Day 25- East London Adventures- Firebombs and Famous Artists

“It is my belief, Watson, founded upon my experience, that the lowest and vilest alleys in London do not present a more dreadful record of sin than does the smiling and beautiful countryside.”
― Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Novels and Stories, Volume I 

Each week, for the past four weeks, we've been taking guided trips to different parts of London as part of our "Inside London" course. This past Friday, during our final day of Inside London, my flat and two others took a walking tour of the East London. While there, we walked through an area of London where many wealthy artsy-types tend to live. Our professor called the homes (which were enormous) "shabby-chic" because the old and weathered facades of the building are kept intact while the insides are made beautiful and modern, furnished expensively. It was a really neat street and style. While walking down the street, I spotted an older gentleman in what I would consider a quintessentially British green suit. He was walking with a younger man and had a pair of nice spectacles. I smiled toward them and enjoyed what I considered a wonderfully English moment. Then, suddenly, the professor whispers loudly, "Those men walking were two of the most influential and well-known artists of our time. That was Gilbert and George." I did some Googling and found that we saw the Gilbert half of Gilbert and George. (I don't think the younger man was George.) But, nonetheless, it was a neat moment.

Here is a page about the artists: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilbert_%26_George


Then, further on our tour, we took a tiny alleyway to The Freedom Bookstore, an old anarchist bookstore that was frequented by many radicals. It seemed as if we stumbled upon a raid of the shop. There were two buff looking men with cell phones, flashlights, and clipboards hovering around the entrance. Our teacher continued to talk about the bookshop, despite the shadiness. He also very loudly kept assessing "the raid." (I'm not sure the large men appreciated our presence.) I later learned that the bookshop had been firebombed at 5 a.m. that morning.

See article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/feb/02/historic-anarchist-bookshop-blaze
(I definitely saw the aforementioned police investigating.)



It seems that I keep stumbling into places of import after the fact. Last week, I missed being at Farringdon station when Prince Charles and Camilla took the Tube from there. I had been at that precise station two days before (and Prince Charles and Camilla were only at Farringdon and King's Cross). I also missed being near the Gap Princess Kate was shopping at in Sloane Square. I was in Sloane Square exactly a week prior to her shopping. (And considering my Gap addiction, I definitely would have glanced in the shop!)

That's all for now. I will be touring the Docklands tomorrow (the second time in 3 days!)

Cheers!

Carrie