Sunny days to Olympic relays

While the Opening Ceremony sufficiently paid tribute to Britain's proud and vast history, culture, and society, there were unfortunately billions around the world (and possibly even some in the motherland) most likely wondering what they were watching.  Criticism has been raised that London (and Britain in general) didn't send a message to the world but just celebrated its past.  There's absolutely nothing wrong with celebrating your past, especially with one as rich, innovative, and exciting as this, but perhaps the critics were quite accurate as at times the only people who seemed to know what was going on were on the tv.  I, along with others, wondered why the Middle Ages, perhaps the most globally recognized period of Britain's history, was seemingly absent as the act transitioned from peace in a Lord of the Rings-type set to pioneering the Industrial Age to the social networking era.

Maybe I didn't watch it closely enough on the pub tv (that came with a very drunk elder man yelling nearby) to catch any subtle references to those years in between, as I was more happily focused on the Olympics actually starting and London hosting.  Although it may not have inspired the world and shown off as much manpower as Beijing did (I watched that Opening Ceremony in London too), it was an overall fantastic spectacle to witness and a fitting start to what promises to be a really exciting next couple weeks.  

There were also some great moments such as:

-The five Olympic rings of steel rising and coming together following the Industrial Age act

-Rowan Atkinson's humorous 'Chariots of Fire' skit

-Finding out that the World Wide Web was invented by a Londoner, Tim Berners-Lee

-Daniel Craig deservedly doing his James Bond swag walk into Buckingham Palace to pick up the Queen and parachute her (her stunt double I should say) into Olympic Stadium...however, the most exciting part was visualizing myself in a suit like that...oh well, someday

-Ending the mystery of the cauldron's location once a couple hundred petals were lit and came together to form a truly unique flame...Once the games are completed it will be dismantled and each nation will receive a petal...another great, creative idea by the Brits

Here are some pics (in addition to ones on Facebook) in random order from this past week.  It has been an exceptionally beautiful and exciting week to be in London!

The aforementioned Five Bells Flaming Challenge with all the trimmings...as this plate was one of two orders between 5 hungry guys watching the Opening Ceremony, hopefully I'll have a post of a more ambitious solo challenge another time

Ending a long day of adventure with a trip down an ominous looking station...dare to enter?

Looking towards the Canada Memorial, which commemorates the 110,000 + Canadian forces killed during the World Wars, at Green Park.

Queenie's home?!

The guards letting my important self through

Picturesque view across Green Park

Looking towards the less popular tower of the Palace of Westminster in one of London's many hidden green spaces

Close-up of that architecturally inspiring tower

Those ubiquitous tour buses...partial evidence that shows London is the most visited city in the world...FACT

Westminster Abbey's western (and most recognizable) facade.  Founded in 960 (not 1960), this church has played host to every English/British monarch's coronation since 1066, 16 Royal Weddings since 1100 (most recently William and Kate's), and is the resting place of many significant historical figures like Geoffrey Chaucer, Isaac Newton, and Charles Darwin.  

The Gothic style North facade of the abbey...looks like a completely different church!

Looking towards Notting Hill Gate in Kensington Gardens (immediately west of Hyde Park) after escaping hundreds of thronging onlookers, including me, who glimpsed the Olympic Torch making its way through these parts one day before the Opening Ceremony.

A small chunk of those onlookers cramming onto Holland Park Avenue in West Central London as they started dispersing up the street...I got out of the Holland Park tube station just as the torch was passing so I couldn't get it on camera but snapped a shot of the masses to prove I made it.

Sculpture of a giant Shot Put crash landing from the heavens into London's heart...taken in between the London Eye and Waterloo Station.

A mildly silhouetted Lambeth Bridge from the South Bank

Looking at Lambeth Bridge from Millbank (the other side from the previous pic and same setting as Picture #7)...probably my favorite bridge due to its cool color scheme

Entering Hyde Park with a faint view of the London Eye and Shard in the distance

Royal Albert Hall...located on the northern edge of South Kensington (City of Westminster), this concert hall was opened by Queen Victoria in 1871 and consistently hosts some of the world's best artists from various performance genres.

The Albert Memorial located in Kensington Gardens directly north of Royal Albert Hall...another Queen Victoria-comissioned sight in memory of her beloved husband Albert.

Looking at the Round Pond in Kensington Gardens...theres a blimp in the central distance that was overlooking the torch events of the day...too much of a run for me on this gorgeous day

Other view of Kensington Gardens looking towards South Kensington far in the distance.

Horse Guards pass through the Wellington Arch, a truly fascinating structure to the south of Hyde Park topped with the largest bronze sculpture in Europe.

When it's sunny in London, you better get your camera out as everything's a great picture.

Yes this is still London...taken at Hyde Park.

On top of the Serpentine Bridge looking towards the Long Water (western half of the lake pictured below).  The bridge marks the boundary between Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park.  

The Serpentine...a 28 acre recreational lake in Hyde Park created in 1730 and named for its snakelike appearance.

I've gotten enough London Eye pics over the years but hey the weather was great so try and stop me!

"Drink it in...it always goes down smooth" -Ron Burgundy

My boss chair and work desk at The Africa Centre...if anyone needs help with African geography hit me up I've got a giant map next to my head!

View outside on a nice day that I was stuck inside for looking down King Street in the Covent Garden district.

View of the opposite side looking towards the extremely popular Covent Garden Market/Piazza where one can hear tourists speak in dozens of different tongues, witness many entertaining street performances, and browse through loads of trendy shops (Guess that describes most of London also).

The Apple Store a couple buildings down from me...'Twas the largest Apple store in the world but New York just built one to surpass it...America's always gotta win I guess.

Looking at my 1960's era building (pictured center) on King Street.  My workplace is through the second floor window that's first on the left.

Looking towards Nelson's Column and Big Ben in the distance on a lovely day in Trafalgar Square

Olympic countdown clock in Trafalgar Square looking up to the National Gallery.

The Admiralty Arch...surprisingly just a large, glorified office building that provides road and pedestrian access between the Mall and Trafalgar Square.

A very happy birthday week

This past week I was bombarded with an array of festivities in celebration of my birthday (well at least I'll say so); a day that deserves a week or more of liver-killing, family-filled fun for anyone.

It started 2 weekends ago when I hung out in Trafalgar Square, an active plaza home to Nelson's Column and loads of camera-snapping foreigners (myself included).  I enjoyed many street performances, including a man who fit his whole body through a small tennis racquet (an unexplainable feat that was simultaneously impressive and unpleasant to the eye), and then escaped the imminent rains by going inside the National Gallery, which sits atop the square.

The NG (established in 1824 and the 4th most visited art museum in the world) holds an extraordinary collection of works and while it is not as exciting to me as the British Museum (others may disagree), in two hours I merely scratched the surface of the museum at which point my eyes and legs told me to return another day.  However, it was enough time for me to find a favorite room which turned out to be Room 38, which holds several charming, massive paintings depicting the grandeur of Venice by 18th Century Venetian painters Canaletto and his successor Guardi.

Monday the 16th and the following Tuesday were filled with work, which will be more exciting to talk about once the Olympics commence later this week.

By then my mom (who grew up here) had arrived and I got the chance to journey into town with her, an activity that rekindled fond family memories of years past across Londontown.

On Wednesday morning we went to the local Five Bells Pub, which I mention only because my burger was huge (even for American standards) and it's home to a more menacing Man vs. Food-style eating challenge that has caught the interest of my cousins and me (a probable future post).  After, my mom and I went up and down the busy thoroughfares of Tottenham Court Road and Oxford Street, the latter being Europe's busiest shopping street, and then to the British Museum, which made it my second visit this trip and surprisingly my mom's first ever.

The BM was established in 1753 and is the 3rd most visited art museum in the world, behind the Louvre in Paris and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.  The BM's collection is far too big to even attempt seeing in one go (and they only have around 1% of their total collection on display) so my first visit was concentrated on the Chinese, Korean, and South Asian exhibits while the second focused on Ancient Egypt (mom's choice) and Ancient Greece, which contained personal highlights of viewing beautifully sculpted pieces of the Parthenon and Mausoleum of Halikarnassos (one of the 7 Ancient Wonders of the World).

After the BM, we met with my aunt and cousin by Leicester Square for a Chinatown dinner (A Johnson family London tradition) and made a short trip to the West End (the worlds most expensive location to rent office space) to Aldwych Theater where we watched a musical called Top Hat, an experience that I thoroughly enjoyed and would love to do, funds permitting, sometime again.

A busy and productive Wednesday led to a relaxing Thursday and then to a family Friday.  On this day, my mom and I ventured to an Azerbaijani restaurant (Yes Azerbaijan is a real country) down the road that had caught my eye earlier in the week.  The reason I noticed it was because I had no idea what constituted Azerbaijani cuisine and was intrigued to learn more about it and the country itself.  I ordered a seemingly traditional lamb and aubergine stew ("Khoresht Bademjan") cooked in a tomato sauce topped with rice and a chili mix that I couldn't get enough of while my mom had a nice kebab/rice dish that I eagerly sampled.  After, we tested out a traditional Azerbaijani ice cream, a delicious dessert made with rose water, saffron, and pistachio nuts. I was very happy with the meal and with learning that I liked the restaurant itself (unlike another adventurous yet rough Ethiopian encounter with my dad in Washington DC last year that had to be followed with a chili-cheese dog but taught us just as much) and attributed it to London's great diversity (which is not an old wooden ship used in the Civil War era...movie reference!) and ethnic culture...If you find another Azerbaijani restaurant anywhere in the Western Hemisphere, you've done well.

I also came out with some random fun facts that no one likely knows such as: Azerbaijan's climate is unique in that it contains 9 of Earth's 11 climatic zones.  Want another? Azerbaijan is home to more than 400 mud volcanoes, more than half of the world's total.  After the fact-finding Azerbaijani experience, Friday finished with a family dinner featuring a wonderfully concocted curry that led to an interesting Saturday.

Saturday the 21st constituted a different theme and at the centerpiece was Fosters ("Australian for Beer"), a UK equivalent of certain cheap state-side brews that aren't as tasty as their counterparts but hey you save money so it's ok.  This "pregame" led to a pricy cocktail bar near Piccadilly Circus (where the famous neon signs are located) and then to a more moderately priced bar/club closer to Leicester Square that is home to a $90 wallet-shattering Giant Martini that my already weakened body didn't have the pleasure of sampling on this occasion.  After making it home with music still deafening my ears, I got a 3 hour "sleep" in and awoke early Sunday morning to see my mom off at Heathrow Airport, which included a solid English breakfast (I was surprised I ate anything) and a tough goodbye that capped a perfect birthday week.

The London weather has finally produced the summer goods for parts of this week (70's and Sunny) so I, along with everyone here, am hoping it can stick for the Opening Ceremony later this week...stay tuned!

Looking up to the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square

View from Trafalgar Square towards Big Ben in the distance

Covent Garden Market/Piazza right outside my workplace (Note: An entertaining street performer to the middle right who's missing some clothes)

One of the many massive Five Bells Burgers.  You have to see it in person to really give it justice.

Inside the British Museum in the Queen Elizabeth II Great Court, the largest covered square in Europe built in 2000.

Outside the Azerbaijani experience in North London.

Aerial view of the major intersection that is Piccadilly Circus.

Early morning wake up call at Heathrow after the bender...I was alive enough to snap a pic of my private jet.

Exploring the history and significance of some Inner London sights

With work done for the week, I decided to take the tube from East Finchley to Waterloo Station, a site from where I happily took the Chunnel train to Paris with my family several years back.  While those international services have since been transferred to St. Pancras Station (located next to King's Cross), Waterloo is still easily one of the busiest rail stops in Europe.  It's central position was a good base for the day's exploration and as I stepped out of the bustling hub, a cool breeze and sunny sky greeted me.  It was a great day for journeying and criss-crossing around the city and here's an amateur's summary of a few highlights of my unplanned itinerary for the day.  These are obviously not the only sights in Inner London but rather places I explored and eagerly learnt more about on this day so I guess the tour guide/over-explaining history addict in me came out even more (I bet you're giving a sarcastic Yayy?!) 

BUILDINGS
-Borough Market: Ok so it's not a building reeaaalllyyy, but it doesn't belong in the street or bridge category either, so I'll just throw it in with these following architectural wonders.  Claiming to have existed since 1014, this market has over time become a fancier option for buying groceries, through celebrity chef promotions, and has been featured in numerous films.  Many rare delicacies from around the world can be found here (I was intrigued by a couple poisonous pufferfish on display), and while it may not be the budgeteer's paradise, it's absolutely a fun place to look around.
-The Gherkin: The informal title of 30 St Mary Axe, this 591 foot uniquely-shaped (and Britain's most expensive) office building has always been one of my favorite symbols of modern architecture and New London.  A gherkin is a British/European term for a pickled cucumber and the name has certainly stuck since the dawn of the millennium, even before the building started construction.
-The Shard: A site that I've been wanting to see up close for awhile, the recently topped-out Shard captured my architectural curiosity once it began construction in early 2009.  At 1,016 feet, it's now the tallest building in the European Union and certainly made my amateur photography skills and equipment (the ole iPhone 3GS) look fairly professional.  It officially opened with a laser show last night, so it seems I missed out on the real excitement.
-St. Paul's Cathedral: A site standing atop Ludgate Hill (the highest point in Inner London) since the 7th Century, the current 365 foot cathedral was the tallest in London from 1710 until 1962 and is among the largest in the world.  My favorite feature is the Whispering Gallery, located on the inside of the dome, where you can communicate clearly via whisper to others around the gallery.

STREETS
-Cannon: A residential district for candle makers in the Middle Ages (yes randomly learnt yet fun fact), I roamed across this street, that runs parallel to the Thames River and up to St. Paul's Cathedral, after passing the London Bridge and working my way back to Waterloo Station.  It is home to the London Stone, an ancient block of limestone said to have lasted since the founding of London and allegedly part of the stone that King Arthur withdrew the sword from.  While the origins are mythical and many Londoners surprisingly haven't heard of it, the stone is there and I'm a big history lover...So who the hell would want to go see an old rock??...I would love to, Pleaseee!!  I didn't find the little guy, maybe because I'd been a bit tired from 6 hours of walking or because I didn't have a map, but I will find the elusive treasure soon.
-Whitehall: A road named after a Middle Ages-era monarchy palace that was extensively destroyed by a fire in the late 1600's, Whitehall is the centre of Her Majesty's Government.  I felt terribly underdressed and under-qualified walking through this area, dotted with top-hatted chauffeurs and dignified government officials, but was charmed and humbled by the various memorials and monuments, most notably The Cenotaph (Britain's principal war memorial).  It also provides a good escape from the luggage-wielding, cash-carrying, stop-and-staring MEGA tourists that can crowd the corridors of the Embankment (listed below).
-Northumberland: An avenue that I've owned before (on the London Monopoly edition that is), Northumberland runs from the Thames Embankment in the east to Trafalgar Square in the west.  There was an air of excitement, filled with buzzing cars and congested government buildings, as I traveled along this alley after Whitehall.  Its tremendous location to the Thames riverbank and Trafalgar Square provides a great convergence point for any day trip.
-Thames Embankment:  Ok so I didn't paint the best picture of the Embankment for you in the Whitehall post, but I was mainly referring to certain busy parts, including around Westminster Bridge (listed below), near the Houses of Parliament, and along the South Bank (which isn't even part of the Embankment, I just like to include it).  The Thames Embankment, which consists of the Victoria and Chelsea Embankments on the north bank of the Thames, is a fascinating achievement of 19th Century civil engineering (made from reclaimed marsh lands) and provides a sometimes peaceful and always inspiring river-walk experience of Central London.  Sure at times you'll have to battle the masses, but it's a great place to get a feel for a grand city that runs for miles in all directions from this historic core.

BRIDGES
-Blackfriars: An iron-arched crossing decorated with various carvings and red coloring pleasing to the eye, this bridge was opened by Queen Victoria in 1869.  Ironically, it's the infamous site of a 1980's suicide (possible murder) that featured an Italian bank chairman on the run from Italy (accused for embezzlement) and indebted to the Mafia.  He was discovered hanging from an arch with five bricks and thousands in several currencies in his pockets.  I won't name names to protect myself from being ousted by the Mafia, but it's an enticing story that I'm sure Google could tell you more about...
-Hungerford: Another 1860's creation that shares foundation piers with two railway bridges known as the Golden Jubilee Bridges.  Unfortunately I didn't learn of any intriguing stories behind this particular footbridge, but it saved me a lot of time while exploring so I thought it deserved a reference.
-London: Arguably the most famous of bridges (by name) throughout the world but far from the most attractive, the name London Bridge actually refers to many links that have spanned the Thames over time in the same location.  The current bridge started operating in the early 1970's, after replacing the former that was sold to an American entrepreneur and now stands in Arizona, and is made of a super exciting combo of concrete and steel.
-Millennium: Aka the Wobbly Bridge, this footbridge connects Shakespeare's Globe Theatre and the Tate Modern Art Gallery on the southern end to St. Paul's Cathedral on the northern side.  It's known as the Wobbly Bridge because it seemingly swayed the first couple days it opened but was fixed and reopened a couple years later, so millions have thankfully been spared the panicked excitement of the wobble while the nickname has stuck.
-Tower: Built in 1894 and one of the most famous bridges (by appearance) around the world, Tower Bridge is sometimes mistakenly referred to as London Bridge (the more bland bridge upstream).  While I didn't venture that far downstream (the legs starting giving out after around 5 hours so I crossed at London Bridge), it's a truly impressive structure that can become the focal point of any day itinerary.
-Westminster:  Although mostly filled with tourists (along with government officials, buses, taxis, bikes, and street vendors), it's fairly interesting to observe the diversity of languages and peoples from all over the globe finding their way while silently laughing at and feeling sorry for those who have more belongings than you (I had a small backpack but witnessed many hauling suitcases).  It's a very practical bridge that can get you across the river but expect to spend more time on it, whether ruining group photos or taking photos yourself.  It gives the most outstanding view of Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament (busy for a reason) and can give you a personal snapshot of, arguably, the world's most famous travel sight.

A 4th of July in the UK

I am writing to you after completing my third day in London which also happened to be a major American holiday that I was understandably rather hesitant to celebrate here.  It's not that I'm not proud of our country's history and I'm fairly sure English-American relations have drastically improved since the 18th Century, I just think it best not to greet everyone here with a date celebrated by a country keen on breaking away from this supposed tyrannical motherland, even if it was awhile back.  Sure July 4th is a very historic American holiday that I appreciate but it's mainly a day of mammoth cookouts and intense beer-guzzling that I'll keep to myself for this year.  Besides, it's much more fun to talk about the countless features and events that involve London, whether its the ongoing Wimbledon tennis championships, the massive anticipation leading up to the Olympics, or you can always complain about the weather (an easy talking point that will most definitely spark a conversation).

Its been a great first few days in an amazing city.  My family here have made me feel very welcome, as always, and I've gotten to know London from a different angle, even in this brief period.  While my home situation here is as easy and enjoyable as my place in Florida (thankfully with much less possessions), I started a couple work commutes into town (for separate offices) that millions here must do also, whether it be by foot, bike, bus, tube (aka Underground, Subway), teleportation, or floo powder.  Ok so the last two options aren't true (yet?) and one may be a Harry Potter reference, but the point is I have been absorbed into this mass of commuters, vigorously elbowing and stiff-arming my way around town.

On the first commute route, I start with a nice 15 minute walk, a common activity indigenous to Europe yet noticeably absent from Florida and most of the US due to sarcastically fantastic urban planning/land use, to the closest tube station that I've used since childhood (East Finchley).  From there I take a Northern Line, the busiest of the 11 London tube lines, train to King's Cross Station, a busy passage also home to national and international rail services to areas beyond London.  From Kings Cross I change tube lines to head to Baker Street Station, which is located on a few different lines as well.  This station is one of the oldest in London and the world, dating back to the 1860's, and provides an inspiring transition to the area above, especially for this history-buff, known famously as the base of the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes' adventures.  In a word, this station is historically beautiful (whoops that was two).  I take a short walk along Baker Street and a turn to Paddington Street and BOOM I'm there.

My other commute is quicker, simpler, and surely less descriptive...just a southbound Northern Line train from East Finchley to Leicester Square station (the drop off point to where my family and I have successfully ventured to for Chinatown meals in years past), and then a quick walk.  Covent Garden (a district home to the second office) has a tube station also, but it's on the Picadilly line, is just a 5-10 minute walk from several other stations, and has an excruciatingly long spiral staircase to get out that I may be over-exaggerating but am not willing to go back to endure more suffering.

While doing a tube journey, I find myself in a webbed tangle of Londoners trying to beat everyone else to the next escalator or train.  It's almost as awkward as crossing your way around a cramped American high school hallway, except you fortunately don't know everyone who you constantly bump into, hence the almost.  I'm decently tall, so it's easy to see my surroundings, and I usually put on a big city scowl in which my face attempts to tell people: I'm a local who knows what I'm doing and where I'm going so get out of my way and don't piss me off.  My insides would probably tell you something like: Wow I love pretending to be a brisk-paced local...wait nobody's looking at my swag-walk and me...damnit!  However, it's nice not to be one of few brown guys (in my case Sri Lankan) walking around so I'm just happy to fit in between the locals and tourists.

The office located near Baker Street (first listed commute) is home to a company called Business of Culture.  We are (I say "We" rather than "They" because I just got my new company email so I feel very legit right now...maybe too much so) basically a consultancy that attempts to bring greater investment into various cultures and emphasize culture's essential importance in todays world.  BOC has many different projects and clients and they are the interim managers of a cultural centre (Note the Brit spelling) that I will be stationed at for the next couple months, called the Africa Centre.

The Africa Centre is based in Covent Garden (second listed commute), a lively, vibrant, somewhat touristy (being a decently knowledgeable tourist myself) district of Central London, and has been located in the same building since the early 1960's.  The AC lost a lot of government funding several years back and is trying to devise new ways, those headed by Business of Culture, to stay alive as a cultural hub in London and the UK.  It hosts occasional African cultural events, from those involving literature and film to fashion, theatre, art and music.  A project that's ongoing is to make the AC a meeting point and social club for African competitors during the Olympics, something I believe is very possible due to the central location and rich history of the building and surrounding area.  So to the many outstanding African athletes who are undoubtedly reading this blog, contact us!  All joking aside, we're trying to spread the word as much as possible before and during the Olympics and Paralympics (which run until September 9th I believe) to ensure the future success of the AC. 

It's an exciting and challenging project that I'm excited to contribute towards, using my youthful experience and knowledge on modern social networking and leaving the professional advertising and marketing to the big dogs here.  BOC and I are still figuring out the fixed days and times I'll be working at both offices in the future but I'm sure I'll soon have more book-like additions to life outside work in this great city to follow....Stay tuned! (Yep phrase kinda fits)

The "Historically Beautiful" Baker Street Tube Station.  Dating back to 1863 during the origins of underground travel, it would surely fascinate most.

Sherlock Holmes Statue outside the Baker Street Tube Station...nice pipe big guy