07/07/07

So, I've been undisciplined about daily blogging. Today, however, I wanted an excuse to write the date - triple 7 - so I'm making an entry. It's the anniversary of the tube bombing - so a solemness is present. I woke up to bright sunshine and felt very uplifted. Angie yanked me out of the flat to walk on the heath. "We have to be out all today," she said. "It's too gorgeous to be in." Hampstead Heath wasn't as quiet as during the week. People were out walking their dogs, flying kites, jogging, strolling. I hear people talking and assume they're talking a foreign language. Then I recognize English words and realize my ears are still adjusting to the English cadence.

Yesterday I walked across the heath from Hampstead to Highgate. The path was quite gorgeous with an avenue of towering trees on either side. You quickly get a feeling of being in the wilderness. About halfway into the park the scenery changes and you are in open, grassy meadows. And then I came to a series of lakes and bathing ponds. People sat on benches beside the largest of the lakes and watched the ducks. Curious about Highgate I walked up the lane outside the heath. I was astonished to see rows of expensive looking homes behind imposing gates. The houses looked new but the designs were period - Edwardian or Victorian - I need some education on recognizing architectural styles!! I knew there was a famous cemetery further up the hill, but wasn't in the mood for this. Famous people like Karl Marx and George Eliot (not her real name, of course!) are buried at Highgate Cemetery. Back on the heath I meandered a bit then found a well positioned bench among a grove of massive oaks on which to sit. In front of me was an open meadow, then further away was a forest of trees of different kinds. The weather was pleasant - comfortable temperature, no threat of rain, and a breeze. A fair number of people were around - young couples were walking their dogs, old people were strolling, and others doing whatever. It was quiet, peaceful, birdsong and the wind swishing through the trees the ony noticeable sounds. The air was sweet, clean. What a treasure this park is. After a few minutes of taking in the peace I ambled on uphill and came to a less wild area where I found a cluster of tourists fussing with their cameras. I looked around and noticed the views of London's skyline. The buildings of 'The City' London's financial district, loomed on the horizon. I could see St. Paul's Cathedral, then the London Eye. It was quite a lovely view. This area is the highest part of London and the best place for views, I learned.

I spent Friday thinking about my memoir and reading my assigned books. After assaulting my mind with a few more chapters of HOUSE OF PEACE I decided to stop punishing myself. There are too many good books out there and it's a crime to waste one's time reading crap. I then started Ronnie Govender's SONG OF THE ATMAN. Ronnie Govender is well known by the Indian community in South Africa because of his many popular plays that played at theatres all over hthe country. I was pleased to find his writing a lot stronger and more enjoyable. Setting the story at a time that isn't well known to me makes the book appealing. Govender brings in a lot of the history of Indians in SA into the story and does it in a nonintrusive way. the main character is interesting and likable. One of Govender's strengths is dialogue - capturing Indian English quite accurately. However, his style of writing does have problems. For one thing he uses the omniscient POV but does it in a rather disconcerting way. I think if he stuck with telling the story entirely from Chin's POV it would be a much stronger book. The plot, though decent, moves along sluggishly and I found myself skipping pages. So far, it hasn't yet helped me with my own writing. Good books inspire me - writers like Zadie Smith and Ian McKewan. They make me think about crafting sentences and they awaken ideas. I'm going to have to read Coetzee's BOYHOOD and YOUTH, copies of which I have with me,
for inspiration.

Saturday (07/07/07) - after the morning walk on the heath Angie and I went into central London. We got off the bus at the end of the Waterloo Bridge and went down to the National Theatre where there was a performance outside the building. A group of cyclists were dancing to a piece of classical music, using their bicycles in a ballet type dance. It was quite fascinating. We then walked along the South Bank to the Old Globe where I bought tickets for the "Merchant of Venice". Tickets cost £5 each, standing only - in the style of how it was done during the time of Shakespeare. Daryl and I will see this in mid August. We then walked across the Millenium Bridge, took in the views around us, then got a bus from St. Paul's to Soho. We went into China Town, shopped at the grocery stores for Asian noodles, veggies, and spices, then lunched at a Chinese Restaurant. I had a Singapore Stirfry - yummy. We walked along Charing Cross Road, poked into a few second hand bookstores, bought a few books, then headed out to Leicester Square. We seemed to be walking through walls of people. Blue skies prevailed and we were so thrilled at the summery weather. People were friendly, smiling. Pubs were full with people spilling out, on the pavements outside, beer in hand and animated chatter. From here we went to Oxford Street in hopes of shopping, but the city bustle was getting to us. Around 5:00 we got on a bus and returned to the sanity of Belsize Park.