Two Worlds Collide

London is a stimulating place to spend a few days, as I did this past weekend. The place seems to be constantly evolving, and there is always something new to discover. I usually find it a dynamic and cosmopolitan environment where I can indulge my interests in food, music, heritage and culture. Well, this weekend was certainly that.

The main reason for our visit was to see Inspiral Carpets in concert (more of which in a moment).

While in London, we took the opportunity to visit Greenwich. A green oasis of parkland on the South Bank, it is also very, very old – full of symbols of empire and bastions of British sea power from centuries past. Greenwich Palace was the home of Henry VIII in the 16th Century, the site subsequently becoming the training college for officers of the Royal Navy.

The Cutty Sark, 19th Century sailing ship on old colonial trade routes, is now here resting in dry dock, and open to public visit. Like many of Britain’s institutions at the moment, the Royal Museums Greenwich are wrestling with how to most appropriately acknowledge and learn from their historic links to colonialism and the international slave trade. That’s a debate I expect will continue for some time to come.

And when you climb the hill to the 18th Century Royal Observatory (famous for being the home of global time zoning and Greenwich Mean Time) the old and new worlds become starkly apparent. As my main photo at the top of the post shows, looking out across the National Maritime Museum, these ancient symbols of British power and wealth are now dwarved by the 21st Century equivalent – the gleaming towers of Canary Wharf and the financial district.

Amidst these contrasting scenes, the daily life of Londoners goes on. These picnickers are enjoying the sunshine and fresh air. And we joined them.

Housed in an ornate, grand arcade, Greenwich Market is a real foodie delight. Although I am not vegan, I was particularly struck by the colour and invention on display at the Vegan Garden stall, as my photo below shows.

I couldn’t resist a slice of chocolate, pear and almond cake, which was delicious with an americano, see below.

The undoubted high point of this wide and varied culture fest, though, was seeing the Inspirals live at one of London’s iconic music venues, the O2 Shepherds Bush Empire. 90 minutes filled with one classic track after another, my favourite aspect being the Doors-esque Farfisa Organ lines played faultlessly by Clint Boon.

For the diehard afficionados, here is a setlist rescued from the stage at the end of the gig (and in case you’re wondering, no, those aren’t my fingernails).

The band have recently released a compilation of all 24 singles, with a selection of remixes. I could honestly have chosen any of them for the ADK Playlist. After a stimulating and hugely enjoyable few days, I will settle on this one, which seems to resonate with some of the themes in this post: Two Worlds Collide.