A part of the city I had written off as obsolete has taken me by surprise.
When deciding on where to place settlements, our ancestors invariably chose places with access to fresh water. The founding of our capital city was of course no exception. The advantage of the river that flows through the city and the history behind it has been detailed by many people. The nature of this transport and economic hub changed with technology and history while remaining centred around the river and port. While the obvious use of the harbour for import and export remained constant a certain dark, foreboding tone fell upon the area. It was a dangerous place.
That is, until the recent rejuvenation projects have come to fruition. I recently walked through this area, not to sight-see, but to get somewhere else. I was determined to travel through the docklands with the greatest of speed in order to avoid the usual dread and danger associated with it. I was truly ignorant of the new atmosphere that has been developed. Wonderfully modern buildings have been completed, with fascinating architecture and glorious glass-fronted façades. Brilliant lights blaze out from these new monuments and bathe the entire area in a warm and clean glow.
The turn around in this area is, for me, truly remarkable. I think the rejuvenation can be summed up by the new bridges that have been erected down at the docklands. There are various pedestrian bridges with wonderful sharp architectural lines that are lit up in fanciful ways. Significantly, these bridges are not retractable and cannot be navigated through by large ships. While these ships would very rarely have come far up the river in the past it is emblematic that this new harbour area is not focused on supporting shipping.
The river mouth has shed its original use and as a result it remains a focal point for the city.
-The English Student
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