Count the days
Slowly passing by
Step on a plane
And fly away
I’ll see you then
As the dawn birds sing
On a cold and misty morning
By the Albert Bridge

-The Pogues

Sunday was an unseasonably magnificent day in London. After taking in an early morning exhibition at the V&A, I found myself killing time and winding slowly towards the Chelsea Bridge. From there, just on the other side of the Thames is one of London’s best green spaces, Battersea Park. I like Battersea for many reasons- one of which is the visual curiosity of the Peace Pagoda, and I also like its proximity to the Battersea Power Station. I also really enjoy the massive fingery trees that line the park roads, and on Sunday I made it a point to feel really small as I strolled under them along with oodles of other Londoners out enjoying the weather.  

By length the park is not huge, so it was not long before I reached the western end. From there I found a small gated off area just by the river bank, and to my great fortune I found one empty park bench that looked onto the Thames. It was there that I opted to park myself and read my book. A wonderful afternoon activity. I lingered for about an hour because it was sunny and quiet– but also I remained it because it offered a great view of my favorite bridge in the city.

The Albert Bridge is a bit of a modest curiosity. I first came upon it was while out wandering on a day very much like last Sunday. London is a huge webwork of neighborhoods, and in an effort to discover new places, I often opt to walk a few kilometers in lieu of rolling towards my destination on the Underground. About two years ago I was in Chelsea and headed towards the American embassy. As I made my way south to the Thames, the most surprising bridge popped into view. Clashing nicely with the more humdrum architecture of London, the construction looked like something you’d encounter while playing Candy Land as a kid. It was delicate in its stabilizing components and the color scheme was of a pink and white persuasion. Even the the skies are offer a sharp blue and cumulus cloud contrast, and it made for a panorama of unparalleled appeal. I was immediately drawn to this bridge.

But there are other reasons why I like Albert Bridge so much— but these only became apparent once I started to do a bit of basic research. The bridge itself is actually a hybrid of three bridge styles. In 1873, it was constructed as a cable-stayed bridge, one with two towers, very much in the style of Boston’s Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge or Genoa’s now fallen Morandi Bridge. This initial construction of the Albert was deemed to be structurally unsound, so shortly thereafter the design features of a suspension bridge— like the Brooklyn Bridge— were added. Then, almost a hundred years later, a third modification came when two support piers transformed the central span into a beam bridge. Think the bridge in the white-knuckled train scene from Stand By Me.

In terms of Public Works utility and profitability, the Albert Bridge has endured as a bit of a commercial failure. Due to the persistent fragility, it has been nicknamed The Trembling Lady. It even went through a failed 6 year attempt to collect tolls, and today it is the second-least trafficked road bridge spanning the river Thames. But still, in spite of all these limiting factors, I really appreciate this bridge.

Because I’m self-centered, I think about the bridge’s timeline in terms of my own lifespan. Over the past few months, I’ve been making small steps to ease that constant bearing decreasing range towards civilianhood. In order for me to arrive at end state that I deem desirable, I must start now in creating small modifications to my current status of living. This week one of those mods has included my procurement of a European drivers license.  

It’s a small thing, but as a 40something adult, re-enduring the entire experience of motoring theory study and a road test is all a bewildering process. Maybe I dislike it so much becuase it’s a reworking of a foundation that I thought I had deemed perfectly cemented 25 years ago. But laws over here dictate that I can’t just swap out my American license. I have to change my baseline and demonstrate myself as capable of navigating these roads. That’s just one small part of a great transformation, but it’s one that will help to ensure that I can stick around.. Going back to the Albert Bridge, I found it encouraging to discover that except for Tower Bridge, it is the only bridge in London to have never been replaced.

All of us, while moving through life, are required to navigate shifting currents of varying force. As conditions make themselves known, over time we discover unforeseen needs that necessitate augmentation, addition and perhaps subtraction. And it can make things feel unsteady. But I also find that there is beauty in transformation, in potentially finding yourself with something different than what you expected. Over time we all become walking hybrids of what we once thought we’d look like.

I am the furthest thing from an engineer, so I have no sense as to whether the British will find new reasons to warrant further tinkering with Albert Bridge. As for me, I have nothing but certainty that I’ll continue shape shifting in composition. But even despite these changes, I’m optimistic for whatever will come.  We’re always building and rebuilding. And hopefully for the better. Always an opportunity to grow and change…and more often than not, I’d like to think that we ultimately wind up with something beautiful.