High Street 2012 - No 10 - Stratford Art

While I'm on holiday, a series of photographs of the quirky or surprising taken along the route of High Street 2012. To find out more about HS2012, visit Diamond Geezer.

It was a few years ago that they started trying to tart up Stratford, long before the Olympics was even a hope. These strange sculptures were fixed to the railings between the carriageways. I always felt it particularly appropriate for the area that the bird appears to be a dodo. I'm not too fond of them - there always seems something a bit creepy, rather like this shot.

My East London has come a long way over the last few years, and it hasn't stopped yet - I wonder what it is all going to look like and feel like in the end. But, this is the end of my High Street 2012 series, hope you enjoyed the views I've shared.

High Street 2012 - No 9 - Stratford Trains

While I'm on holiday, a series of photographs of the quirky or surprising taken along the route of High Street 2012. To find out more about HS2012, visit Diamond Geezer.

After yesterday's sculpture, here's the real thing. Stratford has (maybe, had - check with Diamond Geezer I reckon) one of the largest freight rail depots, it has a Eurostar terminal which probably isn't ever going to be used except for the Olympics.

High Street 2012 - No 8 - Stratford Art

While I'm on holiday, a series of photographs of the quirky or surprising taken along the route of High Street 2012. To find out more about HS2012, visit Diamond Geezer.

Moving along to Stratford, there is a strange steel sculpture that looks as if it was made out of train rails. But each time I see it from this perspective, I think it looks as if it is erupting, and I'm reminded of Bob Hoskins in the Long Good Friday - "I've treated you well, even when you was out of order, right? Well now there's been an eruption." Probably the best British gangster ever made, I couldn't find that clip, but here's the ending.

High Street 2012 - No 7 - Bow Graffiti

While I'm on holiday, a series of photographs of the quirky or surprising taken along the route of High Street 2012. To find out more about HS2012, visit Diamond Geezer.

I'm still up on the flyover, because this is probably the best place to appreciate a piece of cool graffiti and urban decay. The words say "Look what happened to all the pidgens" (sic), it's all rather fun. And it's going to get bulldozed very soon.

High Street 2012 - No 6 - Bow Church

While I'm on holiday, a series of photographs of the quirky or surprising taken along the route of High Street 2012. To find out more about HS2012, visit Diamond Geezer

Still in Bow, this is Bow Church. At a guess, go back to Saturday or Sunday on Diamond Geezer to hear about the fascinating history of this ancient Church. Whajavascript:void(0)
Publish Postt will probably surprise you, if you don't already know, is that this is on an island - cut off by two lanes of very busy road which curves around it on both sides. I suspect that this is the sort of thing you find only in London.

High Street 2012 - No 5 - Bow & The Olympics

While I'm on holiday, a series of photographs of the quirky or surprising taken along the route of High Street 2012. To find out more about HS2012, visit Diamond Geezer.

I can almost hear you say "That's a boring photo". Well, that's as maybe, but you are looking at the future Olympic stadium area - in 2012 this is going to be a lot different. Not only that, but this is taken from an angle that you won't often see, except from a moving vehicle. I'd put money on the Diamond Geezer not having a picture from here. To add a bit of pizazz to a pretty ordinary shot, click here for a 360 panorama shot. Sorry it's not animated or anything.

High Street 2012 - No 4 - Bow & Gladstone

While I'm on holiday, a series of photographs of the quirky or surprising taken along the route of High Street 2012. To find out more about HS2012, visit Diamond Geezer.

Rattling down the road, I'm now in Bow, with the statue of Gladstone with his hands painted red. I'm sure Diamond Geezer will have told you about that. Me, I prefer this view where he seems to be saying "Just look at my toilets! Closed! and me stood here in all weathers!"

High Street 2012 - No 3 Mile End Park

While I'm on holiday, a series of photographs of the quirky or surprising taken along the route of High Street 2012. To find out more about HS2012, visit Diamond Geezer.

I'm moving down the road at a completely different pace to the Diamond Geezer, but I'm hoping that mine will weave in and out of his. I'm also hoping that he will tell you about the Green Bridge - a brilliant idea to join together two halves of a park that was slashed in two by an increasingly busy road, and the result is greater than the sum of the two halves. I'm also hoping that he hasn't shown you this peaceful idyll only yards from screaming traffic.

High Street 2012 - No 2, Trinity Almshouses

While I'm on holiday, a series of photographs of the quirky or surprising taken along the route of High Street 2012. To find out more about HS2012, visit Diamond Geezer.

I'm guessing that Diamond Geezer is going to talk about all (or most) of the places I'm going to show you, which frees me to witter on. The Trinity Almshouses are a fascinating piece of live history, with a straight line back to the 17th Century. for me, though, part of the fascination are the ships planted on the entrances (four in total) - I am so tempted to start a series on boats on buildings in London, but there are sooooooo many.

High Street 2012 - No.1

While I'm on holiday, a series of photographs of the quirky or surprising taken along the route of High Street 2012. To find out more about HS2012, visit Diamond Geezer.

Alberts is one of the remaining shops from the old East End. Run by the original family until the 90's, talking to the present owner I was struck by his genuine affinity and association with the value of the history of his little bit of the East End. He told me that he wouldn't have considered changing the name, and that he intended to re-gild the Star of David above the door (which was there from a synagogue that used to occupy some rooms) although doing it properly was going to be expensive. I found that strangely heart warming. Diamond Geezer's report on this stretch is here.