City of inspiration : London

I am not from London, neither have I stayed there for long and called it home, nor visited the city for work. I haven’t had the opportunity to keep going back either. Then how does a girl who has visited the most written about city in the world, for just a week and have the audacity to opine and write about her experience there? Because I did not go to London to try to fit in, work though it’s commonalities and differences, or to call it a home. Neither did i go to build relationships for work, business or start something new. I went there to feel the soul and spirit of a city I had been associating with and drawing inspiration from for years while growing up, without ever stepping foot there. And my, my! Did it talk back and live up to every bit of expectation I had.

It is the kind of city you would love or hate. But visit it on a clear summer day. One would rather not be anywhere else in the world if you have the opportunity to be in London and feel the British summer on a clear summer day. You would never hate the city on such a day. The blues, the greens, the buildings, the people, all come to life and come together to truly enjoy this day.

So on one such day, walk down Oxford street or Baker street, from which ever station you chose to get off the (wonderful) Tube and get towards Regent’s Park. You will find many people already basking in the sun, enjoying the lush green park, it’s lake and canals. Walk through the park, get lost in it, find the way from it’s maps (The old fashioned way) to get to Regent’s canal with the ‘You are here’ marker. Go on with your pleasant walk by the canal after visiting Primrose hill on the way of course. This walk in the late afternoon or evening is such a bliss. Tucked in the huge park away from the hustle of the city , with narrow house boats parked by the side of the canal with it’s dwellers enjoying the evening by the side. You see the scenery starts to change and relax to a different rhythm as you get closer to Camden, into a fun evening to eat, talk and maybe shop by the stalls set up near the market or Camden lock with some good music and great vibe. Dividing the same awe and energy through the walk, to the city and to the French who is hosting you on the walk can be quite taxing, but you might make a note to return the favour soon. Can you be such a hostess in a city very unlike London is left to be seen.

No matter what type of person you are, the city has something to offer to you. You can always plan a walk for yourself depending on what you want London to be that day.

An artist? No problem, visit all the galleries, modern art or otherwise, Tate Modern, Barbican art gallery, National gallery, Serpentine gallery and much more.

A Literature geek? Why, so many authors have called it a home,if not atleast their literary references. See Shakespeare still alive at the Globe theater, Won’t you visit 221b, Baker St sir? A Charles Dickens museum, or just the Harry Potter references.

A rock music fan? Visit your rock band’s studios, the pubs they haunted and played in, walk through the band’s footsteps and inspirations. Go to Abbey road, find out where Led Zepplin, Rolling Stones , Jimi Hendrix, Floyd and The Kinks hung out and played during their early days. Ask where the friendly neighbor hood guitarist Clapton did his jamming sessions and with who…

A theater fan? Watch a play at the Globe theater, maybe something on the stage of Barbican. But then don’t miss a musical in any of the West end theaters.

An architecture fan? Do I even have to mention the famous buildings of London, Cathedrals, Churches, why not? Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, St Paul’s Cathedral (Look at the city from it’s stone and golden gallery!), National history museum, Buckingham palace, Tower bridge,  oh who am I kidding. Every building there marks a time before a few decades and makes you want to go all monotones to catch a different era or it is just a modern wonder. Enjoy the sights.

A nature person? Fear not, there are more than enough lush lung spaces within the city, Regent’s park, Hyde park, Greenwich park, Kensington gardens, Richmond park…

And so many more, you just have to decide what you want London to be that day. I wanted it to show me it’s street art. and so I did take a Street art walk . Try it and you will be astounded by the art form , it’s talent and the street art war itself.

Another walk I would always make time for, no matter how many times I visit London is the South Bank walk. The diverse people and sights that you get to see is remarkable as you walk through Borough market, Globe theater, by the Millennium bridge, London bride, Tower bride, Tate modern, by Waterloo (Maybe enjoy the Waterloo sunset!), South bank center and end up near the London eye to see it’s lights and the Westminster lit up. I am pretty sure, every time I take the walk it will be a different experience.

This sums it up to how London is a home to all those different people you just saw. Then there are also times when for a second you are in a touristy place with people taking pictures and just turn around and it is a business district with people in suits and another blink and you are outside a relaxed pub with a beer and the evening sun streaming down in summer or cosy in a crowded small pub during those damp and cold days. All this with a smooth harmony and nothing jagged even with the contrasts.

There are so many more flavours and aspects to London that even a Londoner is yet to explore. But this is my view of that mammoth of a city. It is a city to be walked in, walked by and walked with. I think that is enough said to know why it connected with me from the time I set foot till the time i hopped on to the train to leave to the airport. A love affair I would never forget.