July 7, 2005 - London, England

We've had our French toast and I should be headed into work shortly - we had an excellent dinner of Mexican lasagna and spinach shell last night. Below is some more on our day yesterday:

This generation already has far too many of the moments that you will never forget where you were and what you were doing. July 7, 2005 and the dozens that the city of London lost to an enemy that still does not have a face or a name are now added to that list.

Most Brits here were indeed thrilled at the Olympic announcement yesterday, and the millions of expats that work alongside of them did our best to support them in their excitement.

Arriving at work this morning, there were no immediate warnings that this would be a day of any particular significance – until the first colleague arrived late, claiming long delays in travel. She had switched from the Underground to the buses in order to arrive. In a city dependant on public transportation, this was not particularly unusual, but somebody out of curiosity checked on the web to determine the cause.

From that point on, the realization of the magnitude of the history we were living through began to emerge. Sirens became constant background noise and would echo in our heads for the rest of the day.

We were powerless to do anything beyond what many around the world were now doing, overloading website feeds and telephone networks. Another colleague had not arrived, and we attempted to track her down. (She later phoned in to say that she was okay, but would not be coming in due to the delays.)

As my wife and I are both on Vodafone, which was prioritizing all emergency phone calls, I was unable to reach her either. Normally she would have already been at work, but we had visitors arrive today and she’d met them at the airport. The switchboards at both of our companies were overloaded, but finally she reached me. Like many throughout the city, hearing the voice of a loved one was my utmost desire.

Our company was by this time in a gallery looking at paintings, doing what they had come to London to do. Fortunately, they had a designated time and meeting place – but we had to wait until 1:00 to be assured of their safety.

In the meantime, I went to a train station where a friend from university was arriving from Paris. We had intended to share a lunch out underneath the London Eye on the South Bank. However, the London Eye, for the first time since I moved here, was at a standstill. I found her as quickly as I could and then we got out of the station. She was almost completely obliviously to what was going on, despite having attempted to board the Underground at Waterloo Station just as it was being shutdown.

She joined my co-workers and I in the cafeteria, as we took a break from the Internet telecasts and constant refreshing of news websites. We discussed our disbelief that anyone could have carried out such a horrible act.

By this time, the US was beginning to wake-up, so I made a couple of phone calls. Amazingly, I’d already started to get concerned emails checking on my safety. The world of instant news, for better or worse, has changed the way a disaster unfolds. Our relationships span the globe, and a tragedy can no longer occur without the entire world empathizing.

In the afternoon, we began to obtain guidance from our employers on what our next course of action should be. The level of their planning for disasters certainly alleviates the pressure that many people would otherwise face, and did much to keep people calm. I prepared the things that I would need in order to be able to work from home the next day if necessary, and then I met up with my wife and our company and we started walking. To be honest, we had no idea exactly how long the walk was. There were hordes of people outside, walking across bridges, attempting to hail cabs, or driving away from city center as quickly as the traffic would allow.

But, we observed that London was not in a state of panic or chaos. People were just doing what needed to be done at the moment. As we had all been advised by the police, we’d stayed put until the situation had stabilized, and then began the arduous task of getting home.

In the midst of the storm around us, we walked along the Thames, with the water still flowing, and crossed into Battersea Park. A few individuals were taking down the tents that had been set up to host a charity 5-K run that was to have occurred that evening. We could still hear sirens wailing, but suddenly we were in a place of calm, knowing that the police officers, medics, and others were struggling to move all of the injured into places of safety and evacuate dozens who were stranded in tunnels underground.

Three hours later, we finally reached the comfort of our flat. We watched in disbelief and disgust and more details continued to be revealed.

But, when the sounds of the sirens finally begins to fade, there are a few parts of the day that will continue to resonate with this horrific memory. People remained calm and civil throughout the ordeal – to my knowledge there was no looting or other displays of disorder. The citizens of London, as anxious as they were to get home, waited their turn for the trains and buses as they became available. For as a city, even one that is generally as impersonal as London, we are all aware that it takes a collective effort to keep fear and chaos at bay. We unfortunately live in an era in which we must be alert at all times – in the aftermath of previous disasters, our institutions have and must continue to make preparations for worst-case scenarios, and the plans seemed to work in this real-life test.

Within a matter of hours, many companies had followed through with check-in plans to ensure the safety of their employees. The majority of individuals were on the phones within minutes to assure loved ones of their safety. Emergency plans were rapidly put into place. People set out to ensure that the needs of those around them were met.

For even when the ugliest face of humanity is displayed to the world, we must continue to shine forth the brightest virtues of which we are capable. Today, London will bravely return to work – it, like Madrid, New York, and others before, will refuse to live in the bondage of terror and fear.