In "Oshaberi Kaidan--Mayu wo tsuketa Piccadilly", a comic strip written by Fusako Kuramochi, when I read Mercy, who is a character, said "My dream was lying on the steps of Eros and holding this town, London all day long.", Piccadilly Circus became the place which I really wanted to visit.
I heard that the Statue of Eros at Piccadilly was made as a memorial to the philanthropist Lord Shaftesbury in 1893. Alfred Gilbert, the sculptor, designed it. The statue is made of  aluminium which was a rare material at that time. There are fish and crustaceous life in the design. He used the fountain idea as an excuse for incorporating this variety. Moreover, I think that I heard a story in which he got angry because the actual statue wasn't made exactly the same as he had wished.
Originally, the statue was called the Shaftesbury Monument, but gradually people began to call it "the Statue of Eros". This Eros isn't the Greek god of love, but the Christian angel of Charity!  Do you know that? Actually, I mistook it was the Greek god.
The original statue had already been vandalized. For example, in 1994, a drunken person climbed on it and bent the figure. About ten years ago, it was refurbished for its 100th anniversary. Therefore, the statue was surrounded by a wall as in the right photo. Seeing it, I thought, "Unfortunately,  it's impossible to lie on it."
Fortunately, now the wall has been removed. Therefore, if I want, I can lie on it as Mercy did. However, I can't because I am too old to do so!

At the statue in Piccadilly Circus, many roads are intersected. If you walk down one road, you'll go to Leicester Square. If you take another road, you'll arrive at Trafalgar Square. Moreover, there are roads which lead to China Town or Oxford Circus. Actually, I think it's a little far to Oxford Circus.
Around the Statue of Eros, the traffic is always very busy! There are many traffic lights for pedestrians. However, the green light turns red quickly, so many people ignore the red light and cross the road while there are no cars. Maybe, people ignore the lights everywhere in England. "When in Roma, do as th Roman do." In London, I walk with a quick step as Londoners do. I can't wait for the traffic lights to change, because I have a lot of places to visit.
On this page, I'll introduce some my favourit places around Piccadilly Circus. Piccadilly is a popular place, so I think you may know all of them.
　

Tower Records
For several years after I came to London for the first time, firstly, I used to go to Tower Records when I went to Piccadilly Circus. It's in the very centre of Piccadilly Circus. I liked seeing the covers of records and CDs, so I looked from one to another in the shop. Thus, time passed too quickly when I was there. However, recently, there are many Tower Records in Japan. Sometimes, the price is cheaper in Japan probably because VAT in England is higher than tax in Japan. Therefore, I don't visit so often now, but Tower Records used to be my favourite spot in Piccadilly Circus.

Boots
Everybody knows that Boots is a drug store. It corresponds to our Matsukiyo. A few years ago, there were Boots in Japan, for example in Ginza or Kichijoji, but they seems to disappear in Japan. I don't know why, but Japanese didn't like Boots so much. However, in Piccadilly Circus, there are a few Boots. I used to buy some albums and ask them to develop my photos rather than buying drugs or cosmetics. Recently, they don't sell so many albums and I gave up to develop my photos because I thought my luggage becomes even heavier. However, I still buy some items such as a bottled water when I drop in. For me, Boots is necessary when I am in England!

Fortnum & Mason(left)
Recently, I visit Fortnum & Mason for the first time when I go to Piccadilly Circus. I walk down the stairs to the basement to ask them to send twenty two cans of tea to Japan. For Japanese, Fornum　& Mason is famous for their teas, but they deal with not only foods but also table sets including mug cups in the basement.
When I visited England for the first time during a package Europe tour, my friend and I bought a teddy bear for our tour conductor who had just had a baby. On the way to Fortnum & Mason from Piccadilly Circus, there is a church. In front of the church, there are some stalls(right). According to my friend, the cafe at the church is really nice.

Mitsukoshi Department Store
There used to be several Japanese department stores near Piccadilly Circus. Mitsukoshi, Sogo, Isetan and Takashimaya. Among them, I liked Sogo best because it was very near to the Statue of Eros and the store opened later at night than Mitsukoshi. I could enter Sogo easily and often used the powder room. However, Japanese department stores withdrew one by one. Finally, only Mitsukoshi is left. They sell brand goods such as Burberry scarves, and foods including jams and teas, table sets such as Wedgewood. Usually, I only buy jams and cookies in Mitsukoshi. However, I often visit Mitsukoshi when I go to Piccadilly Circus. Sometimes, I only use the power room(Sorry!) and sometimes, I meet my friend there.
When I travelled to London for the first time, our tour conductor took us to Mitsukoshi. Since then, many years has passed! Wow!

Planet Hollywood
Planet Hollywood is a restaurant whose owners are Hollywood movie stars, such as my favourite Bruce Willis. About ten years ago, when the restaurant opened in Piccadilly Circus, I heard that there was a long queue in front of it and everybody had to wait for a long time to enter. I was a very enthusiastic Bruce Willis fan, so I wanted to try it very much. I thought that I could enter it easily if I visit soon after lunch time starts. Yes, I could! However, the food was very American. The volume was really big and the taste wasn't so good. Recently, when I saw it from outside, it wasn't busy at all. However, I'm still his fan, so I look at the goods shop when I go to Piccadilly Circus.

Left : The pasta which I ate at the restaurant. Right : a cocktail whose name is "Dye Hard". This tasted so so.

Theatre Royal Haymarket
Plays written by my favourite Oscar Wilde are often performed in this charming theatre. It is a fascinating theatre which has an atmosphere of the old days in London. On the opposite side, there is a theatre which presents "Phantom of the opera". There are many theatres around Piccadilly Circus. Several years ago, I went to a theatre near Waterloo station, but it was a little far from the station and the sidewalk was empty. However, around Piccadilly Circus, many people are always walking on the street, so you'll never feel lonely.

Liberty
To get to "Liverty", I usually walk from Piccadilly Circus, but actually, it is nearer to Oxford Circus. During my trip, I always visit at least once and buy small items such as make-up bags.

Moreover, I sometimes go to Burberry or Wedgewood. Once, I came back to Japan putting some Peter Rabit's plates into my luggage, so my luggage became heavier!
Sometimes, I go to a pub to have fish and chips for lunch. Hot and freshly fried fish and chips are really tasty. Ah, I feel like to want to eat them again!　Then, the next place I want to go is...

I heard that my favourite Oscar Wilde often had visited the Cafe Royal, so I really want to visit.
On the thirteenth trip, I couldn't visit. However, in the near future, I'm sure I'll have lunch or tea at the Cafe Royal!

(2003.12.19)

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I really love London!