A temple to Diana

St Paul's Cathedral needs no introduction for itself. But here's a nice piece of London trivia: the site it is built on used to be a temple to Diana in Roman times. Did you think I was going to talk about any other Diana??

(BTW - if anyone in the states can tune in to an NBC program about "changing life in Britain" or some such, I make a cameo appearance near a Banksy - let me know if you see it, please)


See where: London Daily Photo Map

Shaggy dog story

The Vanguard building is on the A40 into London, and for years had an aircraft perched on top. Now, there's a huge inflatable dog. It says on it "Dogs trust Harefield" but I know dogs will trust anyone who gives them a biscuit.

Oh, alright. Harefield is a re-homing centre. Here is the gallery of their dogs needing homes.

See where: London Daily Photo Map

Ordinary Londoners - No.5 in a series

Say hello to Ray from Chingford. A bus driver during the day, his heart is always on his Triumph 750. He's been riding around to the Ace Cafe since before there were speed limits on the North Circular.


The Ordinary Londoners Series: No 1, No 2, No 3, No 4

See where: London Daily Photo Map

This is really Ace!

A London institution, you may not have heard of it, but if you want to step back in time visit the Ace Cafe. Their history goes back to 1938 - this place IS living and breathing Rock & Roll. To prove it, they have a great jukebox, and TV programmes like 5th Gear are shot here. A closely associated band are The Rapiers, if you like rock'n'roll you'll enjoy their music here or here. (And it looks like they link here, so they MUST be great). Did I take any bike pictures? Yes.

See where: London Daily Photo Map

Nation shall speak peace unto nation

That's the motto of the BBC World Service. It's 106 Days since Alan Johnston's abduction and three days since the bomb vest video.

Sign the petition here.

This is the BBC TV Centre in Shepherds Bush.

See where: London Daily Photo Map

Roll up! Roll up!

..... your trouser leg. Another little known or visited but entirely fascinating London location is the Masonic Library and Museum in Great Queen Street. The chances are you will be taken aback by just how far reaching (and wealthy) the organisation is. Apart from a feeling of disquiet resulting from the spider threads of secrecy spreading throughout society, on balance I reckon they probably do more good than harm. Others disagree.

See where: London Daily Photo Map

Let me tell you a secret

Let's kick the week off the week with with one of my favourite of London's secret places. It's not secret, really, just that nobody seems to know about it. It follows nicely on from Guy's Hospital, too.

This is the museum of St John's Ambulance. Yes, that's right, the people who turn up to help at football matches and coronations. But let's give the place its full name ..."The Museum of the Order of St John". Light begins to dawn. These are the guys who went on Crusade in the 11th Century. And they brought stuff back. And you can see some of that stuff in a couple of inauspicious rooms tucked away beside the 16th Century Gatehouse.

The woman is just about to say "Sorry, you can't take photographs in here" which is why I couldn't get any better shots. Ah well. It's still worth a visit.

See Where: London Daily Photo Map

A little gem

There's a little gem of London's history (or is it London's Trivia?) in the quadrangle by the colonnade in yesterday's shot. I can do no better than to transcribe the descriptive plaque:

The alcove in this quadrangle is one of fourteen removed from old London Bridge on its demolition in 1832.

It was purchased by the hospital in 1861 for ten guineas (£10.50p) as a shelter for convalescing patients, and formed the main feature of a wall from the south west corner of the old "Lunatick House" along the western boundary of the "Park" towards Guy's House. In 1901 the alcove was removed to the south end of the "Park" whence, in 1926, on the initiative of Mr Francis Pelham Whitbread, the treasurer it was moved to this position.

The alcove is of more recent origin than Guy's Hospital as the alcoves were added to London Bridge during reconstruction and widening measures taken in 1757 - 62 by the Clerk of the City Works, George Dance the elder.

See where: London Daily Photo Map

Guys Hospital

Guys Hospital has a history of not far short of a thousand years, this building dates from 1726. While it is still a working and teaching hospital, when you walk through this part you can easily imagine yourself in another age.

See where: London Daily Photo Map

Ordinary Londoners - No 4 in a series

How much do you enjoy your work? Let me introduce Claire, who adores her weekend work as a "meeter and greeter" at the London Wetlands Centre. During the week, she's a civil servant - I don't know how she feels about that. She loves the way that anything is possible in London, and hopes to earn enough money to be able to buy a better pair of binnoculars for bird watching.

The Ordinary Londoners Series: No 1, No 2, No 3

See where: London Daily Photo Map

Frog spawn

Still in the London Wetland Centre, I just had to bring you some of the wildlife - like the bitterns, kingfishers and water voles you can find there. So here is some wildlife making more wildlife. Frogsporn! I've changed the photo to duotone to make it more like art. I particularly like the guy at the back who looks like he's paid to watch. Don't forget London Daily Nature Photo if you like great nature pics.

Isn't it just astonishing a place like this can exist so close to London's centre?


See where: London Daily Photo Map

London Wetland Centre

Today, I am going to introduce you to the London Wetland Centre, which is an astonishing site converted from a water treatment centre. Unusually, there are three different photos from here that I'm going to show you, so I'll talk more about the site tomorrow.

See where: London Daily Photo Map

Art again

Arty stuff again, the best sort - free arty stuff! I came across this exhibition of David Breur-Weil's work in a disused warehouse in Mercer Street. It is extraoridnary work of impressive quality, with atmosphere that rises as you climb out of the basement through to the second floor. It's been set up by the Ben Uri Gallery. Worth a visit,

Another (and better view) of a painting here.



See where: London Daily Photo Map

The Meridian Laser

While I was out trying to photograph the Ark Royal, I captured this shot of the meridian laser, from the Greenwich Observatory. Who else thinks that it looks like a light sabre?


See where: London Daily Photo Map

HMS Ark Royal

The HMS Ark Royal is visiting London for the 25th anniverasry of the war in the Falklands. She's only here till the 18th, so hurry down if you'd like to see her. I rather like that the first Ark Royal (in 1587) was built very close by, in Deptford. The Greenwich Phantom has already been here during the day.


See where: London Daily Photo Map

The Achilles Statue, Hyde Park

This statue is in Hyde Park, and was built as a tribute to Arthrur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington by "the Women of England". Created in 1822 it reads:

To Arthur, Duke of Wellington,
and his brave companions in arms
this statue of Achilles
cast from cannons won at the victories
of Salmanaca, Vittoria, Toulouse and Waterloo
is inscribed by their countrymen

It was the very first statue of a naked man on public display in London. Originally anatomically correct, the fig leaf was added later to save blushes although it has been chipped off twice - in 1870 and 1961. If you look closely at the large image you can see it is added. Two contemporary cartoons show the furore it caused. Appropriately enough, last week's bike ride started from here.

See where: London Daily Photo Map

You don't want to go there

I spend so much time telling you where to go and what to do in London, I thought it would be fun showing you somewhere you really don't want to go. Those flowers outside don't help very much, do they?

This is the entrance to Her Majesty's Prison in Wormwood Scrubs, it looks so much like a prison it's often used in films. Built in the 1880's using convict labour, this arial view is as close as you want to get. In case you ever get stuck inside, you may want to read this entertaining account of Soviet double agent George Blake's escape from the scrubs.

See where: London Daily Photo Map

The National Gallery Grand Tour

The Grand Tour used to be the province of the wealthy upper class, who swanned about Europe from the 17th Century onwards and brought back loads of dodgy souveniers. Now you get the opportunity to join in without leaving London.


The National Gallery Grand Tour must be one of their very best ideas to bring art to the people by making it fun, interesting and involving. To quote their press release:

For twelve weeks, the streets of London are being turned into a Gallery - as around 30 full size recreations of National Gallery paintings are hung on the walls, in the most unexpected and unusual of places.

Apart fromt he pleasure of discovering the paintings, there is a load of information about them, on the signs, downloadable mp3, text, you name it.

To start, you visit their map or choose a tour and off you go. I did the Covent Garden lunchtime tour, this is The Haywain by Constable.


See where: London Daily Photo Map

Banksy again El chivo

This Banksy El Chivo (as noted in comments) is in Curtain Road, where I was for The Way We See It this week. Sometimes, I feel I show too many pieces of Banksy graffiti to you, but then I sit down in a quiet room and the feeling passes. They make such good images.

See where: London Daily Photo Map
 

Millionaires Row

What do you get if you mix up money, good taste and your average human in the wrong proportions? Millionaire's Row - Bishops Avenue is the answer. You are looking at what has been listed as the second most expensive house in the UK in 2006 - £50,000,000 is the price tag.. And in this street, this house isn't the grandest. Makes you wonder, doesn't it.

See where: London Daily Photo Map (This link should take you to a zoomed satellite view of the place. £50,000,000. )

Ordinary Londoners - No 3 in a series

Let me introduce Nova Hughes, who kindly let me take her portrait outside Cellar Door, a trad jazz club that will be worth a LDP visit in the future. Born and bred in London she loves its diversity, the music and theatre. She's a singer, and will be performing there again this Thursday 14th (free entry!). Listen to her singing on hermyspace site and you'll want to be there, too.

The Ordinary Londoners Series: No 1, No 2

See where: London Daily Photo Map

The London Naked Bike Ride

Today, I joined in the London Naked Bike Ride. Why? because - although I'm not a naturist, or an obsessional green, this seemed like a really good way to get the message across - that we are too dependent on oil and we don't need to be. There is actually somthing quite profound about the idea of confronting global excesses with your naked body. Profound, and breezy.

Riding along, I heard someone say "Only in London" Well, no. It's all over the world.

The ride itself was really enjoyable, about 1,000 people joined in and there was a great, friendly atmosphere. It certainly got the attention of the passers by, who mostly didn't pass but stopped and stared. That's fine. Each of those mobile phone photos is likely to have the message "too many cars" in there somewhere. The perverts lining the way out of Hyde Park - that's different. Here are two more pictures.

See the route: Here

London's Elephants - No 17 in the series

Today's elephants come from Northfield Nursery in Sewardstone, Chingford. Not quite up to the standard of No. 7, but still adequate pachyderm quotient.


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See where: London Daily Photo Map.

National Costume

Well, it's someone's national dress and London is nothing if not cosmopolitan.

I haven't been to this restaurant for many many years, and I see that Kalamaras Taverna is not rated that highly any more - it used to be good. All I can tell you for sure is that this gent (the uncle?) neither spoke nor understood a word of English. I rather liked his colourful appearance in Queesnsway.


See where: London Daily Photo Map

The Smallest of Wings

The Smallest of Wings is an audio installation by artist Stephen Vitiello in the heart of the Broadgate Centre, by Liverpool Street Station. In the winter, this area is a skating rink. Now it has been turfed over and you can walk in, close your eyes, and be transported to faraway places. To quote the blurb, it is: "an environment of sound built on field recordings of bird and moth wings from locations including the Amazon, upstate New York and Virginia."

All I can tell you is that it is well worth a visit. Here is a more general view. Here is a 30 second video clip. Click here to hear the audio file that gets bluetoothed to your phone if you want it.

Head on down before it goes at the end of the week

See where: London Daily Photo Map