A London Morning Unfolds - Ajoy Dasgupta

From my bedside, through a large French window, I'm treated to a captivating view. The older row houses in the UK, with their slightly sloping walls, grant me a generous slice of the sky. On clear days, London's sky is a delightful expanse of bright blue. Even on cloudy days, when low cumulus clouds drift past, the scene remains no less enchanting. These low clouds, originating from the nearby seas, zip by swiftly. Britain's unique geography—surrounded on all sides by the sea—keeps these clouds close to the ground, preventing them from soaring too high. As they glide past, they invite my imagination to conjure various shapes and figures. During Puja days, I fancied glimpses of her majestic form. Later, Diwali decorations adorned the sky, and eventually, Santa Claus himself made an appearance.

But, it's not just the sky that captivates me. My gaze is drawn to the well-defined air corridor, bustling with aircraft. In a mere three minutes, I often count up to ten flights—all moving in an orderly procession. The affordability of air travel between the UK and Europe has resulted in a dense network of planes crisscrossing the airspace throughout the day.

As I turn my head slightly, I spot the traditional brick chimneys atop uniform two-story houses. These chimneys, once functional, now serve a purely decorative purpose in the age of piped gas heating and energy meters.

In the distance, new multistorey apartments are rising. London grapples with poorly managed immigration and a housing crisis, leading to the transformation of neat rows of row houses into less graceful structures.

Pigeons flutter about, but clever plastic fixtures prevent them from perching on the window ledges.

By straining my neck a bit, I can catch a glimpse of the iconic red double-decker Bus 711, prolific and ever-present. It shuttles passengers to Trafalgar Square in approximately 45 minutes.

Nearby, a coffee shop beckons. As I peer out of the window, I observe office-goers pausing to grab a cup of coffee on their way to work. The rhythm of London unfolds before me, a symphony of everyday life against the backdrop of sky and cityscape. ☕🏙️🌤️

Outside my window, the day begins with a sudden burst of noisy chatter. Excited school kids, their backpacks bouncing, rush toward the nearby school. Their laughter and youthful energy fill the air, a vibrant prelude to the day ahead.

And then there's Tesco—the bustling hub of morning activity. This large supermarket unloads its fresh inventory with gusto. Bakery items, tissue rolls, milk—all delivered efficiently by the loading and unloading staff. They work with purpose, their voices echoing through the morning haze. Most of them are South Asians, their dedication evident. Among them, a bespectacled figure stands out—a student, perhaps, balancing work and education in the heart of the UK.

As I glance at the attire of passersby, I gauge the day's temperature. The roads, perpetually damp, reflect London's unpredictable weather. But that's part of the city's charm—the ever-shifting canvas of sky and street, where each moment tells a story. And so, armed with my observations, I step out for my Thames-side morning walk, ready to embrace whatever London has in store.