I was in the West End for the first time this summer. I was actually supposed to go elsewhere, but that was cancelled so I decided top pop down to town. It was around 7pm so the social crowd was already out and about so it was rather busy.
The last time I was there, there was a lot of construction work but most of it seems to have completed now... or at least moved on to other parts of SOHO. It wasn't as crowded as I remember, though. Maybe there's more space now or something. It felt more spacious as I walked around old familiar side roads.
A few cafes and bars have changed into something else; either other bars or something entirely different. I was happy to see some old classics were still there, pretty much doing the same thing, such as Salsa Bar, Cafe Italia, Rumba and Ronnie Scotts. Way back in the day I used to frequent those old joints for Latin dancing. Happy days.
There are more American sweet shops in the area now. There are also more neon lights and LCD Screens than I remember. I hope those are economical and not burning a hole in the environment. It does look more elaborate now, and more modern, than the last time I was there. China Town also looks a lot more intense than I remember with even more lanterns hanging over the area.
The tube ride to town, and home, was also remarkably uneventful. That is, unremarkable. Which is good, of course, but things have grown really quiet lately. Perhaps it's because it's summer time and a lot of people are on holiday. Who knows.
Peace & Love,
Adé
