Tag Archives: the City

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My last London bus trip for the year

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“The most important reason for going from one place to another is to see what’s in between.” Norton Juster, The Phantom Tolbooth

This bus ride was not long one. It took me from Shoreditch back to St Paul’s. We wound our way past the big-atriumed office blocks, and the pavements filling up with City workers as the light faded into dark.

On this trip it was the vast and sparsely occupied ground floors – the atria – that caught my attention. The reason for these huge, apparently under utilised spaces, has never been clear to me, unless their real purpose is just to let everyone know how important they are.

Anyway, I had a window seat on the top floor of the bus, and was able to admire these entrances from above. In one I saw an Aston Martin racing car looking a little nonplussed at being there, and then, a few doors down, I saw the enormous aquarium in the photograph above. The scale of the aquarium, the blue of it, and the sight of the fish swimming to and fro, took me completely by surprise. It also took the shine off some of the Christmas trees that came next. Some were gleaming in baubles and lights, others were more restrained, and a few even deigned to step outside their buildings to cheer up the passers by. But … however hard the trees tried, they never quite achieved the same splash as the fish, at least not in my list of favourites.

As for any of them noticing us, I don’t think they did. We passed by unremarked. Just another red bus, windows bright and steamy, rumbling on its way.

Copyright Georgie Knaggs & The Phraser 2023

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Is this the loneliest tree in London?

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Lately I’ve been fretting about this tree, the only street tree on this block. I can’t decide whether it’s the buildings that make the tree look miserable, or the tree that makes the buildings look miserable.

I’m also wondering if, in fifty years or so – perhaps sooner if we’re lucky – we might have a better understanding of trees. Maybe we’ll be treating them with more respect. Perhaps we’ll adapt our cities to suit the trees, rather than expect the trees to adapt to the cities. Maybe we’ll even begin to clear large spaces for proper groupings of trees, rather than lifting slabs of concrete here and there.

Meanwhile I’d love to find out if this tree minds being isolated like this, surrounded by buildings rather than forest, and wafted by exhaust fumes rather than fresh air. Perhaps it’s happy, but what happens to its roots beneath the pavement? Where do they go? How and where do they find their water? Is there anything we can do to make it bigger, to help it help us to hold off extreme heat?

It would be so much easier if it could talk.

Copyright Georgie Knaggs & The Phraser 2023

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Change happens – the City, London

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During the lonely, lockdown days of 2020 we were in the City, in London, and walked as far as we could, whenever we were allowed. There were not many others about.

Liverpool Street Station was under wraps during that time, but we were able to walk around the various blocked off sections to the quieter, completed bits. The photograph above is of Exchange Square, which is between what might be called the back of the station and The Exchange Building on Primrose Street. Broadgate Tower is across the road, to the right of where I am standing to the take the photograph. To the left of the photograph, and out of sight, is the reclining figure of the huge, Broadgate Venus – five tonnes of curvacious, patinated bronze, sculpted by Columbian artist Fernando Botero.

Today, while walking with a friend in the City, I decided to show her the now unwrapped Liverpool Street Station. As I expected, Broadgate Venus was where I last saw her, but what I did not expect was all that had been laid out before her – the curving, densely planted flowerbeds, the soft-stepped fountain, the mature trees, and so much green grass. It looked beautiful, and was crowded with office workers out for their lunch breaks. I presume Broadgate Venus is delighted.

(The yoga lady in the image above, photographed in 2020, would today have been standing in a flower bed, somewhere in the bottom left quarter of the photograph below, with Broadgate Venus, even further to the left, just outside the frame.)

Copyright Georgie Knaggs & The Phraser 2023