April 21st, 2010 at 7:05 pm
Categories: Quotes | PDF version
“For London is like prison for children, especially if their parents are not rich. Of course there are the shops and theatres, and entertainments and things, but if your people are rather poor you don’t get taken to the theatres, and you can’t buy things out of the shops; and London has none of those nice things that children may play with without hurting the things or themselves—such as trees and sand and woods and waters. And nearly everything in London is the wrong sort of shape—all straight lines and flat streets, instead of being all sorts of odd shapes, like things.”
Edith Nesbit, Five Children and It
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adventure, children, edith nesbit, london, psammead, quote
Poppycock!
London is full of trees and woods and waters – Hyde Park, St James Park, Battersea Park, Regents Park right in the centre of town packed full of lakes and duck ponds, fields for running around and flying kites. Within city limits you’ve got places like Richmond Park, Kew Gardens, Greenwich Park, Wimbledon Common, London Wetlands Centre, Fairlop Waters and dozens of commons and flats. Out a bit further to Epping Forest and Lea Valley. To find sand you probably will have to hop no a train, but it’s only an hour to Brighton or Suothend.
Also, it was probably different at the turn of the last century, but today there’s plenty of cheap or even free way to partake of “theaters, and entertainments and things”.
“nearly everything in London is the wrong sort of shape—all straight lines and flat streets” – except for the bloody great wiggling river running straight through the middle of it. Anyone who’s had the misfortune of trying to navigate to a new destination without a map in London will attest to the lack of straight lines.
People that claim to not be able to find trees and open spaces in London just aren’t trying hard enough!
I had a feeling that might ‘inspire’ you.
As well you know I believe adventure is possible anywhere so I can’t wholly agree with Nesbit’s quote but I thought it might prove food for thought.
Oh and I remember there being a lot of sand in Epping Forest! I ran a Leadership Assessment there and it was very hot and I kept having to empty my shoes out.
Nothing like insulting London to really drag a Londoner out of lurking mode. We do however reserve the right to complain about our city amongst ourselves ;0)