I feel absolutely amazing here, though admittedly I am living a charmed life at this current juncture. I am working from home for several hours a day, which I do normally whilst sitting in a bar surrounded by many kind friends and guests at the hostel. The past few evenings have been spent imbibing as well as dating one of the workers at the hostel.
London is a spectacular beast. Some areas are the seedy underbelly, whilst others are the epitome of the upper crust class structure that still exists in this country. Many of the Englishmen that I have encountered have been less than charming and congenial, most being rather seedy, unethical and disrespectful. To be fair though, most of the ones that I have met have been under some kind of influence. I do not think of all Englishmen in this manner.
When there is a football game, the crowds are immense in this area, as the Chelsea Football Club is located in our vicinity. Signs in the pubs say "Only Home Supporters are allowed". Something met with raised eyebrows from yours truly, but alas, I find little to be angry or passionate about when it comes to sports.
The food in general is rather lackluster, unless you count chips/french fries. I love chips, and eat way more than I should. My feelings towards the fish in this city is mixed, sometimes it's satisfactory other times, barely. The quality of meat is tenable, but is certainly not up to the par of Canada.
But for all its negatives, I still love this city.
Speaking of which.... today is the day of the death of one of my favourite mistresses of Charles II of England.... Nell Gwyn
NELL GWYN/ GWYNNE
Born: February 2, 1650
Died: November 14, 1687
Nell Gwynne was one of Charles II's many mistresses. His desire for sex was insatiable and unrelenting such that he required a harem of them at any given time. They mostly ranged from higher born women, but sometimes he would descend from his ivory tower and pluck a mistress from the common class. One of which was Nell, another was Moll Davis, but Nell's longevity made her more beloved to the people of London.
Due to her status, much is not known of her early life, but from what can be discerned, she had lived in London for most of her life.
What is known is that when Charles II was restored to the throne after the period of the Cromwells, all of the Puritan austerity and severity fell back to the wayside, and theatre was permitted to exist once again. Nell started out in the theatre working as an orange girl, selling sweet oranges to people in the theatre. Charles II being the raucous playboy he was, frequented these theatre houses.
Interestingly enough, these would be the first theatrehouses to feature women playing women's roles.
Eventually, Nell was taught the craft of acting, which was rather difficult due to her illiteracy. She started out in dramatic plays, which did not in the end suit her personality. She was fun-loving, bouncy and funny, so it was only apt that she would be much better at comedic plays.
During the Great Plague of London, the theatres were shut as a precautionary measure, and thus, the theatre groups went on the road with the King. This included Nell and her mother.
Nell and Charles became lovers after they both attended the same play, and the King was far more interested in the lovely Nell than the play. Her well-known affair with the King made her notorious and therefore a far more successful and sought after actress. Her affair with Charles was not short term, as opposed to the many other affairs and d'alliances that he carried on. She gave birth to his son, Charles, in 1680.
Her only real rival was French nobelwoman, Louise de Keroualle, a lady in waiting to his sister Henriette Marie. Their personalities could not be more difficult. Where Louise was pristine and prude in character, Nell was fun-loving and joking. A lot of Nell's witticisms would be directed at Louise and Louise would be unable to come up with retorts.
My personal favourite story about Nell,
"Nell Gwynn was one day passing through the streets of Oxford, in her coach, when the mob mistaking her for her rival, the Duchess of Portsmouth, commenced hooting and loading her with every opprobrious epithet. Putting her head out of the coach window, "Good people", she said, smiling, "you are mistaken; I am the Protestant whore."[36]
Nell died of a stroke at the age of 37.
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