S. Worthen | Weblog

The Thames is a broad river. From the air, it visibly snakes through London, making its enormity comprehensible. From the ground, it renders the opposite bank in miniature. Where I live, it's over a thousand feet wide.

The Thames is a dramatically tidal river. Upstread at Richmond, the difference between high and low tides is about four meters. On the other end of London, around here, the difference is about seven meters.

With legs airplane-sore, I needed to go on a walk today. The sun washes over the Thames banks, aligned, as parts of it are, east-west. Docked boats bobbed on the current. The shoreline exhibited its rocks and building remains as the tide sank lower and lower. I walked as far as the Pool of London - the expanse of river between Tower Bridge and London Bridge - before turning back. Shiny new office buildings are intermingled with nineteenth century revivalist styles and early modern stone walls. The road is here tarmac and there brickwork. The air smelled gently of river, but mostly fresh, windswept, clear.

It's good to be home.