Thursday, October 28, 2004

The London Eye


I overheard a great conversation on the train today. As we crossed the river at Waterloo two young lads were talking. They were fourteen or fifteen I’d guess.
One said, “The London Eye. Have you been on that?”
“Yeah, well-disappointing. Rubbish.”
“Yeah. It was.”
“If it had gone faster or something...”
“Yeah. Well. It was rubbish.” (Pause) “Good view though.”
“Oh yeah. Great view.”


(In case you don't know - the London Eye is a gigantic Ferris-wheel-like structure erected on the banks of the Thames to Celebrate the Millennium. It goes very, very slowly and you get to see a wonderful panoramic view of London. I've never been on it due to my fear of heights.)

12 comments:

Jonathan said...

I've walked past it, but never ridden on it.
Should think that it's a bit dodgy, since it's about 4 years past it's sell-by date. The camera obscura at Greenwich is more my speed.

Roger Stevens said...

Joey B. - I don't quite understand your comment. Are you saying what the lads said was rubbish or is it a general comment about Ferris wheels? The London Eye goes so slowly you can hardly tell it's moving. It takes half an hour or so to do one revolution.

Anonymous said...

Yes, its a right rip-off! We went on it twice, once in the morning and once at night and it went very slowly both times like it had the brakes on or soemthing? Why don't they get these things fixed?
The Greenwich Solarium also goes very slow, even slower than the London Eye if this is possible! It's an absolute disgrace!
Thye Bouncing Bridge out side the new Tate doesnt bounce anymore either! had its bounce turned off! These tourists fall for it every time!

amiethinggoes said...

Also have a slight fear of height. 'Though I was able to ride Condor with my eyes closed of course. Oh and a ferris wheel once with me singing (to my friend's dismay)the whole time it was rotating to take my mind off the thing. And I survived. My friend did not :)

Roger Stevens said...

There are plans to build another footbridge for the next millennium. The idea is to make it very bouncy indeed so that people will be flung up in the air and into the Thames.

There's also talk of a wobbly Madame Tussauds.

amiethinggoes said...

Sheeez bounce?!

Hey Roger Happy Halloween! :)

sylviasometimes said...

Hmmm...Madame Tussaud's doesn't
appeal much...too much like looking
at cadavers all dressed up with
no place to go. Give me a play or
a nice walk in the country or a
cruise through the fleamarkets, and
I'm smiling! Easy to please.

Wastedpapiers said...

I've always thought Madame Tussauds was a rip off - queuing up to see all those shop dummies who look nothing like who they arfe supposed to be. Just a lot of wasted wax. Put some big wicks through them and turn them into Halloween candles!

sylviasometimes said...

Too funny...I agree!!!

Roger Stevens said...

...and send them to Amie.

:-)

Cerulean Bill said...

I made my first (and so far only) trip to London about a month ago, and we went to the Eye on the second day. We really liked it. We (being Americans) really liked the cool air inside, and the bench (it was about half full), but mostly we liked what it was there for -- to give us a long, lingering look at London. (Lets hear it for alliteration!) Yes, my daughter did think it should have a turbo mode....maybe after it gets moved to wherever its going. And I thought those photographs of it lying on barges prior to being put up were awesome.

Anonymous said...

Oh the irony!