LONDON: The fearless city.

I’m in love and I sure hope the honeymoon period will never cease.

I know we are still in the early stages of this affair, but London has yet to disappoint.

I love the eclectic mish mash of this city. The contrast of the classical refined against the less reserved culture of today, and everything in between, all living as a harmonious entity. The city screams of individuality, not only in the various built forms that line the streets but also in the people. I’m yet to learn of the social formalities of this city, but my first impressions is that this city allows you to be whom ever you wish to be and it’s ok.

In Australia I felt that society was in fear of being different, well maybe not quite fear but it didn't exactly encourage it either. I know personally I suffered from it, growing up in a small country town where I was the only Asian, come to think of it, I was the only non white Australian, in not only Merimbula but probably also in the surrounding 20 odd towns. I hated being Asian. I hated being different. Little did I know…

Even the way we dress in Sydney. We all dress the same. We are all fed the same fashion in the stores, in saying this, I love the fashion in Sydney and am yet to warm to what I see in the stores of London today... except for the shoes... this is shoe heaven (I already have a list of shoes I've got my eye on).

For a while I had questioned my career path, but today as I roamed the streets in an ecstatic trance, I was reminded that my life is architecture. It’s what I love. It’s what makes me smile. It’s what excites me. It’s life.

Architecture combined with my love of history can you imagine??

When I was back home in Sydney, I used to sit on the bus and observe the people around me. We were bound by a common destination and most of the time also a common expression of lifelessness, but I used to wonder what each person’s story was. Everyone has a story, it’s just a question of whether we want to listen or not. Well today, the people on that bus transformed to buildings on the streets of London. Grand, classical structures standing bold and proud, each possessing a unique character to them. I wondered what their story was. Reminded me of the movie “If These Walls Could Talk,” not a movie I recommend watching but what would the walls of each building reveal if they were to talk? Stories that span over centuries and occupants that vary from culture and usage. It seems like blasphemy that a building laced with centuries of secrets, be transformed into a McDonalds “restaurant,” but it is unavoidable here… this city lives in blasphemy.

Camden Markets: Larger than life Lego mouse... wonder if this comes with a manual?

Near Spitalfield Markets: I just thought this was nice.

Brick Lane (ish): street art - the graphic is etched out of a painted surface.