Abandoned London

Discussion in 'Miscellaneous' started by Hermiod, Jan 6, 2009.

  1. Hermiod

    Hermiod Admiral Admiral

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    Alright, but you'll have to wait until next Christmas Day as it's usually other people slowing me down that's the problem. :p
     
  2. Jadzia

    Jadzia on holiday Premium Member

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    I've never been to london so I don't know what it normally feels like, bustle-wise. But from those photos, the city looks a real dump, and I now feel no inclination to visit :lol: So thanks for the link Hermy, you have saved me a trip! :D

    The value of photos like these is obviously in encyclopedias.
     
  3. Hermiod

    Hermiod Admiral Admiral

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    HEY! :mad:
     
  4. WillsBabe

    WillsBabe Vice Admiral Admiral

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    These are really great. I've always wanted to do something like this. The nearest I get to anything like this is the beach deserted when we visit on Christmas day sometimes. Nothing compared to this, though.
     
  5. Count Zero

    Count Zero No nation but procrastination Moderator

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    Looks as deserted as Hanover on a Sunday morning. Not as ugly, though. :lol:

    Beautiful pictures and it's amazing that there are only a handful of people to be seen on the pics. Then again, on holidays areas largely devoted to shopping are usually deserted. I used to walk through Munich on Friday nights, and it was equally spooky as the second half of the walk led through an area occupied by banks, public buildings and shops that was always brightly lit. But I never saw anyone.
     
  6. Hermiod

    Hermiod Admiral Admiral

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    ^The one and only time I've worked on Christmas Eve, I was told I could go at lunchtime so I went for a long walk - the place was just as deserted.
     
  7. Jadzia

    Jadzia on holiday Premium Member

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    In fairness I don't think much to any city. :) It's not that I'm anti-london, but tarmac and concrete and railings as far as the eye can see just doesn't turn me on. :)
     
  8. Hermiod

    Hermiod Admiral Admiral

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    No hard feelings, but on behalf of all Londoners I'm sending An Officer after you. :evil:
     
  9. TheBrew

    TheBrew Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Change... Change...
     
  10. An Officer

    An Officer Vice Admiral Admiral

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    My ears were ringing, now I know it's because Jadzia was spouting sacrilege! :mad:

    Spend one weekend here, then see if you still say the same. That's like saying you don't think you want chocolate before you've tried it...

    And I can't believe it's a British person saying this! Where is your National pride!!? :D

    London is just like a woman, you have to get to know her, and she's more beautiful at night. :D
     
  11. hellsgate

    hellsgate Commodore

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    Try any city, (Vancouver) for one on a stat holiday. All you need is the music from "The Good, The Bad & The Ugly" & some tumbleweed.
     
  12. propita

    propita Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    My parents and I visited London at Christmastime in 1986 and 1987. The place was EMPTY!

    When we were at Westminster and needing a cab, I looked BLOCKS down the empty street to see a solitary cab coming our way. He was as happy to see us as we were to see him.

    I can't imagine New York quite that empty. It was actually kinda cool--like having the city to yourself.
     
  13. An Officer

    An Officer Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Sundays used to be much much quieter only 10 or so years ago. Now Sunday is just like Saturday... amazing how habits can change in so short a time.
     
  14. Holdfast

    Holdfast Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    It's worth visiting, seeing the sights, doing some shopping, etc, etc. I grew up about 30 minutes by train from it, so visited it a fair bit.

    I wouldn't want to live there though. I'm not a big city person at all.

    I like having it about an hour away, mind you, which is the time it takes me to get there now. Near enough to visit if I want anything I can't find elsewhere, or if I'm visiting somewhere special there.


    The pics are kind of weird. :lol:
     
  15. DeafPoet

    DeafPoet Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Having never been to London I'm sure some of the coolness of this is lost on me. That being said, definitely a nice bunch of photos. Someone should do one of these in Toronto.
     
  16. nevermore

    nevermore Admiral Admiral

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    Ok, totally off topic, but seriously? You live in England and you've never been to London? That's like living in New York state and never having been to New York. In fact, it's worse as England is 11,000 square km smaller than NY State. The longest possible drive in the country is like 7 hours and you've never bothered to visit one of the most significant cultural sites on the planet? Even for a day?

    This boggles. Am I looking at this entirely wrong? Is this common over there? :wtf:

    On topic: cool pictures. The only time my city gets that quiet is after a blizzard or just before a hurricane; there were tons of people out on xmas day, though I can't speak for anything approaching "early morning"...
     
  17. Zulu Romeo

    Zulu Romeo World Famous Starship Captain Admiral

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    London is an interesting place. I spent the first 5 years of my life there and I hated it thoroughly. Last time I was there was just over a year ago, and I spent most of the time in the city centre, and the first time I hit the streets having left the train station, I actually had to stop for a minute and take in the whole scene of a jungle of people in a hurry. Now, I do consider myself a Big City Person™, but this was way too much for my senses to take in.

    Now I have a new definition of the word "busy": Kings Cross Station on a Friday night. :bolian:

    Seeing it first thing in the daytime completely empty is quite the experience - it's a completely different beast to the night time. The pictures are very sobering, Herm. :)
     
  18. Holdfast

    Holdfast Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    In the UK, our perception of scale is TOTALLY different to the USA.

    For you guys, a one hour drive to the shops would be nothing. For us, it's particular effort to go to a big town or city.

    Same applies to visiting somewhere. London is only an hour away from me, but I only go there when I really need something I can't get closer, and I'd make the most of it, combining it with other errands I can't do locally. Another example: I had to go to a particular shop 45 minutes away from me to exchange an item today. I bought it from the shop while I was in that city for other reasons. The shop doesn't have a local branch so I had to drive there again today, just to exchange it, and it annoyed me that I couldn't just drive 10-15 minutes into my local city centre to swap it. Another example - my current commute to work is about 40-50 minutes, depending on traffic and it really bugs me that I have to do that compared to the 20 minute journey I used to do.

    But yeah, visiting London a few times is worth it, as I posted earlier. But I'm not surprised at Jadzia's post or attitude. It's not uncommon at all.
     
  19. RJDiogenes

    RJDiogenes Idealistic Cynic and Canon Champion Premium Member

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    It really was. :rommie:

    I was pretty surprised, too. That was the first (and only) time I've wandered around NYC at the crack of dawn. Of course, thirty minutes before that, we were stuck in at traffic jam on a street of prostitutes that was as crowded as a shopping mall at Christmastime-- but that's a story for another day. :D

    Wash your windshield... wash your windshield....
     
  20. Jadzia

    Jadzia on holiday Premium Member

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    It's not uncommon. My mum for example, has only been to london once for a day trip when she was in her early 30s. My grandparents never went. My dad has never been inside the M25 (london's outer ring road), so he's never been either.

    Most people seem to stick to their home town, and when they do venture out it's usually to their nearest city, and london isn't my nearest city.

    I don't really care to visit. I've never had a reason to visit. So I've never visited :)