Lincoln's Inn Fields

Possibly the last snow shot, I did rather like Lincoln's Inn Fields in the snow.

Off skiing for a week, pictures will continue.

One New Change

This shot is from inside One New Change, a new shopping centre just by St Paul's. Attractive enough as a building, and good enough shops, but did we need another shopping centre?

Off skiing for a week, pictures will continue.

The North Wind Doth Blow....

Watching the open water freeze up and the water birds being forced together is strange. These birds are lucky, they are regularly fed by park visitors. I wonder how others manage to survive?

Off skiing for a week, pictures will continue.

Let's build a snowman or two

Lots to like about this, especially the way that you can build a story about what has happened here, with the rather artistic snow caryatids on the left, and what appears to be one by the younger children on the car bonnet.

Off skiing for a week, pictures will continue.

To Absent Friends

At this time of festivity, let's take a moment to remember absent friends. Cemetery photos can be quite bleak, but I think this one is a little warmer, as it is still remembered.

Off skiing for a week, pictures will continue.

A Very Fine Cat

This is Hodge, Samuel Johnson's cat immortalised in Gough Square and in festive mood, albeit a trifle cold. The bronze is complete with oysters, which Johnson used to feed his cat; at the time they were plentiful and the food of the poor.


Off skiing for a week, pictures will continue.

Ho Ho Ho, Happy Christmas

A very Happy Christmas to you all, may Santa bring you everything you wish for and the next year be a year of health, happiness and peace for all.

Off skiing for a week, pictures will continue.

London Undersnow

Due to the shortness of time and photos, the snow theme continues.

Light Entertainment

Coming up to Christmas there seems to be increasing competition for houses splashing lights all over, ending up with some rather tawdry displays. I quite like this one, though, from down my street.

Come in out the cold

The Princess Louise Pub in Holborn has to be high on the list of anyone looking for a decent place to partake of an ale or two. With a fabulous original Victorian interior, it has been recently restored to incorporate small wood and glass cubicles. What's more, the beer (Sam Smith's) is very cheap - £1.99 a pint.

St Brides in the Snow

The spire for St Brides was supposedly the inspiration for the first tiered wedding cake, it is one of those strange items of synchronicity that the church is called St Brides. It is a fascinating place, a triumph of Wren's artistry and (another?) one that can lay reasonable claim to being one of the earliest places of worship in London, quite a bit of info on their website. I would have liked to have returned to see it draped with snow like royal icing, but it wasn't to be.

It's Heavy, Man

Maybe you thought I was exaggerating yesterday, when I spoke of how heavy the snowfall was. This shot demonstrates it quite well, and lends an unearthly air to the statue for the Royal Fusiliers in High Holborn (Just outside the Prudential building.

The News From London

The news from London is that we are once again in the grip of icy cold weather and a more intense snowfall than most can remember. Rather Dickensian, I would say. Of course, it did have to happen on the first day for months I was out to take photos, so the haul is very limited.

A lesson for the learning

It is VERY cold and icy on the streets at the moment in London. This is what happens when you discover that too late, and the fire brigade have to cut you and your wife out of your car to get you to hospital. Please take care out there.

Hyde Park

There are bits of Hyde Park that don't feel like London at all. Here at the top end of the Serpentine at Long Water it is one of those.

A Gated Community

Holly Village in Highgate is an extraordinary gem. Built in 1865 for Baroness Angela Burdett-Coutts, the eight dwellings inside are all set around their own private green, and very nice it looks, too.If you examine the gargoyles and crenellations you will see more than the ordinary number of little critters; this reflected Baroness Coutts fondness for animals. before you get all sniffy, she went on to found the RSPCA amongst other things. Again with a name like Coutts, the banking family, you might be surprised to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angela_Burdett-Coutts,_1st_Baroness_Burdett-Coutts her life.Unusually, I read there are two for sale, so you could indulge yourself should it take your fancy. And, at under £1M must be a bargain for London.

Scooting up the Mile End Road

It's always nice to see old scooters on the road, these guys are heading out east, possibly to Epping Forest, a common haunt. Also interesting is the Ferodo bridge, one of many up and down the country. It would be interesting to know if they still pay for the privilege or they are kept on for old times' sake (or maybe nobody can be bothered to take them off)

Power Politics

The bridge and chess shop in Baker Street, is another of those interesting shops that London does so well. This is their Political Chess Set, in hand painted porcelain, details are here. So if you've always wanted to thrash George Dubya, or clasp Angela Merkel or Condoleezza Rice this may be just the Christmas present for you.

Street Art

In amongst the graffiti overload, there are little things that make me wonder, "What made you create this?" or even just, "what's the story?" But it's not important, you just move on.

Why don't we stay here a while?

A Greenfinch and two Goldfinch enjoying the catering chez Ham. The nice thing about the recent cold spell is that our garden comes alive with wildlife. Although it's London, regular visitors include these finches, blue, coal and great tits, chaffinch, wren, robin, goldcrest,starlings, wood pigeons, squirrels and my favourites, a pair of great spotted woodpeckers.