Mind the Gap

This sign, which I didn’t get a picture of unfortunately, was hanging above the notorious gap between the tube car and the platform on one of the tube station mock-ups. 

In regular news though, I’ve figured out what my semester-ending papers will be for my three courses.  For Communications, I’m going to assess Ricky Gervais’s (a British comedian) website to determine how effective it is in conveying his message and promoting him and all that.  For Political Science, I’m writing a paper on the Labour party in Britain (their equivalent of the Democratic party in the U.S.).  I took a course on campus last fall from a British professor who happened to be the writer of a biography on Blair (that he also assigned for class), so I’ve got a pretty good understanding of the British political system and New Labour.  For the History course on the docklands of London, I’m going to do a paper on the Royal Naval Yards at Deptford and Woolwich (now privatized ventures).  As I hope I’ve conveyed to you already, I’m a military history junky and this makes the docklands course that much interesting and compelling for me.  I have also been asked by the UConn in London Director to draft a short article for the term-ending newsletter on sports (she didn’t specify, so I’m going to write mine on cricket or snooker or futbol…I haven’t decided yet).

Today was eventful to say the least.  I wanted to go to the Transport for London museum (TFL Museum) to see the history of public transportation in London.  I went there first thing before the crowds built-up, but as I was paying for my ticket, UConn in London Director Dr. Jill Fenton called me to tell me about this amazing opportunity.  As you may or may not know, Egypt’s autocratic leader stepped-down yesterday, ushering in a new era of Democracy (hopefully) in the Middle East’s most populous country.  Today in Trafalgar Square Amnesty International held a rally to celebrate Egypt’s “liberation” and stand in solidarity for nations such as Tunisia and Algeria who are still actively fighting on against their respective oppressive governments.  I’ve never been in a big rally, especially one so historical and momentous like this.  It was amazing and I’m very thankful that Jill brought it to my attention because otherwise I would have gone right into the TFL Museum without a second thought.  

This is the only time you'll ever get anything for free in Trafalgar Square

Fauve really got into the rally, she made this sign in Jill's office in about 5 minutes (skill)

Amnesty International rented this big screen to beam-in images from Cairo

This was as people were assembling

Egyptian National's standing in solidarity (they didn't move for 2 hours from this position)

After the rally in Trafalgar Square, I ended up at the Churchill War Rooms under Her Majesty’s Treasury.  I’ve been meaning to go, but never sure exactly how to get back there.  I saw a sign for it and went in (thinking now or never).  It was great.  The underground bunker from WWII was restored to its WWII state, complete with wax figures of Churchill and his War Cabinet.  The bunker was very expansive, I’ll let these pictures (that I’m not even sure I was allowed to take…but none of the staff stopped me so I guess it’s okay) that I took do the talking for me:

Door to Churchill's Office

Main hallway, original wooden lockers for the marine guards...

...still a hallway

Over the door knob it read "engaged" which made people think it was the only working toilet in the war rooms, reserved for PM Churchill.  Of course, Churchill was too cheap even for that.  This room was actually a secure radio room

This is really self-explanatory...I mean there's no funny story to tell here, just the door to Churchill's typist

Chruchill's chief of staff lives (well lived...he's dead now) here

"keep shut" didn't mean anything then and it sure doesn't mean anything now

I finally made it to the TFL Museum, I finally found my blitz exhibit and saw what the first tube train looked like and the evolution of the double-decker bus.  It was thrilling, here are some pictures from that too:

A replica of the first horse cab in London

This thing somehow was also pulled by horses over a track; 2 horses pulled 60 people and 2 conductors over a 5 mile stretch...I still am having difficulty comprehending that (must have been those Budweiser Clydesdales...)

Old 1930's-era tube car, complete with a really foul smell that made me rush right through it

The side of a wooden train car from the early 20th century that ran the old Metropolitan Line (don't worry that doesn't mean anything special to me either...)

Engine to one of TFL's first overground carriages...I know it's blurry, thanks

Original sign behind glass that was in front of a deep-level tube station

1940's-era double-decker complete with original war propaganda ad.

front of said old double decker, the docent said it could go from 0 to 20 in 4 seconds...and that's supposed to be fast?

mock-up of current double-decker bus..

This train ran the Hammersmith & City Line back after dubba dubba two

inside of that train... I swear these people spray the inside with a "foul old train car scent" every morning.....

Over all the day was great, after the TFL Museum I went to a bookstore Dr. Fenton told me about and bought a copy of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.  I don’t read enough fiction, and this Jules Verne classic is the best way I can think of to accomplish that.  I’ll leave you with two quotes, one I remember from 10^th grade English that my teacher wrote on the board every class and the other is one that I just found doing research for the docklands course:

“If you get to a fork in the road, take it!”

            ~ Yogi Berra

“My greatest happiness is to serve my gracious King and Country and I am envious only of glory; for if it be a sin to covet glory I am the most offending soul alive.”

            ~ Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson

What’s great about quotes is that you can make of them what you want, so I’ll keep my thoughts to myself for once and let you decide.

Stay Tuned…