Yesterday we did another of the walks assigned to the students. We started at the Tower of London and crossed over Tower Bridge to the south side of the river. Pictured here are the three directors: David, Gary Barton, and Jeff.
It is familiar territory, but I always hope to see something new and different. The new bit was a Victorian operating theater that was discovered a few years ago while they were refurbishing an old church behind London Bridge Station. The theater was hidden away in the attic for years but is now open to the public, accessed by a spiral staircase in the tower of the former church. Very interesting -- made me glad surgery has become less painful (how would I know?).
Contemplating the marvels of modern surgery
Southwark Cathedral
Today, Kris and I went to the Bush (Shepherd's Bush Market) to find a table cloth for the flat. We had some success and enjoyed the cultural experience: Shepherd's Bush is primarily North African and West Indian with a few old fashioned Cockney stall owners. It is a colorful and cheap place to buy housewares, groceries, and clothing. I had intended to snap a photo, but the camera battery was dead, so you will get a photo at some future point. I was also able to pick up a couple of bars of soap, which should last most of our stay -- score!
The Bush: Shepherd's Bush Market
That's all for now.
OXO
D.
Contemplating the marvels of modern surgery
Southwark Cathedral
The Bush: Shepherd's Bush Market
14 comments:
I have enjoyed joining you on the walks and more. Your descriptioins and details are helpful and the memories are coming back.
Cockney? Verb, noun, adjective...? Does it relate to a certain ethnicity? So many questions from this gringo.
Fun walk. I can't believe Maren gets there tomorrow! I am just a bit jealous. Sigh.
ditto to what amelia says. what fun!
oh yah.........siiiigggghhhhhhhh!
Colton: Cockney is both a noun and adjective. A true London native is a Cockney and anything related to them is Cockney, dialect, for example. To be a "true Cockney" one has to be born within the sound of Bow bells, that is the bells in St. Mary-le-Bow in the City (or the one square mile that was Roman and Medieval London, whose walls we walked on a previous blog). The Cockneys speak and almost unintelligible version of English and use rhyming slang (a wikepedia entry or google search will be enlightening). They tend to alter and anglicize everything they can't pronounce: L'enfant de Castille became "elepahnt and castle," la route du roi became "rotten row." The hawkers (sellers) in the local street markets were generally Cockneys, and in many cases still are. Dick Van Dyck was attempting to be Cockney chimney sweep in Mary Poppins. Sorry, way too much information.
D.
Oh Dickie, don't you dare abbreviate your explanations! Keep giving us the good stuff. I had no idea that Cockneys were Londoners. I thought they were rural (you know, pagans).
I guess its a dialect of the real city natives that's devalued, because they are the real city natives - like a native New Yorker. To be a truly urbane and fancy New Yorker, I would suppose you have to originally be from Wisconsin or Oregon.
How cool does it make you in London if you are from Provo?
Thanks for your diligent posts. It's fun even if I haven't been there yet
FRICKIN' FRACK, EMILY AND I HAVE CHECKED YOUR BLANKETY BLANK BLOG LIKE A FREAKIN' GAZILLION TIMES TODAY. WOULD YOU PLEASE POST SOMETHING NEW....AND THIS MESSAGE GOES OUT TO OUR STINKIN' SISTER MAREN TOO! WHEN YOU LIVE VICARIOULSLY YOU NEED NOURISHMENT, YOU STUPIDHEADS!
oxo boobs, Emily and Anna
P.S. Can you blame us for checking for updates compulsively? I mean after all our father checks for katy's emails on Mondays with mucho consistency.
I was in London with Art Bassett in 95. I think he was the author of most of the walks!? I loved it then and I love reading about it now! Lots of fun memories.
-Margie
Thanks for your explanation, I agree with Will, keep the info coming. It is truly fascinating to learn more about a people whose history goes back, well very far. I was looking at a very famous restaurant in Bray(The Fat Duck) that is housed in a building roughly 450 years old. I mean, you just can't get that here now can you. I appreciate the response and the time you took to give it. I hope you are having a wonderful time.
Paciencia! We will post today, perhaps before you even wake up, who knows?
OXO
D.
Millie:
I'm locked out of your blog -- can't comment. I'm not part of the "team." So sad.
D.
Ringers have a blog at:
ringerfamily.blogspot.com
Thought you might like to know.
D.
Dad you understand I inherited no patience from you, right?
Millie I am also unable to leave a comment on your blog anymore.
Post a Comment