A postcard from London in 2021

A handful of cities across the world have stood the test of time. London is one of them. The swarming cities in parts of Asia and dare I say, the 'Global South', seem to morph into new beings at the blink of an eye. London, however, displays an underlying constancy even as subtle changes creep up every few months.

In the autumn of 2021, some things had decidedly changed. Yet in many places it seemed as if time had stood still, at least for now. I share below a set of photos that show both sides of the city. Some venues are easily recognisable iconic locations. Other places are more personal - they represent shared memories and leave a door open for 'yet-to-be-made' memories.

Let's start with new things on the block. In late 2021, a significant chunk of the global population had been vaccinated, lockdowns were a thing of the past and outdoor group exercise was in fashion. This is a scene from an outdoor fitness class on the bank of River Thames, not far from Southwark Cathedral. 

Many people moved away from the centre into the outer boroughs to enjoy remote-working without a daily commute. Perhaps for some of us this will be a long-lasting change. These 'HomeWork' spaces below may yet survive. For others, as we now know, its back to the daily grind of a physical office!

The retail establishments in UK had long been struggling with competition from e-commerce. The lockdown only accelerated the trend of online shopping. In 2021, a walk along Oxford Street revealed boarded facades and deteriorating shopfronts. Two years on, there are signs of a revival as tourists head back to London. 

A distinct sign of normality was that London's train stations were beginning to get busier. Paddington Station looked neat and slick. It brought back recent memories of ex-colleagues, friends and acquaintances with whom I had enjoyed the newly re-developed Paddington Basin area. 

For nearly two decades, I took the well-lit night views in Central London for granted. Only to realise much later how privileged many of us are (and were) to have experienced these sights. Hay's Galleria is another favourite spot leading on to the HMS Belfast, moored in the Thames. This again is a special place with many memories including a lively summer party on the ship.

The waterbodies and canals in the Docklands area may appear modest compared to their European counterparts but there are hidden treasures to be spotted along many bends. Each time I think I've seen it all, I come across something unexpected, like the scene below near Canada Water.

The old and the new come together beautifully in many parts of London. This is Tower Bridge in the background and the famously 'tipsy' City Hall building that appeared to be teetering on its side in the evening autumn air. International travel was still limited, hence we spotted a mere handful of people instead of the usual bustling crowds.

At long last, I had a camera-phone that could capture some of the nighttime dazzle along the Thames. If you peer into the photo below, you may espy a few interesting structures that make the skyline of London what it is today - St Paul's Cathedral, Leadenhall Building (the 'Cheesegrater'), the brightly-lit Tate Modern and The Shard. There are plenty of river tours for those who fancy one and also the Uber Boat!

Later that week,  I got a glimpse of autumn leaves in London across the river from Westminster. Perhaps not as picturesque as fall in North America, yet the British autumn does have character. As Londoners get engrossed in fierce debates whether the year's best sunshine is yet to come in September, autumn sneaks up suddenly and departs just as soon to give way to the heavy winter coat.

A crisp blue autumn sky with cotton-like clouds. This is what authors eulogise about in their writings of England and artists strive to capture. Very occasionally one may be fortunate to experience such skies while walking across London. Here is a view of the Millennium Bridge, as a friend and I strolled across from Tate Modern to St Paul's.

I now come to a part of London that holds a special place in my memory book. I commenced my life as a Londoner at an establishment on the South Bank, long before it became the vibrant district it is today. This is a view of Oxo Tower in 2021 adjacent to those premises. It was quieter than I had seen it for years. There was no sign of the all-weather joggers, visitors and office workers.

Gabriel's Wharf below is another venue on the South Bank which conjures up an ocean of nostalgia in some of my circles. The pizza place rescued many of us from late night hunger pangs. The restaurant overlooking the Thames was where I tasted my first walnut, orange and goat's cheese salad. The dainty boutiques were the go-to place for birthday and farewell gifts. 

The Mulberry Bush on Upper Ground is most conveniently located on a local street that is just minutes away from two big stations in each direction. For many of us this pub is mischievously responsible for weakening the resolve to have an early evening. Often, as friends and colleagues checked last train times, there would be someone in the group with a persuasive argument: How about one for the road?

There are moments in time when inanimate objects can play an important role in shaping 

the lives of living beings. This red brick building near the South Bank had a destiny to fulfil and it did so magnificently, bringing together people from far-flung corners of the globe to form lasting connections. (A big wave to all those I met here). Perhaps its raison d'etre had come to an end and the hourglass could no longer be turned. This is the last view I had of it in 2021, before it was demolished.  In southern and eastern Asia, many people believe in 'vaastu' and 'feng shui'. Perhaps this location is favourable to the elements of the universe and its replacement will lead to new adventures to those who occupy it.

Finally,  I conclude this post with a strange medley of eatables. During those unspeakable months between 2020 and 2021, my palette kept missing an odd set of flavours from my erstwhile life in London. I decided to gorge on them all as soon as I could: chocolate eclairs, persimmons and standard M&S crackers with blue cheese.

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