While reading I also read my previous blogs on London, I am looking like a villager/ rather Alien who has landed on planet earth and everything there amazes him. But then, I am a person who has spent almost 22 years in a small town, located in the Hills. Like a villager, from there I came down to some big and some small cities of India, looking all around with little bit of awe, hope, despair, aspirations and disdain here and there. This is what my exposure is. More or less when we were going to London also, we knew we are going to one of the most advanced cities in the world. (Am I giving a justification?)
But what drew me towards London was that most of the things which amazed me were at least and at times more than 100 years old. This made me realize, that what they have achieved more than a 100 years ago, we are still struggling for it. But then my husband’s comment on one of my blogs (it happens only in England!!!) comes to my rescue that we are just 63 year old democracy. So true, we are faring better than many other developing economies. I just hope, we become one like them with the emotional bonds too intact (that Mamta commented in the same blog), having the best of the both worlds.
For the time being sharing with you one more marvels of London the Tower Bridge. Visit to it had added attraction as movie ‘Jhoota hi Sahi” (a John Abraham film) was shot on this bridge. A movie which flopped on box office but me and my husband really liked it (PS: you can watch it too, it’s a nice film). By the time we reached there from West Ham tube station, it was really windy. There is Tower of London ( a castle) next to the bridge, keeping all the jewels LIFTED away ( though they call it ‘donated by’ or ‘captured from’) from British colonies including India including the one and only Koh-I-Noor diamond. It makes a really interesting study to read about how it was taken from India on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koh-i-Noor .
We walked past the castle in deep disdain for the Britishers who had taken our Koh-I-Noor. As a silent protest we decided not to go inside the castle. We knew this will make no difference to them or anyone else, but it gave deep satisfaction to us.
Next to the castle was a lovely walking area leading to the Tower Bridge.
Aaaaand Tower Bridge was in front of us. It was magnificent !
This also made us realize that no matter how much and where not the Britishers plundered but, the money did not remain in mere Queen’s hands but was passed for nation building. Had it been India, some or the other politician would have either gulped it down or put it in some Swiss account. Sorry for comparing again. I proceed.
Tower bridge, often mistakenly called as London Bridge, again has lift-able roads like Woolwich Ferry, but this time not to link to any Ferry, but to give way to passing by High rising boats underneath it. It was built in 1894. I will share some pictures to make you understand.
The Majestic Tower Bridge of London
You can see the bridge Road lifted up for passing high boat
You can see the Lifted black top road from another angle
Yet another Angle
Than we moved on to very beautiful park adjacent to the Tower Bridge. There they have really nice, open performance as well as exhibition area called ‘More London’. There they have ‘The Scoop,’ where they perform twice a day on Wednesday , Thursday and Sunday, in summers (June, July, August).For exact details one can go there and get their pamphlets to know the schedules or visit www.morelondon.com. A Jazz Band was performing the day we went, but due to paucity of time we could not stay longer there and just saw their practice session for 15 mins. It too was just amazing.The Photography exhibition that was on Display on the open walkway, on movable Display boards was ‘The Rituals of World’. It was just amazing, bringing out the peculiar rituals of the world including the daily innumerable cremations at a Varanasi Ghats!
But you know this trip also gave us (true Indian Souls) the shock of our trip! Nearby was also a Toilet where we paid 1 pound for using it. Rs 75 for toilet, can you beat it! Below is the culprit, Kalmuhi (black faced from shame) machine taking (oh no, flushing) away our hard earned money!
Hope you enjoyed the journey till now. Next I will show you some innovative machines / day to today gadgets.
I had written the post yesterday but posted today, meanwhile today read Kavita Saharia’s Blog, My Room. She writes amazing things about North east of India. There are so many amazing and hidden treasures in the North east of India, and she knows all of them….. Almost! If not she is always on the lookout. Kavita, you too amaze me besides London! But with pride and affection! You can read her blog on www.kavitasaharia–myroom.com
dr.antony
Excellent pictures.
I had been there on few ocassions,but was not greatly impressed by the life there.The major difference in Europe is the civic sense they have.We boast about an older civilization,have many things to show around,but fails to learn what is true civilization.
Anonymous
I know bhabhi its hurts to pay money to pee 🙂
Jyoti Joshi Mitter
@ anonymous 🙂
kavita
It is not strange to be awed by all this .I have seen Europeans go gaga over something as simple as a wending machine or a sensor water tap in US .It happens to all of us when we see something new .
BTW , a big thanks for the mention.I feel honored and privileged.
Jyoti Joshi Mitter
@ Kavita : My pleasure.You deserve it!
Also you mentioned the sensor water tap, I have seen in India, but sensor Water flush in toilets was a first see for me 🙂 You just have to waive your hand in front of it and it flushes. Just to share, in excitement I used to do it twice or thrice :))