I have spent the last week in London, the first time in 14 years and only the second time since my seven week experience after my junior year in college. I was here for the very first Civil-Military Relations Network workshop (or any other endeavor of our new network/grant), as Phil Lagassé is leading our Command research agenda. The workshop featured historians and political scientists, so we can check our inter-disciplinary convo item on our goals/aspirations immediately. The first day featured the historians, and so I learned much about the Romans and medieval military stuff. The second day mostly featured the political scientists. It was a great start for our seven year tour exploring strange old worlds and boldly going where we have sometimes gone before.
And, yes, it was also an excuse for me to enjoy London. Much has changed since I last was here and much has not. I had previously ranked London behind DC for my fave capital since everything on and near the Mall is quite spectacular, including the Smithsonian, the various war memorials, and such. But London's Whitehall area is pretty spectacular and hasn't been ruined by the awful pols who have led this place since Brexit.
One key element was the timing--not so much the fourth of July of it--always interesting to be outside of the US on that date, including #250--but that the big huge Pride day was Saturday. So, the city had pride flags all over the place, and, yes, many of them included stripes and such for Trans People despite the increased (since 2012) of Harry Potter merch and such. JK Rowling may have greatly influenced the horrific transphobia of the UK, but she didn't make a dent on Saturday or in the week leading up to it. I was staying near Trafalgar Square, which was the focal point of the celebration although there were parks all over the place with events. It was maybe harder to find a shop or pub without a pride decoration than with one... but maybe that is my confirmation bias speaking.
The city was packed before the event and then more so on the day. Luckily, I was here in between heat waves. I visited some places I had been before and some that were new to me. I mostly walked since I was so close to many things, and I had an old Oyster card that I could use for a few tube rides. I also took a boat ride for my very first time (I had a very strict budget way back in 1987).
So, some highlights and then some observations:
- I spent a lot of time near Covent Garden. I had some excellent tapas in the garden itself and shopped some of the markets. I didn't stay long to watch the buskers, but they were busy and entertaining.
- I walked through Westminster Abbey, which I hadn't done since 1987 (long lines, I think in my two previous 2000s visits). Always impressive, so much history there, including some recent--markers if not graves? for Sir Laurence Olivier and John Gielguld, for example.
- On Saturday, I escaped the crowds by going to the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, my first time that far east of London. Some amazing history and science of which I knew not previously. The National Maritime Museum is next door, and that, too, was fascinating.
- I then took a boat to go back, stopping off at the Globe Theatre stop. I walked from there to the Borough Yards/Market to check that out. The going was challenging as the walk to and the area itself were crowded. I passed by at least four groups of folks wearing silly stuff and dancing and singing (see below). I then checked out the Tate Modern, as I prefer modern art. Some installations were simply breathtaking.
- On Sunday, I went to the Imperial War Museum, which I must have done before but don't remember so clearly. The WWI stuff was fantastic--very informative and very engaging. There was an entire floor dedicated to the Holocaust, with an emphasis on the micro and the macro. They did an excellent job of connecting individuals to the horror but also depicting the scale of the horror. Going through that at a time of rising anti-semitism around the world (thanks, Bibi) and Nazis marching on the fourth of July, everything here resonated even more than usual.
- I then grabbed lunch and went to The Truth, a comedy about ... infidelity. It was hilarious as the writing was terrific and so were the performances. In my first trip to London, long ago, I went to farces as the Brits do them so well. Last time, I saw Avenue Q, which was wonderfully profane and uproarious. They didn't have the usual farces, and there were no Hamilton tickets available around the 4th, but I am more than happy with what I chose. Simply an incredibly funny show, with four actors doing amazing work. I highly recommend.
Now onto some observations:
- I don't think I have seen more student groups on weekends going to museums. And these students came from near and far.
- The food scene is amazing. I ate Indonesian, Malaysian, India, Burmese, and pub. One of my iron rules of travel is if there is decently rated Indonesian food, I get it since I can't get it at home. Indeed, the "can't get it at home" explains my restaurant choices and my choices of which dishes most of the time. The pub food was pretty terrific, so even English food was quite good. I specialized in meat pies, and that worked out well for me.
- The ice cream scene is even more amazing. I simply don't remember there being so much excellent ice cream here. Maybe it was the heat or maybe an invasion of gelato stores?
- I really don't remember the pub scene being this well attended in previous visits. Each evening, the streets were packed with people outside of pubs. My previous visits were roughly the same time of year, so I can't explain it via weather.
- Speaking of booze, the garden pub/bar scene rivaled Berlin's. The walk along the southern side of the Thames had heaps of both permanent and temporary booze gardens, with numerous screens set up so folks could watch Wilmbedon and the World Cup.
- I had a chance to have a cup of coffee with a friend from summer camp. My camp imported British and Israeli folks to be counselors, so I have a few folks I know in the UK. It was great to Joe and learn what he was upto over the past, gulp, 40 years. This reminds me that this summer is the 40th anniversary of my last summer at camp and, yes, the 50th anniversary of my first as I went from 1976 (shortly after the bicentennial celebrations) to 1986. As longtime readings of this blog may remember, that place left a huge dent on me. I tried to go back this summer, but that didn't work out. Anyhow, great to see Joe and hear about the other British folks and how they experienced that place.
I kept marveling at how lucky I am. My career has given me so many opportunities to travel, to learn so much about the history and food of all these places, to meet great people, and just see stuff. As I head into the final stretch of my career--six years left--I will make sure I appreciate it all. There were plenty of bumps along the way, and except for the first post-grad school stop, none of the places I worked were in my imagination long ago. Each step did lead to the next, but not in any way I could have predicted. I started out with an interest in international conflict, which led me away and then to civil-military relations. And that move has been so very fruitful for me--leading to yet more travel. The current project may produce one or two more bursts of fieldwork, but is nearly complete. So, I am spending the summer writing a grant for the next project while trying to complete the current one. Yes, the next one involves much travel again. As I always say, better to be lucky than good :) That the divvying up of the fieldwork with an expert on Westminster countries has meant fewer trips to London than I would like is, well, the right thing to do. Glad I could sneak in this trip as part of a different project---again, I am very lucky.
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| Aforementioned dancer |
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I got the hat as United |
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| Battle of Britain monument |
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| Covent Garden |
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| Standing astride the Prime Meridian |
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The Royal Astronomer used to live in |
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