The 15 minute blog

Left: The infamous "floater coffee", a sicko term taken straight off the Thai menu. I had to have one.


I have been in London since Friday night. There have been some memorable moments, including meeting friends Robin, Anne, Hud, Ian, Nerida and Adrianna. I was unable to connect with Ben, but hope to call him before leaving Europe. Among the notes for myself are : blue girl, Dido, trannies, thai interviews, Portobello Market, being harrassed by a power-drunk bobby by Earl's Court tube station for using my video camera 'near the chube', more trannies in the street on Old Compton Street, barhopping with Hud and Dri, bussing back to Earl's Court and then walking forever in the early morning hours when London is sublime, quiet, cool and beautiful. It has made me nostalgic for my days as a regular traveler to this city. I was pleased to find that Brief Encounter and Star of India Restaurant are still here. I was also quite touched by finding a trio of young Polish girls who were playing strings in Villiers Street....they were so excited about being filmed for the movie and I hope that they make it in. Their music is quite good.

There has been a generally good attitude among people here about the 'recent incidents' as the tube announcements call the bombings, but there are significant disruptions to travel by tube and that sucks a bit. It is sad that 54 people here gave their lives for the fanaticism of a few. We need to be vigilant not to let our society backlash in the reverse and we need to keep our freedoms in sacred status. I learned from the irate bobby yesterday that asking questions is viewed as questioning of his authority and hours later when I passed him again that he was getting off on being able to tell people to curtail their activities....he had a nice little smirk for me as we passed each other in the tube later.

Don't get me wrong...I appreciate cops in general and their sacrifices for our liberty, but when they start tredding on our freedoms for hysteria or powertrips, they are tyrants. One of my gay male interviewees put it very well by drawing the line between freedom without discipline being anarchy and discipline without freedom as tyranny...words to live by, I'd say. OK, I have 1 minute to post....more later!

Categories: London United+Kingdom travel film freedom bombings