There is not enough of London I can get in a few days. but with the pictures and the memorable walks, this trip will go down as truly enjoyable. there was hardly anything I spoke to anyone other than the waiters who served me and the occasional taxi drivers. I have been to London before but this time it was different. I felt I smelt the streets and soaked in as much as I could.
My trip to London had three main goals. a) Walk leisurely and take pictures of the city. b) Explore the some of the vintage stores c) Visit the British Museum.
I took a room at the Royal Automobile Club (RAC) at the Pall Mall, which provided the ideal location as well as the setting to explore the city I was interested in. The RAC as it is locally known has its own charm and heritage. The striking point is the car on display that they change every few weeks. My treat was a Ferrari Testa Rossa from 1956. The Pall Mall has a series of the so called gentleman’s clubs, which had its cachet in the 20th century, that has allegedly been eroded, just like everywhere else, other than perhaps the colonies that still cherish the after taste.
Just around the corner in St James, there is a series of stores that have a distinguished past. It must be said, that was a time when, when getting a royal commission was a branding ticket. They would do anything to get that honor, which they can then display. The first shop that struck my eye was Dunhill tobacco. Well when I stepped in, sadly with the tide of times, Dunhill had already sold its classic pipe tobacco business and brand to Perterson. All that remains are some expensive accessories and a cigar humidor. The row of shops were the wine merchants and several other stores – a mix of new restaurants and old, that have been there for centuries. Across the street was Chutney Mary, where I had a nice dinner a few days later. Then there is JJ Fox tobacco. I really liked this store and its friendly staff. Winston Churchill was a customer of theirs and the basement has got a museum in his honor which is fascinating. It has copies of ledgers that recorded his orders and also a box of Romeo and Julieta that has a backstory. Apparently this box was dropped while to was delivered to Churchill. While it soon was replaced – the rejected one made its way back to this showcase where it has stayed ever since.
Once I hit Jermyn street, with Davidoff at the corner, there are shops that I woud say in a nutshell the gentlemen’s dream. There is Bates the famed hat store, Taylors barbers and the whos who of shirt makers. Most of them still makes bespoke shirts although many have taken on the ready made clientele – a change to suit the times. There are many stores in the area – another noteworthy is the New and Lingwood that takes pride as the school uniform suppliers to Eton. You can shell out an hideous amount in any of these stores. But more importantly, I can’t help but marveling. There is nothing but respect for craftsmanship, tradition, elegance, and style that is in short supply. This is opposite to the Chinese onslaught that has been steamrolling our lives for the last several decades. A few meters away is Fortnum and Mason famous for their tea and biscuits. I stopped one of the days for afternoon tea. It was a nice ambience to gorge on chicken sandwiches and tea. Once I hit the alleys towards the Mall, there are many auction houses, art galleries and some specialty rare book stores tucked away. Browsing the rare arts books was a delight. I can never be sure what delights more – owning and collecting or just the sheer joy of holding it. On the other side towards Piccaddily there was the multi-storey Waterstones and tinier Hatchards, which has been there since 1797. When I have to think that far – it takes a bit to get the depth in perspective. Going the alleys to the other side, I reach Regent’s park with its marvelous architecture and lines of stores. There are many ways to go – to walk through all the streets all the way to Mayfair, Oxford street, Strand and Bond Street. Taking a detour in Denmark street to see some of the music stores. I particularly looked out for Saville Row, that can be easily missed. It is still alive and kicking with bespoke tailors. I can see the sartorial expertise in action in the basements which have windows. They give a peek into the mystical world behind the charm and pride of getting a suit from the Saville Row. It is a benchmark for many. If you are getting your suits made at the Saville Row, you have made it.
There were other excursions – There were a few other places of note – Edgware Road was an interesting area to get a pulse on some of the ethnic outposts and get some good middle-eastern cheap eats. Hanging out for a few hours – gave a different feel – the melting pot London is. In the aroma of Hookah bars and rounds of mint tea, long conversations – one can easily forget where I was a few hours back. With a few days, there is always a conflict on how much time to spend at a particular place.
Where I spent a good deal of time was in the Portrait gallery at Trafalgar square and then almost half a day at the British Museum. The British museum has its set of artefacts – many of which troubled me how they brutally they were uprooted and brought in here. There is of course the controvery on the Elgin Marbles. In fact there are so many artefacts, even brought from India, it is no wonder, the word “British” draws aversion at so many levels. At the same time, what has stayed back is so integral to who I am, that it becomes a complex love-hate dance. In contrast, the Tate Modern on the other side of the river is a place worth enjoying, without drawing much internal tension. A bit drawn away from the fractured stuffiness of the Pall Mall, this is a breath of fresh air. I have been to the Tate Modern but this time around it was less crowded and the exhibits were not overwhelming. The views of London from the top are stunning. From the world of Dickens to Boris Johnson, from the nerve center of the empire to a little island trying to finds its identify following Brexit, I wonder where the city is headed. I walked down the Southbank and all these developments of art galleries and trendy stores are the news accents to the city. I remember several years ago, walking in that area that was filled with construction rubble. Now, it was a nice pleasant walk watching kids picnicking and playing and even the workers in the nearby offices are taking a break and enjoying the rare London autumn weather.