MIND THE GAP

I watched The Amazing Race for the first time last night mainly because the contestants sped through London hitting various landmarks including Abbey Road, the London Eye, and Tower Bridge. Having been to every place featured on the show made for an enjoyable episode. The part of the show that made me miss London the most, however, was seeing the tube. London has one of the most efficient underground transportation systems in the world and the tube makes getting around the English capital incredibly simple. I'd be remiss to leave out the fact that Londoners love to complain about the tube. If anything goes wrong it's one of the top news items of the day. Though it does have its share of unexplainable odors, pigeons, beggars, and off-key buskers, the reality is it's a wonderful form of transportation.

After the show, I did some searching and found this blog which keeps track of life on the London Underground. It's VERY slow to load for the first time, but it's worth the wait. The post of most interest to me discussed the renovations taking place on the District Line which included "our stop" of St. James's Park. While we were there, the carriages were among the most dingy of the entire Underground fleet. The refurbishment of the cars was definitely needed and from the looks of it the modernization will be quite hip. Also, if you're planning on riding on the tube any time soon, there's this page which clues newbies into the accepted Underground etiquette. The most shocking rule, but also one of the most observed, is that talking has no place on the tube. Even whispering is frowned upon. I'll admit that it makes for a pleasant ride - especially during the morning commute - but at other times the silence is eerie.

My favorite find of last night's tube blog perusal, however, was this poem on Commuterland:

Senses attacked at Victoria Station

Sight: man with a rainbow scarf
Sound: Thom Yorke yapping in my ear
Smell: Delice de France - croissants
Taste: lingering coffee beans
Touch (Pain): my knee gave me gip as I stood up to leave the train

That's exactly what it's like to ride the tube. The journey is as memorable and enjoyable as the destination.