Poisoning Pigeons...

I've managed to shake off the last bits of jet lag with multiple naps and general laziness. It always takes me a few days to get comfortable in my surroundings, so I'm just now starting to explore the neighborhood. Yesterday's grocery trip was my first stint outside the dorm room, and I followed it today with a stroll. I ended up at Tavistock Square. I had forgotten that one of the buses exploded at Tavistock Square during the London bombings on 7/7. It's troubling that a park dedicated to nonviolence and conscientious objectors is now remembered as a site of violence.

I sat in the square and watched the squirrels and pigeons play in the grass. The ubiquitous tour groups of Italian pre-teens filtered through, as did people walking through the park on their way to Sunday activities. One man stayed in front of the Ghandi statue for a long while, intently staring at the statue as if he asked it a question. The man's moment with Ghandi says more than I can about the relevance of such a place, especially in times like these.

I managed not to get lost coming home, although I did have to retrace my route so I didn't get terribly lost. Since the streets aren't laid out in any kind of grid, it's easy for me to get turned around. The rapidly changing street names are also hard on the mind, especially when one is in an unfamiliar locale.

Tomorrow is my first day working at W.B.L. (World's Biggest Library)!