Jun 27 2007
The Blair decade
Blair is out of 10 Downing Street today. NYT editorial gives him a thumb up. He sure deserves it. When I first visited UK in the early 80s, London felt like lifeless, sick and poor. Everywhere I turned, I saw a has been. The weather didn’t help either. I was shocked: this is the master of the vibrant and prosperous HK? A friend of mine took me to visit a couple with a title in the countryside. The weeds out grown the flowers in the garden, the hubby opened the door - no butler nor a maid; we were warned not to step on the aging carpet .. .. When I decided to stay longer enrolling in the English language school, the wife warmly offered me their flat in the city, but her hubby cut in, “pls don’t make unnecessarily phone calls .. ” - HK had a flat monthly fee for unlimited calls - he dryly added an example, “I wouldn’t just call up someone to discuss Dallas.” The JR Ewing episode.
I didn’t feel a good rapport with the couple, nor want to live alone, also wanted change of a city scene, so opted for a boarding house with breakfast and dinner in West Hampstead. The meals the land lady provided were all small. So one day we (there were 2 Spanish girls) joked about Continental breakfast (a light fare with just bread/coffee, oh the marmalade!) and the antithesis English breakfast, which’s hearty with eggs/sausages.
“Mrs. Kent, can we have English breakfast?” Since we were in England.
The proper Mrs. Kent, with her big hairdo, looked at us, raised her eyebrows, “oh, dear, what do you mean?”
” …. not just marmalade .. maybe eggs, bacon, … pls?” We didn’t really have enough to eat.
“Oh, I’m sorry darling, I didnt know .. ” then went on to explain that during the WWII, Londoners were on food ration … and since then they used to the small portion.
One of the Spanish girls rolled her eyes, said, “but it’s long time ago and we’re not in a war now ..”
Only eggs were added. One day I came home early, found Mrs. Kent was washing my bedsheet in her kitchen sink!!! No, she didn’t have a wash machine. Her house’s forever cold. Yes, she told us that during WWII .. ..
The last time I was in London was 1999, from NY. Although I have found that everywhere I turned in America, I sense the best yet to come: vigorous and abundant - of course NY cerulean blue skies and tasty water also tilt the scale - but still London on the rebound was obvious. Hollywood stars began to descend there, and financial institutions set up shops across the pond, giving NY a run for its money (stringent US regulations aside). London is hot again. The bulk of this transformation is under Tony’s reign. Wondering what the editorial writes when W leaves White House next year?