Should have done some research...

Just a quick addendum to my recent post (‘Open a window’ 30 September) regarding the underground’s lack of air-conditioning. I have done a little more research and discovered the reason why this is.

‘Air-conditioning has been ruled out on the deep lines because of the lack of space for equipment on trains and the problems of dispersing the waste heat these would generate.’

Thanks to the ever informative Wikipedia for the information.

The London Stone

Observation No. 4. I miss the history of an ancient city like London. That’s a major difference between the two cities for me. Melbourne was only founded in 1835, and although a fair amount of original architecture still remains, it isn't what you'd really call old. London on the other hand exudes history - you just can't get away from it. One of the things I wanted to see on this visit was the London Stone. An odd lump of rock situated in between two glass panes in the wall of a sports shop on Cannon Street. Nobody really knows what it is, but many believe it is a Roman piece, perhaps even the original mileage marker from the centre of the city from which the distance to Rome was measured, or perhaps it was just part of the many Roman buildings from this area of old Londinium. Legend has it that if the London Stone is destroyed or lost then London will fall / be destroyed / fall into ruin / loose it’s reputation as a cool destination for international tourists etc. As the old proverb goes,

"So long as the stone of Brutus is safe, so long shall London flourish,"

Anyway, I knew what to look for whilst walking down Cannon Street, but still went straight past it. It really isn't that obvious. Apparently the building in which it currently sits half in and half out of will soon be redeveloped, so there is a chance it may be relocated to a museum. I am glad I got to see it in situ.

What has Melbourne got to match a piece of history like this? Well there is the err… Give me a minute – I’ll think of something…

-The London Stone from inside the sports shop-