15 June, 438am
Can't believe it's already bright as day outside. What time does the sun rise here??
Anyway I was so jet-lagged and tired yesterday I pretty much concussed onto the bed after we got back and didn't wake properly till now, so now writing about yesterday's events.
Events from 14 June, first day in London
From my notes, I remember that we went to Oxford St. How to describe it? You either find it high in diversity, or it's the most mixed up place you've ever been in. In Singapore, shopping, residential and office zones are clearly marked out, hence Orchard, Bishan, and Shenton Way. Here, everything is lumped into one street. The ground floors are all shops, with some larger chains like H&M, ( Cheap European clothing chain ) HMV etc take up whole buildings. From the 2nd floor up, it's either houses or offices. I saw one where above a bustling shop, a lady was busy washing her dishes.
The architecture also differs from one building to the next. Each "shophouse" has its own design and they're all lumped together, modern and traditional. Architect's dream or nightmare? But some of the archi here is really gorgeous, with grand statues towering over the entrances, or intricate carvings woven over the facade. An attention to aesthetics, not seen much in Singapore, is definitely prominent here. And the people are just as mixed up. Whites, Blackes, Indians, ( Not of the same descent as those back home. Lighter skin. ) some Chinese. Just like home, truly a cultural melting pot, because though they all look different,once they speak, they're a Londoner true and true.
Slayer would go crazy over the supermarkets here. They have an entire Marks and Spencers supermarket and also many others, like Selfridges, which sell all sell their own range of products. There seems to be a growing health trend amongs Londoners though. A lot of organic food, salads, and wholegrain bread being sold. We went to M&S to buy our dinner and had sandwiches, with egg mayo and some exotic chicken spread, all less than UK$7 for 4 of us. Ha!
But let me backtrack to Kensington Gardens. That park is HUGE! could prob hold several Bishan Parks! But what was also surprising was the no. of pple lounging ard on the grass at 1130 on a Mon morning. Don't most of them have to work?? It resembled a Sunday afternoon at Bishan park, looking at the no. of pple there! And they were all mostly walking around, or lying on the grass and busking in the sun. That was one of the coolest parts of it. You could just choose a spot in the shade and sit down. And so relaxing. Vast expanses of greenery, with a cool wind, sitting the shade of a large tree. Ah... Makes you wanna stay forever. No wonder they'd rather sit here on the grass than work.
But wonder though, how do they have so much free time? Do they work? Are they reliant on the dole? ( Unemployment benefits ) Or do they just know how to take time out, unlike us? We place such a premium on our work that it's become our identity, our badge of honour, and our only mode of survival. Here, in Kensington Gardens, you feel that the people here place the premium on leisure and enjoyment, and would rather enjoy what they have of the sun, than waste the day chained up in the office. Fellow slackers, one and all. Haha... But it does make one wonder why we have to be so busy all the time...
Ok, that's all for today ( or rather, yesterday ) Today we see Buckingham! Can't wait for that!
Extra: Check this out - Julian got mistaken for a famous Asian celebrity and was interviewed on Oxford st!
Nah, just kidding. These guys were just doing some market research thing, wanted to ask him about the store we'd just walked out of, and he was the only one of us who was willing to be interviewed. Don't think it helped much, though, cos we'd never shopped in that store before today, so I think the footage will likely be deleted. ( Sorry juls... )
Next to the 16th June
Anyway I was so jet-lagged and tired yesterday I pretty much concussed onto the bed after we got back and didn't wake properly till now, so now writing about yesterday's events.
Events from 14 June, first day in London
From my notes, I remember that we went to Oxford St. How to describe it? You either find it high in diversity, or it's the most mixed up place you've ever been in. In Singapore, shopping, residential and office zones are clearly marked out, hence Orchard, Bishan, and Shenton Way. Here, everything is lumped into one street. The ground floors are all shops, with some larger chains like H&M, ( Cheap European clothing chain ) HMV etc take up whole buildings. From the 2nd floor up, it's either houses or offices. I saw one where above a bustling shop, a lady was busy washing her dishes.
The architecture also differs from one building to the next. Each "shophouse" has its own design and they're all lumped together, modern and traditional. Architect's dream or nightmare? But some of the archi here is really gorgeous, with grand statues towering over the entrances, or intricate carvings woven over the facade. An attention to aesthetics, not seen much in Singapore, is definitely prominent here. And the people are just as mixed up. Whites, Blackes, Indians, ( Not of the same descent as those back home. Lighter skin. ) some Chinese. Just like home, truly a cultural melting pot, because though they all look different,once they speak, they're a Londoner true and true.
Slayer would go crazy over the supermarkets here. They have an entire Marks and Spencers supermarket and also many others, like Selfridges, which sell all sell their own range of products. There seems to be a growing health trend amongs Londoners though. A lot of organic food, salads, and wholegrain bread being sold. We went to M&S to buy our dinner and had sandwiches, with egg mayo and some exotic chicken spread, all less than UK$7 for 4 of us. Ha!
But let me backtrack to Kensington Gardens. That park is HUGE! could prob hold several Bishan Parks! But what was also surprising was the no. of pple lounging ard on the grass at 1130 on a Mon morning. Don't most of them have to work?? It resembled a Sunday afternoon at Bishan park, looking at the no. of pple there! And they were all mostly walking around, or lying on the grass and busking in the sun. That was one of the coolest parts of it. You could just choose a spot in the shade and sit down. And so relaxing. Vast expanses of greenery, with a cool wind, sitting the shade of a large tree. Ah... Makes you wanna stay forever. No wonder they'd rather sit here on the grass than work.
But wonder though, how do they have so much free time? Do they work? Are they reliant on the dole? ( Unemployment benefits ) Or do they just know how to take time out, unlike us? We place such a premium on our work that it's become our identity, our badge of honour, and our only mode of survival. Here, in Kensington Gardens, you feel that the people here place the premium on leisure and enjoyment, and would rather enjoy what they have of the sun, than waste the day chained up in the office. Fellow slackers, one and all. Haha... But it does make one wonder why we have to be so busy all the time...
Ok, that's all for today ( or rather, yesterday ) Today we see Buckingham! Can't wait for that!
Extra: Check this out - Julian got mistaken for a famous Asian celebrity and was interviewed on Oxford st!
Nah, just kidding. These guys were just doing some market research thing, wanted to ask him about the store we'd just walked out of, and he was the only one of us who was willing to be interviewed. Don't think it helped much, though, cos we'd never shopped in that store before today, so I think the footage will likely be deleted. ( Sorry juls... )
Next to the 16th June
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