Ah, the E17... (updated)

Two years ago, Londonstani convinced me to move to the Baker's Arms in between Walthamstow and Leyton, East London, to study counter-terrorism and counter-isurgency. Today, two of my former neighbors were finally convicted on charges relating to the 2006 transatlantic bombing plot. All the same, I really miss Walthamstow. Southeast DC, where I now live, is all about petty crime. When criminals in Walthamstow dream, by contrast, they dream big. Also, there is a beautiful side to Walthamstow I miss.

Update: A few readers took me to task for describing the crime in SE DC as "petty". This last weekend, a dude went after another man on my street with an ax. Right there on the street in front of everyone. Still, compared with blowing up airliners, this is petty crime. Also, some good-natured British readers described me as a "foreigner" or "tourist" living in East/east London. The former is true, but the great thing about the 'Stow is that, hell, half the borough is foreign-born! On the Victoria line early in the morning, it was me, the Poles, the Algerians, the Pakistanis and a few middle class English from Walthamstow Village. Oh, nostalgia...