The Other London
This past weekend, the girls and I (Laurie, Sophie, and Mali) spent an enjoyable day in the city of London.
Laurie shopped, Sophie cooed and gurgled at passers-by, and Mali frolicked with a handsome young Viszla in the dog park on Adelaide St.
Obviously, we're no longer part of the international teaching jet-set like our friends Rick and Heather of rickandheather.net. We were in London,Ontario rather than its transatlantic namesake.
The quickest route to London is an hour-long drive south from Goderich on highway four. On the way, you pass through such notable burgs as Hensall, the white bean capital of Canada, Lucan, home of the infamous Black Donnellys, and Exeter, whose name, and odour are reminiscent of excrement. The pastoral contryside is dotted with an occasional stone farmhouse, but for the most part, it's an underwhelming journey. That's not to say there aren't some beautiful nooks and crannies in Southern Ontario--you just won't find them alongside Highway Four. Beauty is a card this region holds pretty close to the chest.
The same can be said about London. At first glance, it's pretty uninspiring. The outer ring is the typical homogenous hodge-podge of poorly zoned tract developments, chain stores, and strip malls. The roads, as my wife often notes, are a commuter's nightmare--the city has simply outgrown its infrastructure. London also owns the dubious distinction of being home to the world's most poorly-named tavern--the Alex P. Keaton on Talbot Street. Come on. I know Michael J. Fox is a Canadian icon, but naming a bar after a fictional character he played in one of the lamest sitcoms this side of the Golden Girls---what could possibly be more pathetic?
All the same, we really enjoy London. It has a great covered market (Covent Gardens) in the downtown core, eclectic retail shops, and wonderful ethnic restaurants--three things we don't have in Goderich, so it's worth the trip.
Poor London. You must be a city with an inferiority complex--like some poor schmuck named Brad Pitt or George Clooney.
If you could re-name London, what would you call it?
Laurie shopped, Sophie cooed and gurgled at passers-by, and Mali frolicked with a handsome young Viszla in the dog park on Adelaide St.
Obviously, we're no longer part of the international teaching jet-set like our friends Rick and Heather of rickandheather.net. We were in London,Ontario rather than its transatlantic namesake.
The quickest route to London is an hour-long drive south from Goderich on highway four. On the way, you pass through such notable burgs as Hensall, the white bean capital of Canada, Lucan, home of the infamous Black Donnellys, and Exeter, whose name, and odour are reminiscent of excrement. The pastoral contryside is dotted with an occasional stone farmhouse, but for the most part, it's an underwhelming journey. That's not to say there aren't some beautiful nooks and crannies in Southern Ontario--you just won't find them alongside Highway Four. Beauty is a card this region holds pretty close to the chest.
The same can be said about London. At first glance, it's pretty uninspiring. The outer ring is the typical homogenous hodge-podge of poorly zoned tract developments, chain stores, and strip malls. The roads, as my wife often notes, are a commuter's nightmare--the city has simply outgrown its infrastructure. London also owns the dubious distinction of being home to the world's most poorly-named tavern--the Alex P. Keaton on Talbot Street. Come on. I know Michael J. Fox is a Canadian icon, but naming a bar after a fictional character he played in one of the lamest sitcoms this side of the Golden Girls---what could possibly be more pathetic?
All the same, we really enjoy London. It has a great covered market (Covent Gardens) in the downtown core, eclectic retail shops, and wonderful ethnic restaurants--three things we don't have in Goderich, so it's worth the trip.
Poor London. You must be a city with an inferiority complex--like some poor schmuck named Brad Pitt or George Clooney.
If you could re-name London, what would you call it?
