Wednesday 19 March 2014

Urban Diary

It is early in the morning and yet, the sky is already a bright, azure blue. Today I am attending a training session in town and therefore I have to catch an early train. I amble up the short distance from my house to the station. On the way there a brisk and chilly breeze reminds me that I was wise to don my scarf, gloves and flat cap today.

The road I am on will lead me to the market and through it to the overground station. Along the way I pause every now and then to contemplate my local “landmarks”.

First it is the now vacant space where the Indian takeaway used to be until a year ago. They cooked good, proper Asian grub here and delivered the food to your door with a smile on their faces. But the prices were not competitive enough and the business went bust. I can see now that the place where the takeaway stood is being done up. Another eatery, perhaps? Next up is the old hairdresser’s and straight after that, the new barber shop. The former caters mainly to seniors and the latter is always full of young men. The hairdresser’s, long-established in the area, hints at longevity and tradition whilst the barber shop points at the future: big screen television broadcasting the Premier League.

On my right now is the Greek Orthodox Church. This magnificent, red-brick building takes more than half a block. I remember going in once when my mother visited me for the first time and marvelling at the richly decorated interiors.

I reach the train station. I still recall the times when this used to be the start of my journey as a commuter. Before the new ticket barrier was installed there was a guy from the local newsagents with a small stall selling newspapers. Branching out, you could say he was doing. Do not bother to walk the long(er) distance to the shop, I’ll bring newspapers and magazines to you. The vendor and his stand might be gone but I still see the guy who hands out free copies of The Watchtower outside the station. There was a time during my commuting days when there used to be him, another bloke distributing the Socialist Workers’Party newspaper and, inside the station, our newsagent friend flogging copies of The Daily Mail. Three publications advertising the end of days. For the Jehovah’s Witnesses behind The Watchtower, it was the apocalypse, for the burghers of the SWP it was the demise of capitalism (just don’t mention Stalin, please) and for the Daily Hate the collapse of British (English, in reality) culture and traditions.

My train arrives within minutes. I look up before entering the carriage. The sky is still a bright, azure blue. Spring  is here.


© 2014

Photo taken from the Guoman Hotels website

Next Post: “Sunday Mornings: Coffee, Reflections and Music”, to be published on Sunday 23rd March at 10am (GMT)

19 comments:

  1. And so time moves on and little stays the same. I am so thrilled and tickled pink that spring is here. Finally. Seems like it took a long time a coming. Happy Spring CIL!

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  2. This a wonderfully vivid description of your neighborhood.

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  3. Spring has sprung, except not here, stupid snow is still coming at my show, blah

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  4. A finely-tuned piece, CiL, and it was enjoyable as well as interesting to get a glimpse of your neighborhood through your eyes.

    Had you been walking down my street, it would have been in three inches of fresh, heavy, wet snow fallen overnight. Such is the month of March most years in this neck of the woods.

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  5. And what a glorious Spring it looks to be. And I love hearing that someone else navigates by landmarks - including ones that are not there any longer.

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  6. The first day of spring heralds gusty cold winds and thankfully no rain. I enjoyed reading about your journey to the train station. Things do change and it's good to remember what was there before.

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  7. Ah - a glorious description of spring!

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  8. Isn't it fabulous to know spring is finally here?
    Yet, the wind is icy today.
    It was so good to join you on your journey to the train station...I feel I know your neighbourhood now!
    Truly interesting stuff...:)

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  9. Many thanks for your kind comments. The temperature turned a bit colder today but I still managed to enjoy my bike ride.

    Greetings from London.

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  10. nice...i enjoy riding the train...and going to market...its nice and warmer here today...enjoying the bit of sun...we have snow coming on tuesday though...geez...cant we just stay in spring...smiles...

    hope training went well...

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  11. thanks for taking us with you on that little walk through your neighborhood to the train station... and spring is here as well...we had 26 C today... beautiful..

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  12. It was nice taking the walk to the train station with you:)

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  13. Aha! Spring is there! But so many businesses departed. What happens to the people that run these places? Always a big sad problem. Thanks for your thoughtful picture of your route. K.

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  14. I felt as though I were right along with you for the walk with your descriptive words... Sad to see change in the world but such is life...

    Happy Spring...

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  15. Sometimes passing by places that used to be landmarks, I try to rememeber exactly what they were like. I wish I'd recorded them now in some way, even with just a photo.

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  16. I love your header pic. I enjoyed your walk to the station very much too.

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  17. Feliz Primavera con ella llegan las alegrìas y los hermosos pàjaros y flores ,gracias por su paseo de barrio y su comentario,abrazos grandes

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  18. I love daffodils - the one type of bulb that the animals haven't eaten this winter! Happy Spring to you!

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  19. What a wonderful post.

    You are such a gifted writer, whatever direction the words take you. And I always love to see your newest header too!

    Happy Spring! G

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