Whenever I go to London, though that almost feels like visiting neighbours (OK – of a rather long street), I always try to make most of my stay. (Like I always try to make most of things.) I succeeded again two weeks ago. The annual Royal Astronomical Society picnic was planned on the first Sunday of August and if I’d come over for that, I could do the interview for BBC World Service on Monday. And arrive Saturday, just for fun. Geoff had offered his guestroom for the weekend and Tommy would pick me up from London Liverpool Street…
Before he could meet me there though, I had to start this trip-across-the-street on a train in Heerlen, with my right flip-flop hanging loose and almost broken around my one toe. And with the weather being beautiful and me being optimistic anyway, of course I hadn’t put anything shoe-like in my backpack. So changing at Rotterdam, I decided to try the three little shops on the station, with my optimism being rewarded in the third little shop I tried, actually selling superglue! I sat down on the platform and after reading the package carefully, I almost super-glued my favourite jeans to my left leg! By the looks I got from the fellow passengers, I’m pretty sure I looked amusing while I literally hopped on the train, hoping it would actually do the trick on the flip-flop band.
It did. So I didn’t have to enjoy the nice view when arriving at Hook of Holland (which is a silly translation of Hoek van Holland) jumping on one leg. There were a few people who’d never been on a ferry before and they asked me questions as if I looked like the regular customer I’ve been over the last few years indeed. The arrogance of the Stenaline crew is seriously getting on my nerves though, but do people still take your angriness seriously when you think being angry is part of life too and therefore don’t mind it as much?! Anyway, I went to sit on the outside deck, looking at tourists looking at the view in between every chapter of the English book accompanying me – just because I thought it’d be nice to read an English book.
It stayed with me the morning after from Harwich to central London too, but the other half would have to wait until the return trip. I rang Tom to announce my arrival, even though he knew I’d be there 8.50am. “Well of course you’re late babe, I know you”, I said while getting a cup of tea thinking English English tea is one of the many joys of life. Another one is sitting on a bench in the middle of a busy London station, looking at the different people passing by and thinking how their looks suit with how they move around – if that makes sense. Then one of those people was my good friend Thomas. Tommy, who says ‘yes’ to almost every crazy plan I come up with. Today it was making memories of a Summer holiday-day in Hyde Park. Just the park in the centre of the city he lives in. I said I’d show him around, giving him a new view of it, and so we went to the tube.
I had found out you can row on the lake and since I love water and boats, I’d thought to drag Tom along there. He was man enough to let me do the rowing, as I loved being in control of the sounds the oars make when getting in and out of the water. It was such a beautiful day, that we hardly noticed an hour had gone by while rowing all across the stunning lake. I’m actually quite good at it, if I say so myself and Tom said this was a genius’ idea, as living so close it never crossed his mind to actually do this. I had also decided that after being on the water, I would want to get in. And so we went in. There’s actually an area where you’re officially allowed to as well and the cool thing is: the water birds don’t respect those borders! So we swam with swans when a group of Canadian geese decided to land on the water right next to us.
We let the Sun dry us while lying in the grass, talking about ducks, life and the universe, and snoozing for a bit too. You know that lovely feeling of absolutely not having to do anything else? That. Then we slowly moved to this place with a great view over the lake we had just spent our day at, to have dinner and some more ice cream and laughs. I looked at everything: the Sun’s beams painting the water, the weeping willow stroking it and the people who had finally woken up to enjoy it too. Until we said goodbye for just the evening on Bank Station, where I got on the Docklands Light Railway to Geoff’s.
Me, rowing close to – but around – the island on Hyde Park’s Lake.
Tommy looking how far we’d rowed, before getting in for a swim!
The terrace. Pictures: Hanny van Arkel.
One Comment
A wonderful story about a wonderful day, Hanny. I had never thought about taking a boat out onto the river and never dreamed of swimming with swans.
You and your crazy ideas
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