Wednesday 30 September 2015

London, my London (Ally Pally)

It is time to bring back one of my favourite sections on this blog. I started this regular love-letter to London as soon as this space kicked off more than eight years ago but inconsistency got the better of me over time and it has been a while since I shared one of my “discoveries” with you.

That is bound to change for the next few months. One positive outcome of having had builders and decorators in my kitchen during the summer as detailed in a previous post was that it gave me the perfect excuse to leave the house as often as possible. Not only did I leave the house but I went out on my bike and rode around Londontown (and walked, too, when the rain became too much to bear), the way I had always dreamt about. The result of these – chiefly cycle-driven – jaunts will hopefully provide an interesting insight, at least from an immigrant’s perspective, into what London is like today, in the 21st century.

After all, this is a big, expansive city of roughly eight million (and counting) inhabitants. The sheer size of it is enough to give you a headache. Driving or cycling around it will surely leave you with one. London is also a magical place. The magic is provided by a rich combination of people, history and modernity. Its parks, museums and old houses continue to be an attraction. At the same time with approximately 300 languages spoken in the British capital, its multicultural nature is coming to the fore more and more. It has been recognised as one of the main features of The Smoke that throughout its century-old history it has sucked immigrants from almost every corner of the planet. Far from remaining idle the new arrivals have usually brought with them new ideas and their own personal stories.

The series of posts to come have been written based on routes that I have either researched and followed because someone else came up with them before, or created myself. These routes are random, thought up by interest more than convenience. Instead of trying to get from A to B quicker, I chose to get to know better the city in which I have lived for close to twenty years.

One peculiarity I came across when cycling around London was how flat a lot of the city is. From east to west, north to south there is not a lot of elevation. There are hills, of course, some of them quite steep, but on the whole, it felt as if I were cycling through a plateau most of the time.  However, when an incline appeared, it made my journey difficult. Which is what happened at beginning of one of my rides in Alexandra Palace (or Ally Pally, as most people call it) in Haringey.

Photo taken from bbc.co.uk

This Victorian-era building towers over north London like a sentinel watching over its troops. A short puff up its mighty hilly road will leave you breathless and in the case of yours truly, wheeling my bike for only the second time in my life (the first one was in Havana when I was in my early 20s. My only excuse then, looking back, is that the bike in question was a Russian fixie with a back-pedal brake, low gear and high sprocket; worst combination ever to brave a hill). Yet, the prize of reaching the top is well worth it. What a view! From where I stood I had north London in front of me, part of northwest London to my left and northeast and east London to my right. The high-rises of Edmonton and its controversial incinerator almost straight ahead seemed to tickle the belly of the grey, imposing sky. To my left lay the - mostly - flatlands of Barnet and Finchley where I would be headed later on. To my right modern architecture was represented by the Shard and the Walkie-Talkie in the distance.

Two fires have not been able to destroy Ally Pally and what it means to Londoners and non-Londoners alike. On the day I went visitors milled about and all the various amenities on offer were choc-a-bloc with punters. There was the Boating Lake for starters, a snip at £4.95 per adult for a chance to go rowing. Perhaps the most famous activity Alexandra Palace is known for is the all-year-round ice rink where you can even be coached by professional ice-skaters for as little as a tenner for fifteen minutes. For the more adventurous there is always the skate park where you can bring your own skateboard and indulge in all sorts of stunts on the ramps and half-pipes. Another event that takes place at Ally Pally is the fireworks display on Guy Fawkes’ night every 5th of November. Fancy of a bit of history? Here's a curious fact for you: the world's first regular television service was launched from this jewel of north London by the BBC eighty years ago.

If you are in town, Alexandra Palace is a must-visit tourist attraction, perhaps a bit off the beaten path but worth the effort, even if like me you have to cycle to it. After getting some relief coming down the same mighty hill I had puffed my way up moments before, I turned left onto Alexandra Park Road and carried on northwest-bound. The next stage of my bike ride would take me to a very iconic crossing…

© 2015

Next Post: “Saturday Evenings: Stay In, Sit Up and Switch On”, to be published on Saturday 3rd October at 6pm (GMT)

29 comments:

  1. Hi ACIL - fascinating post .. and I shall enjoy these. I've only ever seen Ally Pally via the railway travelling north. The mix of peoples we have and they are reflected in our English peoples as we've intermarried over the centuries. The investigations into the burial grounds uncovered during the Cross Rail development - shows how varied the peoples were in the 1600s. African Roman remains have been found in York ... so your 300 languages are quite easy to believe. Your Russian bike - reminded me of my Polish sewing machine bartered to an organisation I worked for in the 70s ... I can see it and that era so vividly. Cheers ... lovely to read. Hilary

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  2. Fun! I've never been to Ally Pally but thanks for the tip. 8 years? We've been blog buddies for a long time. I'm glad you've brought this feature back as I've missed it. I like hearing about good sites off the beaten path.

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  3. This is such a fascinating post! Thank you so much for sharing. :)

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  4. Es bueno salir a dar paseos por lugares bonitos y de interés, la bicicleta es una forma de mantenerse en forma y disfrutar del viento que uno va recibiendo.
    Un abrazo.

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  5. One can see and enjoy so much more of an area by walking or biking, rather than isolating ourselves within a car or train and simply moving through an area, rather than experiencing it.

    Thanks for taking us along with you.

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  6. I like the look of this building. Will you be posting interior pictures?

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    1. That photo was taken from the BBC website. I took some myself but since I'm not a good photographer I chose not to upload them. Sorry.

      greetings from London.

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  7. You sure get to know things and see more with walking. Biking you have to watch out for cars, at least around here lol London sure does have so much to see by the sounds of it.

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  8. Metropolitan areas are too noisy and too crowded for me to live within comfortably, but I do like to visit and, when practical and possible, to reside for a few months to get a sense of the people and the places. So, I will use your recommendations as a guidebook, CiL, should the opportunity arise for me to return to London for an extended stay.

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  9. Year round ice skating. Very cool.
    My son would definitely be down with the skate park.
    I love finding new places, and refinding old ones.

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  10. How fascinating. I love this insider's view. Thank you so much - looking forward to many, many more. My mother was English, but never returned after she came to Oz, and I have never been either.

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  11. Brilliant. What a great read... and more to come. It was interesting to read what Ally Pally is like these days. When I was there last (don't ask) I don't recall seeing a lot of those 'amusements'. I do remember looking round the television area and learning about the start of that great invention. Looking forward to reading more.

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  12. I found this utterly fascinating, CiL...especially as I will shortly be staying in London for ten days or so while my husband has his heart surgery in the Royal Brompton.
    It will probably sound strange, but in spite of living only 40 minutes or so from "The Smoke", I have only ever visited once before in my life!
    I must take some time out to see the landmarks etc..
    Thank you so much for this wonderfully inspiring post...how much there is to discover this close to home! :)

    Have a great day! :))

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    1. I have a story about Brompton, or more specifically, Old Brompton Road which I will tell you all about it soon. :-)

      Greetings from London.

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    2. Many thanks, CiL...that will be really great!

      Have a fabulous weekend.:))

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  13. I was actually in London for the first time in my life a few weeks ago.. It sounds exciting to visit such a place.. especially since it's off the beaten tracks.. now added to my bucket list of things to do in London.

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  14. Eight million? Wowzer! I visited London once upon a time in the 1980s and I too thought it quite diverse which was not at all what I expected. It was a wonderful city to visit and sounds like it's great to live in too.

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  15. I love the whole idea of a love letter to London. Love your vibrant photos, as well!

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  16. I remember my mother talking about Ally Pally with great affection. I suspect it was the scene of some of her misspent youth.

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  17. I never been to London. Maybe it is time soon to do that.

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  18. Loved your post and wish I could visit London too...maybe some day soon.

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  19. Thank you all for your comments.

    One reason why I went back to this section is that with the advent of Airbnb and cheap flights, one can come to London and stay in inexpensive places. London is the dearest city in Europe (overtaking Paris in the process) but it needn't cost that much to spend a few days or even weeks here. Ally Pally, for instance, has Wood Green to the northeast (cheap area to stay), Muswell Hill to the northwest (leafy with plenty of trendy cafes and shops) and Crouch End (middle-class, alternative) to the south, going towards Camden. Alexandra Palace is also on the overground, so literally ten to fifteen minutes away from the city centre. You're still allowed to carry bikes on trains in London, but not on the underground. The nearest tube station is Bounds Green and that's on the very reliable Piccadilly Line. The posts that will follow will have a few tips for the budget-conscious visitor.

    Greetings from London.

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  20. i love london - last time i was there last summer i spent the afternoon sketching on portobello road - did you ever go to yotam ottolenghi's restaurant in soho - would love to visit - have a cooking book by him and his dishes are just taste explosions - he's a londoner by choice as well

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    1. I did Portobello on my bike, too! :-) That's a coincidence. That post is coming up soon. Thanks.

      Greetings from London.

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  21. Very cool post. I think it's a great idea to showcase your city from a resident's point of view as opposed to a tourist's point of view. Looking forward to reading more about London from a resident's point of view.

    Father Nature's Corner

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  22. London is just too big for me, i feel exhausted every time I visit. One of the many advantages of Edinburgh is that it's small..... yet still full of culture and natural attractions.

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  23. This is an excellent piece, very informative and descriptive. Thanks for sharing.

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  24. I love london-- have not been back for some time now but hope to go soon. And I love your old bike! K.

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  25. sounds fun cycling around and exploring new areas

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