He Placed the River in Chains

Joseph Bazalgette had an honourable mention a few days ago, with the Greenway, here he is commemorated on the site of part of his greatest remodelling achievement, The Embankment. Caroline's Miscellany has a good summary of what he achieved.

Notting Hill Carnival

 

London's Notting Hill Carnival was held over the last weekend. I know I wasn't there, but eagle-eyed exif watchers will already have noticed that photos over recent days are shall we say, not the freshest. This photo, although two years old is at least topical. After my three weeks away (and two weeks back but stinking busy) I have a severe image shortage to attend to over the coming days.

Underneath the Arches

This is another of the arches left over from London Bridge when it was demolished in 1835. Unlike the one in Guy's Hospital, this one in the middle of Victoria Park has a much less solubrious area to contend with. All in all, I'd say that it has got off quite lightly. How they came to decide on leaving it here, in the middle of nowhere, is a mystery.

The inscription on this one reads: "This alcove which stood on old London Bridge was presented to her Majesty by Benjamin Dixon Esq for the use of the public and was placed here ... in 1860"

September Theme Day - Big

The theme this month is "Big", and I confess I didn't want to just do a picture of something big. Also,much as though I've always thought of London as a big city, having spent time recently in China, with cities of 20 million people, London doesn't seem that big any more.

So, what is it that is so big about London? I thought long and hard, and then it came to me: London's influence over the rest of the United Kingdom. Look at the road map, London sits like a great spider, with its web reaching evrey corner of the country. Just about every town has a "London Road" - here we are in Alton (where I spent the weekend), still it has a London Road. Even Edinburgh and Glasgow have a "London Road".

See how others around the world interpret the theme "big", Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Not all ideas work

There is a reclining statue in the Broadgate Centre behind Liverpool Street Station, a kind passerby was kind enough to play along with my idea to mimic the shape. Didn't work as well as I'd hoped.

I'm off for the weekend, back soon

Stuff as Art

They're only steel reinforcing rods on a building site, but it's often worth looking at the ordinary with new eyes.

I'm off for the weekend, back soon

London's Pigeons

Two birds on a perch. One says to the other, "Can you smell fish?"

And don't forget London's main manpigeon

(off for the weekend, back soon)

A Very Fine Cat

I don't think I've ever shown you Hodge, Samuel Johnson's cat (or a 1997 interpretation of the same). You can find him in Gough Square, by Johnson's House, one of London's most curious places. He sits on Johnsons' dictionary, with the oysters fed him by Johnson, according to Boswell.

Even the cat seems to echo Johnson's famous addage: When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.

A taxing Photo

Somerset House is one of London's grander projects, you can read it's (rather lengthy) history here. This part of the building for the Inland Revenue was finished in 1856, and I've long been trying to think of an alternative but representative way to photograph it but not got there yet. My two previous Somerset House photos still leave room for more exploration.

Condor, London

Condor is a low volume, classic, bike manufacturer associated with London for over 60 years, the bike messengers' steed of choice. The current fad for single speed and fixed wheel bikes may well have done them some good. Me? I like the elegant simplicity of a fixie like this, but I have too much respect for my ageing knees to ride one.

And, while I would never condone the behaviour in this video of a bike race, there is a part of me that's gladdened by the anarchic spirit. I wonder if I'll feel the same way after the Climate Camp of the next few days?

The Liberty of Norton Folgate

For years I've been struggling to find a way to photograph Norton Folgate. It does have a fascinating history however it was a singularly bleak and unineteresting place to photograph, and I was hoping for inspiration one day. But then along came Suggs and Madness, and now everyone knows about Norton Folgate, but you probably haven't seen it. Fixed that, now.

Posiedon

Posiedon is obviously Old Father Thames first cousin, but he also looks realted to the Green Man - far more interesting and tapping into some part of common consciousness that we don't often recognise. I've come across a site that catalogues the Green Man in London (sure it was a fairly famous singer/performer's site). I'll see if I can dig it up. The location is Triton Court in Finsbury Square.

You Are Nicked

I don't know whether it is an element of schadenfreude or plain curiosity that make police activity fascinating, especially when you are standin where you can't get involved. Here, London's finest, including armed officers, are taking a close interest in three individuals. I didn't hang around to find out what happens next.

Streetlife

The amount of effort these guys put into learning how to skateboard, I can't help thinking, "If they could only channel that into something useful....." I must be getting old.

Not Fighting but Dancing

This show is part of the Mayor of London's "One Magic Summer", started on Thursay an running to the end of August. Trafalgar Square plays host to free deckchairs and shows. This dance troupe seemed to be working around the theme of ambiguity, the way we all pass by make assumptions and interact with others. Nice idea, but the reality seems to underline the difference between the present incumbent and the previous - this is all being done on the cheap. Some would argue that's a good thing.

Belated Driftwood

This wooden construct called Driftwood was in Bedford Square, I took this photo before I went away. Unfortunately it appears that it's gone, now. Sorry! Here's teh Londonist article on the same.

Back from China

Hi everyone, I'm back from China - in body if not entirely in spirit or time zone. As every, I want to post a holiday snap but it was tough choosing one out of 3,000 - even if another 400 got stolen along with my camera. But then I thought - elephant! This one is one of a pair in the north gate of the Forbidden Palace in Beijing. So, a tenuous London connection.

I'll get around to reading and replying to any of your comments over the next few days.

I want to write up my experiences and document some of the photos, so I have started another (!!) blog http://china-remembered.blogspot.com/.

Whitechapel Gallery

This weathervane is on top of the newly refurbished Whitechapel Gallery. There were plans to put a weathervane on top of the original building -it's taken over 100 years to realise that. The figure is, I believe, Erasmus and the artist is a Canadian, Rodney Graham.


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Paternoster Heads

One of the oddest features of the Paternoster development are these neo-classical heads on pillars. I didn't think I liked them to start with but they are growing on me.


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Paternoster Square

Paternoster Square by St Pauls arose out of the demolition of the shockingly awful 60's block that stood on the space - Prince Charles' original "Carbuncle on the face of an old friend". Whatever you think of the Prince Charles, if you remember the desolation that was there, this is so much better.



I'm away for a few weeks, daily photos will continue to appear courtesy of Blogger's automated feature - as long as it is working.