100 days of Happiness - Day 36

[dizzojay]

Here's something that always makes me happy ...

... LONDON.

I'm a London girl.  I was born in London,  just across the road from the Oval Cricket Ground to be precise, and I chose the picture above because it was taken in 1968, the year I was born.

I lived at the famous Elephant and Castle district of London (the same region that my parents both come from) until my family moved away when I was ten, so - you do the maths - it's been a long time since then, and I never fail to be amazed by the changes that have gone on in the city over the years.  I go back to London for various reasons maybe six or eight times a year, and every time I go, some new building or new street seems to have sprung up out of nowhere!  I've even got lost in places I thought I knew well !!

Although I haven't lived in London for many years, my heritage is 100% London.  My family's trade was the print, specifically on the national newspapers in the heady days of Fleet Street.  My Dad, and five of my uncles were Fleet Street printers at one time.  My great Grandfather was a costermonger in Covent Garden in the fifties.  my grandmother was a clippie and my Grandad was an inspector on the London Buses. My great Grandmother ran a pub called the Bridge House at the foot of Vauxhall Bridge until the sixties.

The legend goes that a few drops of the Thames runs through the veins of every Londoner, and I have no doubt that I have my few drops, and maybe then some!  I love London with a fiery passion. I love it's vibrancy and diverse character; I love its hustle and bustle, its history and its architecture, and above all I'm fiercely proud of my family's heritage.

So yes, today's happy post is the old smoke, my roots, my hometown, London.

Yes, and I have been a pearly queen!

Comments

[julchen11.livejournal.com]

London! I love London. Hubby and I visited this wonderful City the last time in 2000 and we're planning to go there next year. To me it's a City full of life, history, wonderful places and very very Kind People. The Houses of Parliament are impressive as well as Big Ben, The Tower, Kensington Park... I could go on endlessly :-)
Thank you for this great post, my dear. And you look fantastic, pearly queen :-))

[milly-gal.livejournal.com]

What a wonderful post :D I love that you still adore your roots and the place you were born, it's nice to read about someone who's proud of their heritage :) And you're so CUTE!

[dizzojay.livejournal.com]

Thank you!
I'm so glad you enjoyed London and were made to feel welcome xx

[dizzojay.livejournal.com]

Thank you :)
I guess I'm the living embodiment of the old saying: You can take the girl out of London, but you can't take London out of the girl!

[casey28.livejournal.com]

I've always loved London, and now I love it even more! It's wonderful that you feel such a great connection to this city. Aww, you look so lovely and cute! :)

[milly-gal.livejournal.com]

*grins* You can take the girl out of Chav town in my case ;)

[sinfulslasher]

Fly-by comment because I could not scroll past an entry focusing on London!

LONDON!!! ♥ ♥ ♥

My fave city in the world. I've been all over the world but there's just no place like London. *nostalgic sigh* I used to go there at least once or twice a year for the longest time, even if it was only for a long weekend, and just like you said, there was always something new to discover.

It's been several years since my last visit and I miss it so much. :(

[dizzojay.livejournal.com]

Thank you!
I hope you get the opportunity to visit london one day :)

[dizzojay.livejournal.com]

Well, I hope you get the opportunity to visit again sometime soon; we'd make you very welcome x

[jj1564.livejournal.com]

"Maybe it's because I'm a Londoner..."

As a London gal, I agree with everything you've said about our hometown, I still love going back - seeing The Thames makes me feel at home! Your family history is fascinating, too. And you look so cute in the Pearly Queen outfit!