Chinese in the New Year

It was Chinese new year last week, and the London celebrations were this Sunday. I didn't make it to that, but here is a picture from my Chinese lessons in the Bishopsgate Institute on Thursday. Here, we are learning to write Chinese characters (my own effort is in the front of the shot). I'm hoping to learn Chinese before going there on holiday in July; I managed to order a Chinese meal "by numbers" in Mandarin so I'm quite optimistic.

The Bishopsgate Institute

Opened on New Year's Day 1895, the Bishopsgate Institute by Liverpool Street Station has provided an independent meeting place for people with shared interests to learn about a vast array of subjects. This photograph adorning the entrance hall shows a scene from a lecture at the institute in 1910 - the array of faces provides an interesting insight. At a guess, few of you will have walked through the doors, which is a shame as it is one of the few city buildings fairly much untouched by the 20th Century.

I'll be able to tell you more about it in a few weeks time as I've signed up to learn Chinese there.

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Reach for the skies!

When the Nat West Tower was built in the shape of the Nat West Bank logo, it broke new ground by its height - it is still the tallest building in the City - and for the sheer self aggrandisement - I can think of no other building in the shape of a corporate logo. Of course, now they've vacated it, it is called "Tower 42" . Not the same, really, and for me it will always be the Nat West Tower.

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