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The London Bridge


London Bridge is falling down,
falling down, falling down.
London Bridge is falling down.
My Fair Lady.
In first grade, we sang this Mother Goose rhyme as we marched under an arch formed by the joined hands of two kids. The hands came down on "My Fair Lady" and the two kids would then rock the captured kid between their locked hands, as we sang a verse about taking the key and locking the kid up. When that verse was over, either the captured kid chose a side and stood behind that kid or took that kid's place, after which, we marched and sang the rhyme again.

I don't remember what the point of the game was. For that matter, what the rhyme was all about. After three or four rounds, I would look longingly at the playground, even willing to climb up the jungle gym. And, that I disliked to do.

I didn't become curious about the London Bridge until 1975 when I learned that a rich American had bought the bridge and reconstructed it brick by brick on Lake Havasu in Arizona. A friend and I were driving cross country at the time and hoped to see it, but we ended in the wrong place. Bummer.

In 2007, I finally saw the London Bridge when the Husband and I did a road trip to the southwest. The bridge is gorgeous, no doubt about it. I was thrilled to see the once-upon-time bridge that spanned the Thames River. Seeing this European bridge in a desert setting though was quite surreal.


 In the photo, I was posing so it looked like I was holding up the arch. Alas, I was too short. Giggle.

Click here to see what the L other bloggers are writing about for ABC Wednesday. Thank you, ABCW team!


Comments

  1. I remember playing the same game with my friends when I was a kid but like you I can't remember the point of it. I also remember it being on the tv news when the American guy bought the bridge - it was claimed that he mistakenly thought he was buying the much more impressive Tower Bridge but that was later denied by a member of the London Council who sold it. True or not? I don't know.

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    1. Hi, Eunice. If I ever go back to Havasu City, I'll take a tour of London Bridge. I don't know why I think we'd be taken beneath the walkway.

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  2. London Bridge..The Legend!
    Great captures:)

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    1. Thanks, Amit. The Husband took my photo. I have no memory anymore who took the one of the bridge.

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  3. A legendary story about this one...

    Have a nice ABC-day / – week
    ♫ M e l ☺ d y ♫ (ABC-team)
    http://melodymusic.nl/abc-wednesday-19l/

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    Replies
    1. When I learned about the bridge being in Arizona, I thought that meant there was no more London Bridge in England. Silly me.

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  4. I remember this song well and my favourite rendition is from the Bugs Bunny cartoon when the poor Sherrif of Nottingham, suffering too many blows to the head sings it while bugs makes a cake so his face can fall into it. I remember when this bright was bought and brought over To the States. It's cool that you finally saw it.

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    Replies
    1. Ha! The Bugs Bunny/Daffy Duck opener is going through my head now. "This is it. The night of nights. . ." Something like that. I wonder old Bugs Bunny cartoons aren't shown.

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  5. I was going to say, "That's not London Bridge" but to you it is! How lovely to have a bridge in your territory named after the famous one.

    Leslie
    abcw team

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    Replies
    1. That is the original London bridge Leslie and was deconstructed with every brick being numbered then reconstructed on the river in Arizona. The original wasn't safe due to the heavy flow of traffic, I though it was a spoof but on checking it is actually true,
      love Di xxx

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    2. Thanks, Di, for the explanation to Leslie. I'm way late answering on the blog this week (last week?). If I remember correctly, this version of London Bridge was the one built in the 1830s.

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  6. I remember that song from my childhood too ... I'm guessing it was a way for the poor teachers to channel all that child energy into physical activity they could monitor.

    Of course you were holding up that bridge, it was the camera angle that was wrong. :)

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    Replies
    1. lol. Maybe I ought to have said I was ready to catch it.

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  7. I remember playing that game as a child as well, one of many that has no been forgotten by later generations. That's a fascinating story about the bridge in Arizona. Blessings!

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    1. From foggy climate to a dry one. The bridge must've been happy about that.

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  8. We played that as kids too, i didn;t like it because there was a bully girl called Lilian Pattinson and if she was doing the 'My fair Lady' bit she used to really bash me with her elbows horrible girl she was. Ha1 but she had to leave secondary school because she was pregnant at aged 14 oh how we meanies all sniggered ! That 'll teacher for bashing my ears !
    Hope all is good with ya'all, all fine here....
    Hugs,
    Di.
    ABCW team xxx

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    Replies
    1. Juanita was the bully in my group. The teacher washed her mouth out with soap once. I'm sure I wasn't the only one who was astounded, amazed, and glad. :-)

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  9. Hello, I remember that game too. Great photos of you and the bridge. Happy Thursday, enjoy your day!

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  10. I played that game, too, when I was a child. Fun, interesting post!

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  11. Oh Golly!!! You are there! color me impressed.

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  12. The London bridge is still there, but the Tower bridge will be closed for a few months for reparations !

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    1. I'd love to see London Bridge in its own home one day.

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  13. you should also visit grand canyon. http://www.havasu-falls.com/havasu-falls-trip-planning/maps-and-directions in case

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    1. We went to the north side on that trip. One day, I'd like to check out the south side. Thanks for leaving the link, Natalia.

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  14. yeah no problem. this one might help too http://grandcanyonsecrets.com/grand-canyon-south-rim-complete-trip-planning-guided-tours-and-information/

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Thanks for the good cheer. :-)

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