Museum day 2, prelude

[mindstalk]

To get up early I need to get to bed early, and with a bohemian roommate and last night's struggle with the washer that isn't happening. So what to do at 1:30? Go back to the free, already located, and half-explored Museum, of course! But first, notes.

Lots of sexy leggings on the ladies. Wonder if it's the climate. Plus all the business workers, of course.

I have yet to notice any homeless people.

Trains are hot. You're officially encouraged to open the window on the inter-car doors for ventilation. I've taken to standing by that door as I board.

"Mind the Gap". Neverwhere fans, were you ever clearon what the Gap was? I wasn't, and here at first I thought it was the height difference between step and platform. Today I see no, it's a horizontal gap big enough to lose your leg into. I was getting acrophobia from looking into it.

Advisor apparently prefers to avoid speaking English while he's in Paris, so no great rush to move on there. Plans vague, though I threw a line about another (cheaper) week in London. Might meet an rpg.netter for a pub drink tonight.

Comments

[mcgillianaire.livejournal.com]

Hi there, found my way here through dubaiwalla and have added you, if that's ok? Am enjoying your London entries. I've been living there for three years now and your observations have reminded me of the things which I take for granted, but which also stood out when I moved there. For example the sexy leggings. Turns out that's just how English girls dress the whole year around. I've come to realise it's a sure way to handle the year-round miserable weather. Another thing is the seeming lack of homeless people. I went to uni in Montreal and there were quite a few of them there. And yes, you'll notice the biggest gaps between the train and the platform on the Bakerloo line at Waterloo station. You could fit a jumbo-effin-jet in there. Enjoy the rest of your stay and look forward to more such posts!

Oh and about trains. YES! The heat is ridiculous but it's interesting you should mention it. Just a couple weeks ago the first airconditioned Tube trains entered service. So far it's just on the Metropolitan Line (dark purple one), but it'll spread to the Circle and Hammersmith lines next year and the remainder of the networks by 2015. They also introduced the first walk-through trains on the East London line a few months ago and it will eventually replace the entire current network. That's one of the things I like about the UK in general. They always find a way to adapt the old to the new. Eventually.

[mindstalk.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the introduction, I was wondering. :)

I'd actually been wondering about the homeless. I've been downtown and am staying in a ratty-looking neighborhood, but all the piles of garbage bags seem to be actual garbage, not someone's worldly possessions. Was wondering if they were hiding somewhere or if there's no actual homeless people. A shocking lack compared to the post-Reagan USA. And Montreal? Sad to hear.

[mcgillianaire.livejournal.com]

Having slept on it I've realised that in fact I have seen quite a few homeless people in London. You usually see them walking past you when you're at a pub and they ask for change and I've seen people sleeping the streets even in the height of winter. They're quite dispersed so unlike some North American cities, they're not concentrated in the poorest part of the downtown area. But they're definitely there.

[tempter.livejournal.com]

I could've explained what The Gap was! When I visited London back in '98, I fell halfway into it on my first tube ride. (More because my bag got caught as I exited the door than because I didn't notice the gap, but still.) One of my keenest memories of the UK is of being nearly eaten by the Underground minutes into my visit.