Final Day

Sydenham, where Jacqui and Tom live, is a restored inner southeast suburb, densely populated and very multicultural. I was amazed how quiet it was (for the number of people) and the lack of graffiti or rubbish. It was cleaner than Caringbah. My cousin Keith, living nearby, tells me there is a very strong community spirit amongst all ethnic groups in the area and a quiet dedication  to 'getting on with life'.

There were the obligatory trips to John Lewis stores and M & S in Oxford Street, which doesn't change much.

Then we met Michael and went to my old college suburb (Aldgate) and took a pic with his construction head office of Barratt Homes in the background.

That HAS changed! While waiting I was intrigued by the unusual contrast of a man selling a very radical newspaper (they normally can't give them away) to a wealthy looking 'chic' woman, next to a memorial statue  commemorating the safe rpassage  of 10,000 Jewish children via Liverpool Street station in WWII.

I spotted the shop selling fancy burkhas--soon to be all the rage for fashion conscious Islamic women --near a huge mosque and we walked through a street market for Indian and Arabic foods and clothes.

Next stop--Heathrow!!