It’s strange how quickly people adapt to new situations. Despite my apprehension about working in London I had got used to it quickly and the first fortnight had flown by. I spent a few moments of Sunday evening wondering where I was going to explore the next day, until I realised that I would be back in my previous Peterborough office for a 3-day training course.
Back in London on Thursday I was determined to make up for my break away from the city, so when I was asked by workmates where to go for lunch I purposely led them on a whistle-stop tour of as many of London’s landmarks it was possible to see in an hour. Walking along Victoria Embankment past the London Eye and the old City Hall, we journeyed up to the Houses of Parliament and then turned right past the Cabinet War Rooms, the Cenotaph, Downing Street and Horseguards before negotiating the traffic to sit by one of the fountains in Trafalgar Square.
Spending your lunch in the heart of London, in one of the most famous landmarks in the world is an interesting experience. As I ate my lunch I watched the hundreds of tourists as they posed for photos, climbed on the lions and negotiated their way past what is left of the famous pigeons. Doing something everyday like eating your lunch in a location that's a once in a lifetime destination to many international tourists is slightly surreal.
The first time I was in Trafalgar Square would have been about 20 years ago when I enjoyed a fun day out in London with my mum and brother. There were a lot more pigeons then – mainly because bird food was sold to tourists and feeding them was a popular activity. Indeed, one of the highlights of any family’s day out in London was to take handfuls of birdseed and to get as many of the birds to perch on your arms as possible. They don’t sell birdseed in Trafalgar Square anymore as pigeons are now considered vermin rather than tourist attractions. I think I prefer how it used to be.
If the sight of flocks of pigeons used to tell you that you’re in Trafalgar Square, then the sight of joggers today tells you that you’re on the Embankment. I don’t understand why anyone would want to spend their lunchtime getting hot and sweaty in front of tourists by jogging along the riverside streets of London. But many people do it; hundreds pound the streets every day as they use their precious lunchtime to cram in 40 minutes or so of exercise. Embankment joggers come in all shapes and sizes and wear the same face of determination as they weave in and out of sightseers and other workers like myself who have chosen a more leisurely way to spend their lunch hour.
Friday’s lunch hour was as leisurely as you can get, with a beer and a burger in a nearby pub. It’s easy to see why there’s a drinking culture amongst many people who work in London. There’s a lot of temptation and of course you don’t have to worry about driving, so I sympathise with any alcoholics who work in an office in the centre of London. Thankfully I can enjoy my Friday lunchtime pint without feeling the need to spend every lunchtime drinking – after all, there’s a lot more of London for me to see yet.
Congratulations for this blog Jeremy. It brings back memories. My first job in London at the age of 18, was at the Hunting Lodge restaurant, lower regent street, London sw1. It was owned by the then Trust House Forte group. I'd be curious to here about what its become, if you ever go by this area. I remember it was full of italians in that restaurant and that in three months I could speak the language nearly as well as English !
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