Explore.: I Heart London

Me: Ookay, I think this is London Bridge.
Ky: What? You mean, the London Bridge ?! Really ?
Me: Er...yeah. Kinda a letdown, innit ?
Ky: I thought it'll be something more than...this !

Fergie, from the Black Eyed Peas, has misled half the world into thinking London Bridge looks like this; I really hope she didn't actually think that Tower Bridge is London Bridge when she filmed her "London Bridge" video.

It is rather disappointing to see this totally plain bridge being the centre piece of the "London Bridge is Falling Down" game I used to play when I was younger. At least I now understand why there exists such a nursery rhyme: This poor architecture has had endured tornados, fires, and collapses throughout its 2,000 year history. The one that's currently standing, ladies and gentlemen, is version 6.0.Random Fact #1: American entrepreneur Robert McCullough paid a whopping USD$2.46 million to disassemble, ship [to the States] and reassemble Old London Bridge in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. One popular rumour says that when McCullough made the purchase, he thought he was buying the more impressive Tower Bridge.

Random Fact #2: English drive on the left side of the road, which is also the correct side (and to this, I agree). There exists one road in London where Londoners drive on the wrong side of the road - that is the right side.

On a side note, had it not been the "LOOK RIGHT" and "LOOK LEFT" cautions on the ground, I probably would've been killed by now. Honestly, who came up with the bloody idea to drive on the right side of the road?

Random Fact #3: Walking around London, one will be curious to know why the buildings don't look old, considering the fact that England has a loooong history. All buildings in London have been destroyed and rebuilt at least once - due to the Great Fire of London; most are version 3.0 though.

Random Fact #4: Streets in London are named after the primary business of the shops lining the streets. For example:Pudding Lane :
Bakeries - Although, according to chronicler John Stow, it's named after "puddings" (medieval word for entrails and organs) falling from carts coming down the Lane from butchers - headed for the dumping site that is the River Thames

Wellington Street :
Boot makers and shoemakers
Threadneedle Street :
Originally named Gropecunt Lane. No explanation needed here.
I have never appreciated the English language as much as I had this weekend. It's refreshing to understand people and have them understand me in return. The weather was warm; wet, on occasion, but this is after all, England. Try living in Malaysia where I endure what I call "Sampan Days" every day of summer - flash floods happen when there's rain in my city - I'll take the random torrential downpour of England any day.

I've never felt more reluctant to return to Prague.