The new London

London is so much cooler now that it is less English. I wondered around SOHO last night. There were lots of cafes and street side restaurants. People were wondering around. You can still get a pint of warm English beer, but the city is starting to have the feel of Madrid or Paris. I am sure the Daily Mail wants us all to go back to the dark ages of a fish and chip shop on ever corner and a single highly priced French restaurant in the entire City. The new European London is an improvement. I (mis)spent some of the day reading 'Tamburlaine Must Die'. This book is a fictional account of the last three days of the playwright Marlowe. The book didn't really do much for me, because I didn't care what happened to any of the characters.

 In part of the book, Marlowe goes to newgate prison. I wish they hadn't torn Newgate down. Any book that is set around the time of the great plague or great fire of London has someone going up to Newgate prison. There is now just a plaque on the wall where the prison once stood. If Newgate still stood, it would be a cheesy tourist site. Better to let my imagination see the rack, than view the grisly rack with gum chewing sadist tourists.