The Victoria Memorial

Often overshadowed by Buckingham Palace which it sits in front of, the Victoria Memorial is worthy of consideration on its own merits. A bit macabre maybe, but I wonder what the memorials to our Queen will be like?

I'm off again, cycling in the mountains this time - back in a little.

Lying in hospital

This is the view the other way from City Hall. What you can see is the "Lying-in" hospital, an old maternity hospital which fell derelict but is now restored and is .... you guessed it, a hotel.

I'm off again, cycling in the mountains this time - back in a little.

City Hall

There seems to be an insatiable appetite to take over old, huge, public buildings and turn them into hotels, like city hall. The plaza in front is a surprising open space, given the pressure for land around here.

I'm off again, cycling in the mountains this time - back in a little.

Resurrected Ghosts

The ghost adverts gently fading on the sides of buildings are an enjoyable bit of everyday history. I'm not sure what I think when they get restored, I first thought this one had, but looking around a bit it is possible that it is just a late example.

I'm off again, cycling in the mountains this time - back in a little.

Borough Market

Borough Market has matured a lot over the years. These days it is open most lunchtimes, with a full market Thursday, Friday and Saturday with a host of specialist traders from far and wide that are a far cry from its Farmer's Market origin not that many years ago. At least it is still there - for many years, the rail rebuilding program threatened to close it down (which was, after all, why the original commercial vegetable market closed down)

The Shard, London

I very rarely look at my stats these days to see what's happening, it's pretty much all I can do to keep the pictures rolling. However, it appears that all the top 10 search phrases for people arriving here have various combination of "London", "Photo" and "Shard": London Photo, Shard London, Photo shard - you get the idea. So, I feel it is only right to provide a picture of...the Shard London. I'll have to go back to More London again, now it is finished. As a building, I'm still undecided but I am getting used to it.

Hot Stuff!

By way of a public service announcement I would like to help out others who, like me, are constantly on the hunt for a decent hot sauce. I've found some! In the small Saturday market outside Forest Gate railway station, MaMa V - a local business selling their home made sauce and seasoning. You can find their Twitter page here and Facebook here. Lots of flavour and a real kick.

Naked Tower

Here's the Telecom Tower, in its new naked form. The old dishes had been protected by planning law from change for years, as they were part of the London skyline. BT only got permission to take them down when they became in serious danger of falling down. I don't know if anything will replace them.

Spring Flowers

Spring is finally arriving in London, and not a moment too soon.

The Kings Arms

It's always interesting to look at the references to the Monarchy around the place - this dates back to George III, king from 1760 to 1820, a period covering the American War of Independence and the Napoleonic wars. He ended up mad as a box of frogs.

Daylight robbery

These bricked up windows (and additional artwork) can be found on the Jerwood Space, a rehersal/studio space in Union Street, Southwark. I'm in two minds whether the windows were bricked up for utility purposes, or to reduce their Window Tax. That was a tax current until the 1850's paid on the number of windows you had. Many Georgian properties have windows bricked up as a result, hence a possible source of the expression "It's daylight robbery". I suspect it was just to convert its use, though.

The Dandy Lion

I may be in a small minority here, but I have gone for years without knowing the etymology of Dandylion, I thought (mistakenly) that it must have been something to do with the bold flower, a dandy indeed. I knew the French for dandelion - pissenlit - and that it was called such because of the diuretic properties of the roots. But I hadn't realised that there was another French word - Dent de Lion, or tooth of the lion seeing the shape of the leaves. The penny finally dropped. This is a London dandylion, though.

Holiday snap

I've been away for the last week, here is the obligatory holiday snap, proving that an Englishman's castle is nothing like a Frenchman's. I was in the Loire, where castles were built more to show off than defend. This one is in Azay-le-Rideau.

Holocaust Memorial Day

Today is International Holocaust Memorial day, to remember the time when the Nazis wiped out millions upon millions of Jews, Romanys, gays, just about anyone who faces didn't fit and could be blamed for the hardship that the Germans were facing. And that's the point. It wasn't just then, that sort of mindless destruction of whole groups of people can and does happen now, if we forget then it can happen again. First they depersonlise, then they blame, then they kill.

The statue is to commemorate the Kindertransport, the time the United Kingdom opened its doors to the children and took in 10,000. 10,000 is one sixth of one percent of 6,000,000.

No, it's not the Eiffel Tower's love child, it is the Crystal Palace TV transmitter which provides a TV signal to 11 million people. whoever built it didn't have the vision to add a viewing platform. I like the bird.

Outside the British Museum

A London street scene.

The Royal Courts of Justice

Justice must be seen to be done, which is why anybody can walk in to any court, any day. On open days, you can take your camera in as well. The Royal Courts of Justice is where civil cases are heard (and the criminal court of appeal).The court notices summarise people's lives, hopes and fears in a couple of lines.

HMS Belfast

This is the silver ship's bell on HMS Belfast, the warship now tied up in the heart of London. What you can't see in the photos, are the names of hte children of serving officers who were christened on board, using the upturned bell as a font.

The Globe Theatre

Shakespeare's Globe Theatre should be on everyone's "must see" list. There is something quite special about watching the plays as they might have been four hundred years ago. and you rapidly realise - if you hadn't before - that they didn't have aeroplanes 400 years ago. "The Globe Theatre" is also the answer to the trivia question - "Name a timbered, thatched building in the centre of London".

Arteillery Row Bakery

These lovely cameo are all that remains from a bakery that was built soon after the first war. You can't see it, but inside, the floors used to slope to help the movement of flour. There used to be pictures of it being built hanging inside, but they too have gone.

Inside an Institution

A couple of days ago I was privileged to visit the new BBC centre. It's a fantastic building, but you are told to keep moving because you never know if you are on camera.

Whittington Gardens

Yesterday's statue comes from Whittington Gardens, a postage stamp sized green place just off Lower Thames Street. The statues (there are two) are a little disturbing at first, but actually quite dynamic. Sit and contemplate a water feature if you'd like to relax.

The Hooded Horseman

This is a fairly new addition to London's streetscene, I wonder if anyone recognises where it is? A cat here might be a clue.

A Minty Bit Longer!

UK readers will no doubt remember the slogan, "Trebor mints are a minty bit stronger", but all the East End factories, including this one in Katherine Road closed down long ago. The Trebor brand (Robert, backwards) was sold off in the 80's. Read the history (including when a policeman got a candy coating) here.

A Different Departure

Departure is a community arts centre in the Commercial Road, East London. That little bit too far east to be trendy, I've hardly ever seen anyone in it. But seeing as how it always looks inviting, and has been there for years, I reckon that's my loss.

Out Hunting

Hyde Park used to be the monarch's hunting ground, and this group by Princes Gate seems to echo that. But, who is hunting who or what I would not like to guess.

Obsession with detail

This is one small section of the carving on a pillar in the V&A museum's west wall - one that most people will walk past without stopping. Personally, I'd recommend you took as much time over this as you might over some of the exhibits inside, it is rather fantastic.

This is Rubbish

Those stacks of containers don't contain shiny consumer goods, it's west London's rubbish being shipped downriver for treatment - recycling and landfill.

The End of the World As We Know It

I wonder how many cities have a location called "World's End"? It hasn't yet, anyway, which is reassuring.

I love Markets

I Love Markets is not only a true statement, but an organisation seeking to promote markets right across London. At the moment there is a photo contest open to all https://www.ilovemarkets.com/london/photocontest.

Squeezing Catholics

Or, to be exact, squeezing the Roman Catholic Church of English Martyrs. Sat in Prescott Street in the East End, it sits uncomfortably cheek by jowl with some rather unlovely buildings; this is a Pugin masterpiece.

No, you have him!

This "Modern Sculpture" just south of Battersea Bridge looks like nothing else to me but that the kid is being lobbed by the mum, and dad may or may not catch. I was amused to find that the imbalance is caused by a missing bird, to which the child is stretching out his arms. I was further amused to learn that "the piece is meant to represent unity between the people of London", I suppose that someone has to pick up the pieces.

The Forum

A funny thing happened on the way to the Forum, it changed its name to the Cineworld Fulham Road. Not quite the same ring to it, eh? Still a grand building though.

Grade 1 Listed

The 18th Century St Mary's Church in Battersea is a Grade listed building, for obvious reasons. Local history goes back to AD 700, when Battersea contained "45 villagers and 16 smallholders with 14 ploughs and eight slaves, seven mills and woodland enough to pasture fifty pigs". You can read the local history here.

On the Shoe Line

I'm sure you will have seen pairs of shoes for whatever reason, flung onto high phone lines or the like. I can see some sort of challenge in that, but this? I dunno, at lease they get washed.

Barge Life

As you walk along the Thames path, you will come across many houseboats of varying sizes and degrees of comfort. I have to say I understand the appeal of each of them.

The Heliport

After the recent tragedy with the helicopter crashing into a building, I thought it would be interesting to show you the heliport, how small and accessible it is. The building on the left is a hotel.

Atomic Advertising

This is the view southwards off Wansdsworth Bridge. I can't make up my mind whether the advertising hoarding improves the view, it's one of those places that would have been lovely as rolling green grass, but is entirely desolate as multi lane roads in a nearly human free void.

A Reminder

A reminder that the boat race is the longest continuously run sporting event in the world (since 1829)can be found on the Thames Path. Sorry it doesn't photograph very well.

Putney Bridge

Which is where the Oxford Cambridge boat race starts from each year. I suppose it is sensible it isn't in either Oxford or Cambridge when you think about it.

Living & Giving

By the time you get to Fulham, you get a better class of charity shop. In fact, it's no longer even called a charity shop....

Out Clubbing

The Constitutional Clubs were affiliated to the Conservative political party, as disticnct from Conservative Working Mens' Clubs; places for men to go to drink and play. South Fulham Constitutional Club closed in 2006 and is now a residential development.

Empty Streets

It is worth going to The Mall over teh weekend, if only to experience the absence of traffic.

Irony

The Eastern Dispensary - founded 1782, erected 1858, supported by voluntary contributions - is now a bar, supported by voluntary contributions.

Oh yes, that's another building going up in the background.

Because We Can

This is one of the latest crop of skyscrapers springing up around London, seemingly designed eccentrically because they can. Time will tell whether the novelty will hold any lasting architectural value, I suspect we will look back on these as slightly embarrassing examples of the genre.

Maybe not. You can read more about this building - "The Walkie Talkie" - and its rooftop garden here.

The Re-Work Continues

The Olympic ground from the top of Stratford multi story car park shows how the structures are changing: the aquatic centre has lost its water wings and the stadium has lost its coat. The backdrop of the city skyline is a bonus.

Holy Roads, Batman!

If you ever wondered what is likely to happen were there to be a major water main burst in the middle of Regent Street, you need wonder no more. I am sure glad I don't have to worry about driving in London at the moment.

City Point

I'm off taking new photos today, I'll leave you with a photo the refurbished entry to City Point and a number of near useless facts.

The building was built in 1967 as Brittanic House, a 122m (399ft) headquarters for British Petroleum. An extensive refurbishment, designed by Sheppard Robson International and completed in 2000, increased the floorplates and added height to the top floor. Britannic House was then renamed CityPoint.

CityPoint is the City of London's largest commercial office building in terms of rentable floorspace.

CityPoint was the City of London's second tallest building upon completion in 2000, but was overtaken in 2002 by the 179.8m (590ft) 30 St Mary Axe.

The original design proposed by Santiago Calatrava included an enormous fin on top of the building that would have taken the height to 203m (666ft), but this plan was rejected because of fears it would spoil views of St. Paul's Cathedral.

Outside Poppies Diner

Poppies in Cable Street, near the Tower of London, has been serving in London for nearly 70 years, I'm not sure that it has always had the Diner setup, but it is none the worse for that. If you are visiting the Tower, this would be one of my recommendations for where to eat.

A Thames Barge

This girl was 100 years old in 2003, you can read more about her here.