'minorities' have become the majority. It isn't so pronounced in the other major cities of Canada and of course small towns are a different thing altogether.

But perspective is always a personal thing.

[mich64]

Joanne, I too found the comments in regards to multiculturism quite fascinating. Last week, having made a trip to "the city" (Toronto) I noticed how even more diverse than ever. I feel it must simulate the London experience.

This past week was, for once, a pleasure trip to "the city" (usually there for doctor's appointments). We stayed north of the city in Markham and we drove around alot and pulled into a stip mall to turn around and the whole mall was in Chinese, every store. Loved it!

When shopping at Yorkdale Mall, whenever we sat down to rest on a bench or the foodfair, we encountered a new language, many eastern european and latin americans. I loved it because we missed our annual international vacation this year but I felt for a few days that I was actually abroad!

[bixaorellana]

Not really on the topic of London, but as soon as I saw this article about honoring the animals who aided in the race to the South Pole in the winter of 1911-1912, I thought of this thread and its compassion for the animals pressed into war service.
www.nytimes.com/2010/09/30/opinion/30thu4.html?th&emc=th

[koloagirl]

Aloha from Kaua'i!

Well I actually find it very apt to have a monument to the animals that died in the service of the country - but then I'm an animal lover and it is certainly true that "they had no choice" -but yet served faithfully and to their death. Nothing wrong with recognizing these innocent creatures that helped in wartime.

I didn't know about the glow-worms though - interesting!

Malama Pono,
Janet