Greg and I had been assigned separate seats on the flight, and I could not sleep due to being in the middle seat of a row of three; it was cramped and I was too warmly dressed. Time seemed to drag, and I was still processing the utter surprise of actually going to Europe. Based on the consistent disappointments of the past week, I thought we would never make it; so, apart from the discomfort, what kept me awake was the excitement of finally being on our way.
We are in the 'family cue' and are interviewed by an Anglo-African female customs' officer at Gatwick Airport. She has a shock of fluorescent pink hair and fingers glistening with silver rings. Looking at our passports, then at us, she says: "By these photos I take it you're partners, not brothers, right?" I am mortified, but only for seconds. She smiles; we both smile back. We feel welcomed, but not patronized, and certainly not viewed with suspicion or malice. What an auspicious beginning!
After lingering in the terminal to get our bearings, we board the Gatwick Express and sit back for the 3o-minute ride. We remark on how, in contrast to Toronto, where one has to wait for a regular transit bus that takes one to the end of a subway line, London has this well-appointed, clean, and efficient express train that takes us straight to Victoria Station, in about 30 minutes. While waiting to depart, and noting the sun dawning in a clear sky, I could sense myself calming after the week's upheaval.
It is 7:00 a.m. when we arrive at Lisa Court Hotel, on Argyle Street, our home base for the next 5 days. It is run by a very formal, though highly accommodating Nigerian woman. She hdd been in contact with Greg throughout the week, monitoring our progress with the airline, maintaining our reservation status, despite what ended up being a week's delay to our original arrival date. Knowing we had had a stressful week, she is keen to make us feel at home. She is generous with her advice about places we might see as our room is readied, and she stores our luggage while we prepare to take in the neighbourhood of Bloomsbury.
hoods, along with some famous churches. It was also home to the group of early 20th century artists and intellectuals - including writer Virginia Woolf; her artist sister, Vanessa Bell; Bell's husband, Clive; writer E.M. Forster; and economist John Maynard Keynes - who lived and held meetings in various townhouses in the neighbourhood. Despite its modest appearance, Bloomsbury has, within its borders, several museums, including the famed British Museum; the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art; and several hospitals, including the Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Bloomsbury was conceived in the 17th century by the noble Russell family, holders of the Duke and Earl of Bedford titles, though its physical location existed long before then, to the 13th century, when William de Blemond of Normandy acquired the land. The name Bloomsbury evolved from the name of Blemondisburi, or manor of Blemond. In the 14th century, the area was acquired by the Carthusian monks, who maintained it as farmland for the next 200 years. When Henry VIII severed ties with the Roman Church during his reign, he dissolved many of the English monasteries and churches and re-possessed their lands in the name of the Crown, including the area now known as Bloomsbury. This area he gifted to the 1st Earl of Southampton in the mid-17th century, though the design and laying out of the area did not occur until the 18th century by the 3rd Earl of Bedford, Wriothesley Russell, after whom Russell Square (and the famous hotel that fronts it) is named.
Walking around Bloomsbury is like stepping back in time. Greg and I are struck by the authenticity of the built environment - the buildings, streets, and small parks - that recall the late 19th century. We're charmed by the quaint Georgian townhouses and glorious Victorian piles. The area contains a depth and humaneness that, in contrast, seem lacking in North American cities. We love how, at unexpected turns, there can be a small, but beautifully maintained park or church; we envy the accessibility to and variety of family-run services, such as hardware stores, laundromats, bookshops, and restaurants, which all lend to the neigbourhood's homey yet elegant appeal.
Our walk takes us from our hotel over to Russell Square, where we have tea and biscuits, before returning to the hotel for a few hours' sleep. It is now around 11:00 a.m.
References:
1. Wikipedia
2. TimeOut Guide (London 2010)
See slide show below for more images (click on slide show to enlarge it):
Is the second picture, in this post, your hotel room window?
ReplyDeleteIt looks so lovely.
Jinny,
ReplyDeleteYes, the second picture is one of our hotel room window. It looks lovely from the outside, but the inside was a little run down and small. This was definitely a low-budget hotel, so, for instance, we had to share the bathroom. But the manager was very kind and an all-you-can-eat breakfast was included in the fee, so we couldn't complain. The hotel's location is perfect: it is central and is a block away from King's Cross and St. Pancras International, a huge, 19th century train station that recently underwent extensive renovations, and from which we took the Eurostar - the high speed train (TGV) - to Paris, five days later. The station itself is beautiful, in my opinion.