This is Definitely the Hardest I've Ever Hit My Head

One day, when I was in year 8, I came home from school and told Mum that I had been knocked unconscious - albeit only briefly - after falling backwards from an undisclosed height.

This was a lie.

It was true that I had hit my head (and hit it quite hard) after falling backwards, but unconscious? No. It just felt like a much snappier lead sentence for the story. Mum did what all good mothers should - she didn't ask probing questions, but only expressed the deepest concern. And life went on very nicely for some time.

16 years later, the Universe saw fit to pay me back for this dishonesty. Unfortunately for me, the punishment came in the form of yet another blow to the head. (Why so many blows to the head?)

See, I was walking up the stairs in the Subway at Greenwich, after having just purchased a delicious Jamaican-themed sub from a Polish sandwich artist. For some reason I was feeling a strong sense goodwill toward all men, so when I saw a group of people descending the narrow stairway I stood to one side and let them pass; they obliged with a smile and a thank you.

Now, armed with that springy step which often accompanies such self-congratulatory courtesies, I bounded up the stairs. If I could, in retrospect, choose a different verb with which to climb the stairs, I would probably choose 'meander', or 'float'. But I did neither - I bounded. And I hit my so hard on something I don't even know the name of. It was definitely a piece of building, and it was definitely jutting out above the stairs in a dangerous way. It just adds insult to injury that I can't even name the perpetrator.

Needless to say, I bled for some time, and felt quite shook up - and then drowsy for some time after that. Almost as if I had been mildly concussed.

Touché Universe, touché.

Animal From Abroad

Aaron and Sue have been with us for the past week or so as part of their world tour. They arrived in London from India last Saturday, and the first stop on our itinerary was the doctor's to get a rabies shot for Aaron. He and an angry Indian monkey did not see eye to eye on some key issues.

See, Aaron was handing out peanuts in a monkey temple (yes, a religious monkey no less), and all these temple monkeys were grateful, except for one. Yes, some monkeys aren't interested in peanuts, or bananas, or blueberry muffins; some monkeys just want to watch the world burn.

Anyway, it's lucky Aaron got this particular shot in time, otherwise he wouldn't have been let past the dock at Greenwich (above).

St Alfege's Park

This is St Alfege's Park in Greenwich (and me looking sombre about something). As you can see, the park's perimeter is completely lined with headstones. I can't tell if the headstones have always been there, or if they were just relocated there when the cemetery was converted to a park (around 1889).


The place is quaintly atmospheric, but I have to say, my strange-o-metre clicked a few times when I saw the kids' play equipment, and it went off the scale when I saw the basketball court - both completely lined with headstones.


If you build it, they will come.

BONES!

I was walking home from school on Tuesday afternoon when I happened upon an episode of Bones being filmed. Knowing very little about the show (other than it stars the incredibly good-looking-in-real-life David Boreanaz), I did what most reasonable people would do. I hung around looking like a gawker, waiting for Julian to bring me my camera.

It's times like these I wish I had a proper paparazzi-style camera.


Here is the video I managed to capture before being asked to put my camera away:



What can I say? The Bones crew are very efficient.

Patriot Games

I was watching Harrison Ford beat up some IRA men in Patriot Games the other week (I had loads of invitations to go out, but I decided to watch TV instead), when I realised all those punches were landing a little too close to home.

It dawned on me. That baroque architecture is familiar...that's the Old Naval College...Harrison Ford is walking down the steps in the Old Naval College...that's five minutes walk from our place...Han Solo is cracking heads on the pavement five minutes walk from here! I sat up from my slouch. I felt alive with validity for a second or two, then I realised that I was still watching TV (even though I had loads of invitations to go out).


Yes, it turns out lots of movies are shot in the Old Naval College. Apart from that one, apparently Eastern Promises and The Golden Compass did shooting there as well. They are preparing to shoot another one there at the moment, although so far all they've done is erect a large fake stone wall. Only in the movies (shake of the head).


As a postscript, my research has revealed that it is in fact Han Solo, not Hans as I previously thought. I always wondered why he had to have German heritage.