Upmarket

This afternoon I visited Upmarket, in the east of Central London, a part of the town I fancy. They sell strange stuff, like movies from the Balkan, or 70s underwear. The food over there really looks gorgeous.

Most of the things are artisanal clothes. I have spoken to a friendly Dutchman who attaches capes to suit vests, the combination looks special. As soon as he has a website, I will make a link.

Yesterday evening I tried to club in the After Skool Klub. It took me four minutes to realise I was the only one over there without a face piercing and then I was gone. I considered another club - somebody I know was yesterday as well in No 5 as in Chinawhite - but it was queuing everywhere and I am not born for that. I absorbed the uncomparable saterday night energy that was out on the streets and cycled around. The more I cycle, the more I appreciate this city.

Cyclers are a kind of subculture in London. Some wear short pants in the month of Jan. And they go way too fast for considering it as a means of transport. Two days ago, I was pacing nicely along the Thames when somebody showed up a lot quicker. On a mountainbike! I could not let this happen, so i shifted towards my biggest gear, I put my arms on my triatlon handset and I passed him so fast he couldn't even smell my ass.

My Blackberry doesn't find GPS-satellites any longer (there is still the maps application). The good thing is: in Central London I find my way already. But the problem obviously needs to be fixed.

Blackberry

I won't get lost in London any longer thanks to my Blackberry 8310 GPS. Yihaa. It wasn't easy to obtain one, as I needed a British bank account. So first I headed to NatWest. Poor bank. They were not able to give me an account as they had no official proof of my London address. Lloyds TSB did better: they gave me a current account without credit facilities (I don't need them, not yet). I can do internetbanking with Lloyds TBS just with a username and a password. Very weird, like it is webmail. No digital key at all.

The Londoners believe they are about the most advanced people in the universe. But they aren't. For example there grocery stores ... they are behind in comparison with the continent. They really shouldn't exagerate.

Waiting for me: the heavy job to learn to use the Blackberry. I am not very talented when it comes to handheld devices. But I am very motivated!

And I am getting good on the bike. I am positively surprised by the speed of the other bikers. They are really fast!!