I guess that the only thing of note today is that the sun is shining and it is a lovely day out.
The temperatures are in the fifties but the locals all think they are in the teens. Hmmm.
I’d rather be outsides boating on the Thames – but that is not what I was sent here for. The new picture is the view outside the office window for the office I have n my stay here.
I’ve decided that in this area, the riverfront reminds me a bit of the way in South Florida they can sell property as “on the waterfront.” They can do this by constructing the houses in a radiator-fin pattern rather like a comb of land on top of the water with one street on each tooth of the comb so that you have waterfront property on both sides of the street, It would be more appropriate, I guess to say that you have a canal as your property line on one side, but that would not sound as good now, would it? On my walks along the Thames it seems that there are hundreds of little inlets to the river with houses built along them.
Well, I guess I should get back from lunch now. Have a great day!
Don Bergquist – Thames Ditton, United Kingdom – 30 November, 2004
30 November 2004
29 November 2004
Douglas Adams Tourism
For those of you who do not know me all that well, you may not be aware that my favorite author was British and that my favorite novel of all times was set right here in the metropolitan London area. For the rest of you, yes! This is a missive describing my attempts to visit the areas that I could find that are immortalized in Douglas Adams’ greatest book: The Long, Dark Tea-Time of the Soul.
The first place that I looked for was St. Pancras station, where Dirk Gently meets the tramp while searching for cigarettes. As described, this is a modern station – lots of steel and glass and straight lines. It would be an appropriate airport concourse. When set beside the older railway terminal that is downstairs, however, it somehow appears to be cold and stark. I next set off for the King’s Cross station which is described in the book as being right around the corner. It is, in fact, right across the road. I guess if they were not in the process of building a terminal for the Chunnel between the two the route that Dirk takes would actually be possible.
The first place that I looked for was St. Pancras station, where Dirk Gently meets the tramp while searching for cigarettes. As described, this is a modern station – lots of steel and glass and straight lines. It would be an appropriate airport concourse. When set beside the older railway terminal that is downstairs, however, it somehow appears to be cold and stark. I next set off for the King’s Cross station which is described in the book as being right around the corner. It is, in fact, right across the road. I guess if they were not in the process of building a terminal for the Chunnel between the two the route that Dirk takes would actually be possible.
King's Cross Station
King's Cross Station
King’s Cross is a lovely, old Victorian building with lots of wrought iron and brick. So much more what I expect from a London train station. This picture does not really do it justice. The scale is amazing. The station consists of two side-by-side train sheds. Both accommodate six trains pulling into the station. You can see the other train shed through the archways in the center. I can agree with Dirk’s assessment of the station. For those of you who haven’t read the novel (shame on you!) but intend to, please note that I haven’t actually given away any of the plot points. For those of you who have, you know the observation I mean… he makes it just before he is swooped upon by the eagles.
The other major landmark of the book was a bit more difficult for me to recognize. The Midlands Grand Hotel is, in fact exactly as Douglas Adams describes it. Its roofline is a confusion of turrets and dormers further confused by the addition of chimneys, gargoyles, and stonework ornamentation. It actually sits at the end of the St. Pancras station, not at the end of the King’s Cross Station as I had thought from my readings of the novel. There is a small (by comparison) hotel in the same block as King’s Cross Station that I, at first must be the place. It was as I was walking past the other (much larger and more interesting (architecturally) building that I noticed the name plate put there by the historical preservation society proclaiming that the building I liked better was, in fact, the Midlands Grand hotel. I had already taken a couple pictures of it thinking that I just liked it enough to want a picture of it.
So, here without any further ado is the Midlands Grand as seen from the entrance to King’s Cross:
The Midlands Grand
The Midlands Grand (seen from King's Cross)
King’s Cross is a lovely, old Victorian building with lots of wrought iron and brick. So much more what I expect from a London train station. This picture does not really do it justice. The scale is amazing. The station consists of two side-by-side train sheds. Both accommodate six trains pulling into the station. You can see the other train shed through the archways in the center. I can agree with Dirk’s assessment of the station. For those of you who haven’t read the novel (shame on you!) but intend to, please note that I haven’t actually given away any of the plot points. For those of you who have, you know the observation I mean… he makes it just before he is swooped upon by the eagles.
The other major landmark of the book was a bit more difficult for me to recognize. The Midlands Grand Hotel is, in fact exactly as Douglas Adams describes it. Its roofline is a confusion of turrets and dormers further confused by the addition of chimneys, gargoyles, and stonework ornamentation. It actually sits at the end of the St. Pancras station, not at the end of the King’s Cross Station as I had thought from my readings of the novel. There is a small (by comparison) hotel in the same block as King’s Cross Station that I, at first must be the place. It was as I was walking past the other (much larger and more interesting (architecturally) building that I noticed the name plate put there by the historical preservation society proclaiming that the building I liked better was, in fact, the Midlands Grand hotel. I had already taken a couple pictures of it thinking that I just liked it enough to want a picture of it.
So, here without any further ado is the Midlands Grand as seen from the entrance to King’s Cross:
They are doing a lot of work around it. There is restoration work, but also this is where the Chunnel terminal in London will be.
As you can see, it is quite ornate, but here is the roofline that is being described in the book:
Roofline
Roofline
The crane in the background is being used at King’s Cross. St. Pancras is directly behind the building.
Windows and One Final View
Windows
And one final view – I loved the “church-like” feel of the entrance.
Have a great day!
Don Bergquist – Thames Ditton, United Kingdom – 29 November, 2004
28 November 2004
Being a Tourist
I'm writing from the 17:28 Southwest Trains service to Hampton Court calling on Vauxhall, Clapham Junction, Earlsfeild, Wimbledon, Raynes Park, New Malden, Berrylands, Surbiton, Thames Ditton, and Hampton Court. Or rather, I am writing from the Delayed 17:28 Southwest Trains service to Hampton Court calling on Vauxhall, Clapham Junction, Earlsfeild, Wimbledon, Raynes Park, New Malden, Berrylands, Surbiton, Thames Ditton, and Hampton Court.
I'd probably have been able to call the stops before sitting here for the last fifteen minutes listening to apologies on how the Delayed 17:28 Southwest Trains service to ... (you get the idea)... is continued to be delayed by emergency crews on the tracks at Berrylands. So here we sit and wait.
Today I toured the Tower of London. Our guide ("...Alan if you enjoyed yourselves, George if you didn't...") was quite good. What a riot! Being from the major tourist Mecca of southern Florida, I know that most of it is scripted, but his delivery was great!
I had made plans to head to York for the weekend, but since I haven't really done anything "touristy" in London yet (and since two day passes are a good bit more economical than a round-trip to York) I decided to do that instead today. Yep! That's my story and I'm sticking to it! I did not - repeat did not - cancel my plans because a number of us were drinking beer and discussing politics at The King's Arms Pub Friday night until the publican tossed us out. I mean, yes, that did happen but, no! That is not why I changed my plans.
Two things I’ve noticed about the guys at the pub: 1) They assume that all we lot (US Citizens) are gun-toting nuts, and 2) They are far more willing to surrender their civil rights than I am. But that is a missive for another day. Suffice it to say that I have changed my plans because going to York this weekend would have been a bit of a stretch with the late start I got.
This weekend, instead, I have toured the Tower of London, Gone to London Bridge, taken a walk across London (west to east instead of south to north this time) and had a great time doing the London thing. Next weekend I think I am going to rent a car and go to Stonehenge. But that is a plan I am not about plans – except that I plan to stop at the pub on the way from the train station to the hotel and have a pint.
Yeah! We're moving! Only 20 minutes late. Cool! Have a great day!
Don Bergquist – Waterloo Station, London, United Kingdom – 28 November, 2004
I'd probably have been able to call the stops before sitting here for the last fifteen minutes listening to apologies on how the Delayed 17:28 Southwest Trains service to ... (you get the idea)... is continued to be delayed by emergency crews on the tracks at Berrylands. So here we sit and wait.
Today I toured the Tower of London. Our guide ("...Alan if you enjoyed yourselves, George if you didn't...") was quite good. What a riot! Being from the major tourist Mecca of southern Florida, I know that most of it is scripted, but his delivery was great!
I had made plans to head to York for the weekend, but since I haven't really done anything "touristy" in London yet (and since two day passes are a good bit more economical than a round-trip to York) I decided to do that instead today. Yep! That's my story and I'm sticking to it! I did not - repeat did not - cancel my plans because a number of us were drinking beer and discussing politics at The King's Arms Pub Friday night until the publican tossed us out. I mean, yes, that did happen but, no! That is not why I changed my plans.
Two things I’ve noticed about the guys at the pub: 1) They assume that all we lot (US Citizens) are gun-toting nuts, and 2) They are far more willing to surrender their civil rights than I am. But that is a missive for another day. Suffice it to say that I have changed my plans because going to York this weekend would have been a bit of a stretch with the late start I got.
This weekend, instead, I have toured the Tower of London, Gone to London Bridge, taken a walk across London (west to east instead of south to north this time) and had a great time doing the London thing. Next weekend I think I am going to rent a car and go to Stonehenge. But that is a plan I am not about plans – except that I plan to stop at the pub on the way from the train station to the hotel and have a pint.
Yeah! We're moving! Only 20 minutes late. Cool! Have a great day!
Don Bergquist – Waterloo Station, London, United Kingdom – 28 November, 2004
27 November 2004
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