I avoid East London as much as possible. Unfortunately for me, because it has the largest Asian and Black population in London, it’s the only place I can get my hair and eyebrows done at reasonable prices so I venture there once every 2 months.
Its streets are dirty, crime ridden, with crumbling buildings that screech ‘deprived’. Londoners were quite bemused to learn that in April, the travel section of the New York Times was encouraging tourists to visit Deptford advertising it as ‘London’s Wild West’ and nearby New Cross is supposedly ‘hip’
The metro newspaper quoted a local bar maid, “All I can say is I hope they like hoodies, muggers and junkies"
Pretty much sums it up. I could add to her list,
‘Chavs’,
So-called white supremacists (why do they always live close to the people they hate?)
Muslim extremists,
Cockney gangsters
Before you East Londoners take offence and ‘come after me’, there are some bits (emphasis on bits) of East London that look nice. Even though you have to bolt yourselves in your houses for fear of burglars. Government is pouring loads of cash in a bid to regenerate the area in time for London Olympics 2012. So maybe there is hope that at least for that one month it will look better?
Whoa!
This article started out as a field report on the Paradise Gardens Festival, and now it’s become a lesson on why you should avoid East London
Yati and I had a picnic just by the big stage in the middle of the park that had live world music (e.g. Gipsy, Reggae) throughout the afternoon. Yati and I go for many free music festivals, and noted a familiar solo figure dancing in front of the stage. We’ve debated on whether he is homeless or not – but his clothes and the handkerchief he uses to wipe the sweat off his face look clean. He twirls about, lost in the music waving his hands above his head; sometimes moves jerkily to a rhythm that is only in his mind. Other dancers give him a wide berth although once in a while, someone will join him where by he’ll get excited. Very entertaining! He must have spotted us laughing hysterically at him because during a break he came up to chat. His name is Roy. We complimented him on his dancing saying he was “a pleasure to watch” He replied “That’s not the only way I give pleasure” Ha ha ha (ewww!)
A couple of friends joined us later. We stopped to buy Italian ice-cream from a cute Albanian ice cream man called Nimak. He told us that he wasn’t Italian but would like to learn the language. I pointed at Giulia “She is Italian”… wink wink… “She could teach you. What do you think of her?” “Yeah she’s cute” “Shall I give you her number?” He passed me a piece of paper and I wrote it down” (ok I was a bit drunk). Giulia (also a bit drunk) who had been laughing throughout the whole exchange asked me “You didn’t give him my real number did you?” He phoned her the next day that started with “Hi, I’m the ice cream man” They’ve arranged a date this week. Watch this space
Mark (of the fangs) was also there and asked us to join him at the ‘White Mischief’ tent. It was advertised as a place that combines unique live musical acts with some of the most astonishing vaudeville and circus performers around. We got to know Mark a bit better. He is a ‘dandy’ (“I am NOT a Goth. Goth’s are a bunch of middle class kids who hate their parents”) He wears heavy black eyeliner, dresses in black, his myspace page has photos of him modelling in various gothic stances and his stage name is Markabre Charade? Easy assumption to make!I stand corrected! (And educated)
The most memorable act for me that day was MC Elemental, who does Victorian hip hop. He raps about subjects like ‘Tea’.
“When I say ‘Earl Grey’ you say ‘Yes Please’…
‘Earl Grey?’… “Yes please”; ‘Earl Grey’… ‘Yes please’
When I say ‘Oo’ you say ‘Long’
‘Oo’… ‘Long’; ‘Oo’… ‘Long’
Charming!
