英音-A picture of London 01

imagine London in ruins.  Desturction and terror have haunted this city providing perpectual ruin and rebirth.  Writers, poets and architects have been inspired to create great works of beauty that document a city beset by tragedy.  Artistic interpretations of London accross the centuries record hundreds of different cities. Pictures of London as a city of pageantry and celebration, pictures of London as a city of unruliness and anarchy. Here, glory and beauty have always vied with stink and suffering for the attention of artists.  I first drove a crane in 82. I climped up and sat in the cab and I was nervous, to put it mildly, cos I won't particularly fond of heights. I'd say the first time I was really quiet taken with it, looking around thinking I'm right in the center of this. This is the world city, everybody in the world knows about London. And I was siting over the top of it, looking around, and it is... yes a priviliege.The city has been there since forever.  You know, if you look at the old street system in almost anywhere certainly the centry of London, you will see the little alleyways and little twisty little pieces. Just a hotchpotch of planning over the years. It gives me a feeling of change because the skeleton was laied down years and years and years ago. You can still see the shape there, and the shape, presumably, will stay there forever. Each generation has tried to put a stamp on it.  Thoughout history, many have tried to impose beauty and order on London streets, but this city has discovered time after time its true character lies in its unplaned, chaotic nature. London has burnt many times accross the centuries. Its day of judgement revisited again and again.  All over the Themes with one face in the wind, you were almost burned with  shower of fire drops. Above 10000houses all in one flame, the noise and crackling and thunder of impetuous flames, the shrieking of women and children, the hurry of people, The falls of towers, houses, and churches was like hideous storm. The great fire of London burned for 7days. the ruins resembling the picture of Troy.  London was but is no more.  Over 30000buildings were destroyed. It was the calamity of the age. But the smouldering hole at the heart of the city would prove to be a huge inspiration. Plans were drawn up to bring a new order of beauty to London. Architect Christopher Wren proposed a lLondon to rival the glories of ancient Rome, triumphal avenues and great piazzas. At its heart, the new cathedral of St Paul's, Wren would create the first dome to be seen in London, it could be a new age of classicism, of harmony and proportion, banishing forever the chaos of the old Gothic city. St P would be the symbol of a LOndon reborn, a great phoenix risen from the flames.