See Me Now

  It’s Tuesday and my second full day in London. I arrived on Sunday afternoon without incident and got an immediate reality check: I’m in the big city now. I knew this, of course, but after Bath’s charm and easy pace I had to give myself an attitude adjustment as I trekked along typical city grit to my lodgings which turned out to be on the 16 th floor. My apartment/room is the antithesis of my circa 1726 room in Bath. This one is in a modern high rise with sleek furnishings and a bewildering series of touch pad controls for the lights, air, kitchenette appliances, and window shades.   It’ll take me my whole two-week stay to sort them out.    I settled in, visited a grocery store for breakfast supplies, and surveyed the immediate area.   Depending on which direction you walk, you’ll find either mid-scale pubs and restaurants bordering the Paddington Basin, or a grimy and slightly intimidating stretch of Edgware Road (which follows the straight path of an a...

  I’m still pretty jet-lagged. In addition, substantial overnight street noise (reportedly from Bath University students just arriving for “freshie” week) has repeatedly interrupted my fragile slumbers so I’m kind of a mess.   Even so, I forced myself into those morning runs which, despite my being bleary, started my days off well. I had spied a footpath bordering the Avon and headed that way early Friday morning.   Instead, I found myself on the old towpath that runs alongside the Kennet & Avon Canal. I hadn’t even known the canal existed so was delighted to discover this scenic, traffic-free, and peaceful place to run. There are many narrowboats – people’s residences – docked along the canal, and pretty properties backing up to it. At the end near town, there’s a series of impressive locks used to get your boat to/from the Avon.              Later, I headed out for my walking day heading first to Alexandra Park which is ...