Bombing The Tube

I know it's stupid, especially from someone who now has been living in London for more than 6 months, but today I was coming out from the Tube and, having some rubbish to throw, I asked myself, and my friend M. as well, why there are no bins in the stations?!

M. looked at me, actually stared at me, saying: "it's because of terrorist bomb attacks, did not you know that?!"

I have never linked the lack of bins in the Tube to terrorist attacks, it was pretty obvious to me and I felt so stupid.

Anyway, I remember about the bomb attack in the Tube on 7 July 2005.
I was 16 years old and I remember my friend G., who was on holiday in London, calling me saying that there was a suicide bomber in the Tube and that she escaped for miracle, just because she missed that train.

I was really shocked, but I was living that event from the point of view someone who was out of the UK, a kind of "untouched" viewer.



Three bombs exploded within fifty seconds of each other on three London Underground trains. It was 8.50 a.m. and as usual, the Tube was busy and full of passengers.

The first bomb exploded on a eastbound Circle line sub-surface train between Liverpool Street and Aldgate.

The second bomb exploded on the second carriage of a westbound Circle line sub-surface train between Edgware Road and Paddington.

The third bomb was on a southbound Piccadilly line deep- level train between King's Cross St. Pancras and Russell Square; the zone where I live now, the stations I most go to.



I remember now when I was just arrived in London and the first thing my mother told me was: "be careful when you take the underground!!!...you never know what those damn terrorists are going to do!"
I just replayed:" yes, yes mum...ah, ah...yes, yes..I will... byeeee" listening at half of what she was saying to me, as usual.
My mum, as any other mum, has always been annoyingly anxious, especially since I am here in London, but now, thinking about her words, even if I thought I would have never said that, she was right.

Underground Mania!

Have you ever realized what a wide merchandising and business is based on the London Underground?!.
I did just today, when I entered a souvenirs shop to buy something for my younger, petulant sister who will be happy to see me at Easter, depending on the size and the price of the present I am going to buy her.

Anything with the logo of the underground on it can be sold: mugs, t-shirts, pants, towels, ashtrays, bibs...ANYTHING!



These are just a few things I found in this shop called "Imperial News & Gifts" in Woburn Place, between Russel Square and Holborn.



The prices actually are pretty high as I spent 12.55£ for a t-shirt (the cheapest one) and all the gadgets were, I think, pretty overpriced.
I know that the Tube's logo is famous, attractive and very "London style" for tourists who surely spend a lot of money in these "souvenirs", but pay 10£ for a plastic bag with the tube map on it it's too much, isn't it?!?

Anyway, if it works to make the economy run in times of crisis, I am glad I gave my support to this just cause with my 12.55£.
This is the t-shirt I bought, with our beloved tube map all over it, so that, whenever my sister needs to, she can just consult her shirt and go wherever she wants...




London Underground, always with you....

My gym at Russell Square Station

Some time ago, me and my friend M. were seriously planning to sign up for a gym....seriously!as the summer is never too far and there is the "bikini test" to pass.
The reason why our good purpose failed is that, ignoring the high percentage of laziness which obstructed us in finding a good gym,we don't have enough money to pay a good gym for the long period we need it to get fit!
London Underground Service is the solution!

Arriving at Russell Square station on the Piccadilly line,the lifts to the ground floor are always overcrowded,full of tourists and those kind of huge space ships which are called prams that actually should have their own lift.
Imagine you,being in a hurry, getting at the lifts finding that probably you will not even reach the famous "closing doors" in less than one hour...the only other way is the stair case,175 steps.



The poster says: "Take the stairs only in case of emergency" but you take them anyway, at your own risk.

After 15 minutes you get at the ground floor, sweat, tired, out of breath but glad that you survived such a hard test and that, taking all those 175 bloody steps, you might burnt off a huge amount of calories and fats!!!!!!

So,thank you London Underground for providing such a good, effective and cheap gym service, all included in the oyster card price!