We Indians are not very good travellers. Nothing derogatory, but most of the time, we just seem to be in a hurry to dash from one landmark to another, ensuring that we take enough photographs to show to our folks back home.
In this hurry, we tend to miss out of the things that actually make a place beautiful. Its hidden treasures.
Now coming to my story. I had worked at edinburgh for 9 months when I got a chance to shift to London. To be honest, I was not particularly thrilled by this change. Anyone who has been to Edinburgh will appreciate the relative quiet and calm that pervades even the busy Princes street. After this, London with its teeming millions and bustling streets seemed like a challenge.
But now I have spent a few months at London and am slowly appreciating the place. Sure there are lots of ’touristy’ places to visit. You can take a day ticket on one of the tourist buses (Big Bus or Arriva run tourist services) which take you to all the historic landmarks in the city. You also get a free river cruise thrown in the bargain.
This is all great fun. You get to see the Big Ben, St Pauls Cathedral and all other lovely landmarks. But that obviously is not the point of my review. These are places that everyone goes to but the real heart of london lies elsewhere.
I am lucky enough to work close to the South Bank area. Now South Bank is a culturally rich part of London. You have the Old Vic theatre at Southwark (near Waterloo) where professional dramas are staged regularly. If you are the artsy sort, wait there is more in store.
If you walk to the Waterloo bridge on a Friday or a weekend, you will find a very interesting spectacle below on the banks of the Thames.
This is the Queens Walk, a very popular route for walkers and cyclists alike. You can walk leisurely by the banks of the Thames watching the sea of humanity go by you. You will see cruises running up and down the Thames with the odd Police cruiser going by with a watchful gaze. On the South Bank, you see a carnival atmosphere.
There are lots of street shows happening all the time. Sometimes you see organised street dancers dancing to fast hip hop songs. Or you get people painted to look like statues. Jugglers, clown, mimics and pantomimes are everywhere. There is also a small merry go round right next to the Huge London Eye. There is also a huge lawn for people to relax their tired limbs
If you walk on, you will come to the Westminster bridge which is where you will see the Big Ben.
London has many bridges cross the Thames. Some of the popular ones include The London Tower Bridge, the Westminster bridge, the waterloo bridge and the BlackFriars bridge. Most of these bridges have similar walks below them where you can gorge on the beauty of London at your own pace.
So my suggestion is to pack a light rucksack with lunch and wear your most sensible summer clothes and go for a walk. Seriously, it beats staring out of a tourist bus.
PS: Keep a good street map handy. Crime rates are high in certain part of London, so dont wear conspicuous jeweler and try to stay in a group if possible.