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The days and the weeks and the months and the years go by…

Thursday, 27 April, 2021

No, it’s not really that bad. It’s not actually bad at all. I was somewhat inspired by a blog post, whose site I’ve now forgotten but I should find it, filled with all the wonderful silver linings of these past fifteen (?) months. I could seriously relate to almost all of them, and those I couldn’t relate to I’m quite sure I could substitute something of my own. Fair game!

Guilt still haunts me when I don’t blog, even though hardly anyone reads it anyway. What’s that about? Asserting my existence, emptying my mind, creating memories with words and photos, increasingly photo-derived words these days.

There’s drama outside my window, as always. Constructions big and small, the sly drug-related (?) encounters, doggie adventures, a brave daytime fox, budgies on the tree, crow attacks, the daily Ming Hai routine – we call her Ming – of opening the shutters at noon and closing them again at 10pm (Krish promises the empty air that he will go help her, even clean her little takeaway domain), and the traffic…with the advent of LTNs (low traffic neighbourhoods) schools reopening, road closures, and construction, both roads in either direction can be crammed with vehicles while we pedestrians pray for a break so that we can cross. This week I think we are back to pre-pandemic sights and sounds, just add the masks and that’s it.

And I’ve loved watching the tree slowly bud, unfurl its leaves and today it’s harder to see the shops and road opposite. Under threat of eviction, I cherish the whole thing. This is surely my last year here in this spot.


Tree phases
The tree from early April till late May

We’ve had a miserable week or two in terms of weather. Darkness, high wind, rain, hail…with only the occasional bright spell. This morning I woke up to a lovely blue sky and luminous day. I’ll take it.

Walking is still a problem for me. Friday I’m going to a physio appointment. In the past these have been useless, but I’m an optimist. I hope they have some answers, even for a temporary fix. I do walk but it’s painful, and that’s a whole other blog. I miss enjoying walking.

Meanwhile I’ve made a list of places to visit nearby with my camera. I can set aside my physical difficulties to gain some emotional perspective. It’s not just the weather that will be brighter.

Krish is still visiting Guy’s Hospital, but the schedule is now lighter and longer. Lighter is almost a play on words, since he is now having light treatment – a long journey for two very short sessions. The last time I went I had a nice little walk and rest while waiting for Krish to get his second vaccination. Longish story and includes my trip to Eataly, so how about a short blog on that? Stay tuned

Christine, who is a new friend – the one who came to Brat with me – came to Spitalfields with me. I wanted to see an exhibit of Afghan wedding dresses at The Townhouse, but we found it closed. I texted the owner, who apologised for her site being outdated, and she gave me the correct hours, so we’ll try again soon. Meanwhile, we had lunch and I took a few photos. I’m not going to lie – juggling a camera (phone or digital) and a crutch, a mask, a coat, and a shoulder purse is pretty much an Olympic event. This means either fewer steps or fewer photos, and often both.

Townhouse - antiques and gallery
Townhouse was closed. In the window a lovely cut out for the Bethnal Green Mulberry appeal (one of the very few wins for the area)

Fournier Street
Fournier Street with the Ten Bells at the corner. On the side I’m standing is Christ Church. I love the old shop signs over the new shop frontages
My snack lunch at Spitalfields Market
We had snacks at Spitalfields Market. I had eggplant – too generous for a side, and soup dumplings which had heavy-crusted bottoms. Too much for lunch so I ate half of each box and brought the rest home
Dan Kitchener's Spitalfields Geisha
After swiftly passing one of Dan Kitchener’s geishas on Commercial Street by bus many times, I managed to get a photo while waiting for my bus home
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Foiled plans for a vaccination

Monday, May 17, 2021

After the first foiled plan for Krish’s second vaccination, when his text confirmation didn’t arrive, he was given another time and not at St Thomas but Guys. Off we went. At the vaccination centre inside Guys, they couldn’t find his name, but sent him across to where they were vaccinating.

Walking through the new London Bridge Station. We didn’t have time to pause to take photographs but I must do that some time soon

London Bridge Hospital museum photos
While I was waiting, I looked at the photos along the corridor, which Krish said was the London Bridge Museum. One shows an eye operation in 1900. and another Evelina Children’s Hospital 1895. The original Evelina Hospital for Sick Children opened in 1869 on Southwark Bridge Road, London. Funded by Austrian Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild, it was built in memory of his wife, Evelina. Evelina had died three years earlier along with their son who was premature. It is now administratively a part of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust.
Waiting at Vaccination Centre 1 Guys Hospital
Waiting at Vaccination Centre 1 Guys Hospital

After a bit of a wait, he was turned away, since they had only Pfizer. They also discovered that his vaccination appointment was at St Thomas after all.  In a rare blip, Krish hadn’t thoroughly read the text that arrived over the weekend – in that text St Thomas was named. However, if we went to their second centre – a short walk away, he’d find a tent where they could do the job.

Queuing at Vaccination Centre 2
Queuing at Vaccination Centre 2

Vaccination Centre 2 was in the quadrangle of Kings College, so we walked over and I wandered around the area while he queued –  13 minute wait, he texted me.

I liked this quiet courtyard. There was one modern building and some older ones, as well as the lovely old part. This is where Keats trained as a surgeon. I’ll confess to not being clear on which building is which around here. It’s the usual old London hospital style – a collection of separate buildings and houses with clinics and classrooms, and cafés and what-have-you. With my crutch, bags and cameras, I don’t have the patience or energy to look at plaques and details – but I will.









Not finding a café, I strolled through the arches leading to the inner courtyard of the oldest building. Very calm in here, but no bench. There was one spot for sitting but someone had already found it. There was a statue of Ludwig Wittgenstein, a seated statue of Keats, an old drinking fountain and a couple of plaques. As far as I can tell, this is the original surgeon’s school. I had the usual sense of the centuries-ago students walking through the corridors and inner hallways, unaware of the changes that were to come for the area. I found a place opposite the seated statue where I could download a soundtrack of  ‘John Keats’ speaking about why he abandoned surgery for poetry. I wonder if I can embed it here. I went back to where I could sit among the buildings and trees.








Krish came out with another man and motioned me to stay where I was. When he did come over, he told me he hadn’t had the vaccination, that they had him in the seat, syringe loaded and ready to go, when a helper told the vaccinator to stop – his card read AstraZeneca and the syringe held Pfizer. Ooops. He had almost become a guinea pig for mixed doses.

Lobby, Guys
Not a very inspiring view inside the lobby where I waited in Guys Hospital

Back to the main hospital we went, where they said they could try to get permission to give him the AZ dose. While he was doing this, I sat in the lobby, drinking a chai latte – hungry! (We’d planned lunch but it was now getting late.) He came out once to deliver that message, then finally again to say, Let’s go. I didn’t have it. Maybe he could have but he decided that he’d rather just leave and wait for them to sort things out. It had been a long morning.
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Vine Court, Whitechapel

Fri, 7 May, 2021

I didn’t go with Krish to his appointment today. The timing was wrong. But I did go to Whitechapel to meet him. There were two things on my mind – take a look at Vine Court (near Ambala) and find a good biryani. (Hint – one out of two ain’t bad.)

Getir
Istanbul company Getir has a depot under the arches. It’s a new food delivery service. We deliver groceries in minutes, day or night.’ Their bikes – all with L plates – are everywhere


Dalston Junction
I took the bus up to Dalston Junction. Lately, the traffic is solid and slow all the way up from Dalston Cross. I have to allow lots of time
The usual spaced train ride to Whitechapel, Four stops
The usual spacious train ride to Whitechapel, Four stops

Whitechapel Station is on the main Whitechapel Road but these days the station entrance is closed while they prepare for the Elizabeth Line. I chose to come this way since they have lifts at the entry and exit stations, but I didn’t count on the long walk from my platform to the side street where the temporary exit is.




Cabling at Whitechapel
I was really intrigued by the network of cables along the side of the tracks. It’s always there, of course, but I hadn’t looked it quite as closely before

Court Street, the temporary station entrance
Court Street, the temporary station entrance

I was a little surprised to see Whitechapel thronging with people. It was like Covid had never happened, except for the masks. It was Ramadan and everyone was milling about, buying things, including from the tables laden with fast-breaking food. If I’d not just started my walk and had someone to advise me, I might have been tempted to come away with a feast.







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