Tuesday, September 24, 2013

An East End Event


A relatively common sight in this part of London is a horse drawn funeral. For all the dignified spectacle, you can never stop wondering exactly what criminal had died (it's the aspirational end for all east end villains)

Sorry about the lack of daily reliability, will get back to it but I have been working from home a lot so not getting out much.

posted by Ham at 07:21 -- Comments here: 11

Monday, September 16, 2013

Local art

Many local boroughs in east London have planted bits of art in random places over the last couple of years. I assume that it is as a result of Olympics money sloshing about. Here we have a prime example planted by Redbridge in the desolate area over the north circular. All rather odd but a possible  improvement. I just hope they didn't spend much of our council tax on it.

So here's the deal. I have been quite surprised how much time I have had back over the last couple of months. I used to think blogging didn't take up that much time really - I was wrong. I am going to try to resurrect the blog but it will be very much day to day. If I find a picture or something to say I will post it, probably using my mobile phone, so I may have to play with the picture afterwards. I won't be building up a stock of pictures and if I'm not around there won't be a photo. Hopefully once I get used to the camera it will improve and the immediacy will compensate a bit for the lower quality images.

posted by Ham at 17:27 -- Comments here: 12

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Pub karaoke

There is something quintessentially naff about pub karaoke, but still endearing. The good, the bad, the ugly.

Am I back? Maybe. This time sightly differently. It's a smartphone. Let's see how it goes.

posted by Ham at 19:27 -- Comments here: 10

Monday, July 15, 2013

Admitting Defeat

After all these years, regrettably I'm going to have to admit that I don't have the time to maintain this blog as it needs to be, so I will call a temporary haitus. I hope to be back in September, we will have to see.

But for the moment, thanks to all those who have visited over the years.

posted by Ham at 17:42 -- Comments here: 46

Thursday, July 04, 2013

Another helping of gherkin



It has been a while since I've had a photo of the Gherkin.

posted by Ham at 00:02 -- Comments here: 2

Wednesday, July 03, 2013

Not quite abstract



And no, it's not a mahoosive bar of chocolate, but the handrail in one part of the Barbican centre.

posted by Ham at 00:02 -- Comments here: 0

Tuesday, July 02, 2013

Le Tour



We're into the third day of the Tour de France, this photo is from the last time (only time, so far) the Tour visited the UK back in 2007. This year, the race is wide open, anyone's guess who will win, I'd like to think Chris Froome might. Oh, and one thing I did learn from the last time they were here - a compact camera just isn't up to the job - whoooosh!

posted by Ham at 07:49 -- Comments here: 2

Monday, July 01, 2013

Abstract?



No, it's a pile of cafe chairs....

posted by Ham at 00:13 -- Comments here: 2

Sunday, June 30, 2013

Hills



We think of London as flat, with hills to the north and south, but the city was founded on two hills. Over the years they appear to have been flattened, but the view down from Percy Circus reminds you of how it was.

posted by Ham at 00:53 -- Comments here: 2

Saturday, June 29, 2013

Staying in the park...



...for some exercise. One of the remarkable things about London as a city is the sheer number and area of green spaces, even in the centre most of which are open to the public. This is Bloomsbury Square Gardens.

posted by Ham at 08:40 -- Comments here: 0

Friday, June 28, 2013

Parklife



I prefer the more chaotic planting to the formal regimented flower bed, but they are all glorious at the moment.

posted by Ham at 08:56 -- Comments here: 2

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Inside the British Library



The central hall over what used to be the Reading Room is a rather excellent piece of function architecture, and worth a visit for that alone. Of course, the British Museum does have unbelievable riches from all around the world, but this is good, too.

posted by Ham at 00:02 -- Comments here: 2

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

The Benefit of City Farms



Without city farms, like this one in Hackney, many children would never get closer to an animal than a picture book.

posted by Ham at 00:02 -- Comments here: 1

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

The Non Wobbly Bridge



It doesn't seem 13 years ago that the bridge had its first wobble, and the two years taken to fix it are long forgotten. It's just a part of London's landscape now.

posted by Ham at 00:02 -- Comments here: 4

Monday, June 24, 2013

The Eagle is Landing



You'le find this memorial to the Eagle Squadrons in Grosvenor Square. What were they? Three RAF Squadrons where US volunteer airmen served before the USA joined the war; 244 died, alongside 16 British.

posted by Ham at 07:03 -- Comments here: 0

Sunday, June 23, 2013

A Busy Thames



Time was when it was said you could walk across the Thames (or at least one of the docks) from boat to boat, these days it's the sightseeing boats more than anything. The eagle eyed among you will notice this is an old sklyine, I must go back to the same spot to see if it is better, worse or just different now.

posted by Ham at 10:05 -- Comments here: 0

Saturday, June 22, 2013

What made Eleanor Cross?



Probably that she was dead. The story of the twelve crosses was that they were erected by Kind Edward I in memory of his wife (conveniently called Eleanor) as they processed her body from Lincoln to London, at the end of the 13th Century. This one, at Charing Cross, is a Victorian "improved" replica, and is the point to which all distances to London are measured.

posted by Ham at 09:03 -- Comments here: 4

Friday, June 21, 2013

Cosmopolitan



We take for granted the way in London (and frankly, just about anywhere) you can get fresh food from anywhere around the world. Fresh fish is one thing you can't fake.

posted by Ham at 00:23 -- Comments here: 3

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Cricket Season



There is something odd about a game that can last for up to 5 days, but we understand it. Village green cricket is still alive and well, and yes his middle stump is just about to disappear.

posted by Ham at 00:02 -- Comments here: 1

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Bit of history



This shot of the canals at Bow predates the Olympic building project, it is all very different now.

posted by Ham at 09:18 -- Comments here: 0

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Service!



London has a large number of waterways, which often presents an issue of the services crossing over. Sometimes, they are hidden in bridges, sometimes not. East London is pretty much cut off from the rest of the city by the Lea and other canals. There are still only a handful of roads east west that cross a line drawn through Bow.

posted by Ham at 00:02 -- Comments here: 0

Monday, June 17, 2013

The Boss



London is probably the number one city to see anyone in performance, and Saturday I was fortunate to go to see Bruce Springsteen in the new Wembley Stadium. Three and a half hours solid made the stadium come to life, you can see the video I took of Jackson Cage here.

posted by Ham at 00:08 -- Comments here: 3

Friday, June 14, 2013

Cosmopolitan City



This line of give away paper bins outside Euston covers the lot: Russia, South Africa, Australia, Greece, Brazil, Spain ... the list goes on

posted by Ham at 00:00 -- Comments here: 0

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Magic in the Open Air (Theatre)



The Open Air Theatre in Regents Park is a truly magical venue, I was there last Saturday for To Kill a Mockingbird, a most excellent production that I would thoroughly recommend.

posted by Ham at 00:02 -- Comments here: 1

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

It had to happen....



"Authentic Street Art Tours" by a street artist. Alternatively, go for a walk around curtain Road, Hackney Road, Bethnal Green Road. Having said that, if he knows some of the artists it could be quite fun.

posted by Ham at 07:10 -- Comments here: 1

Monday, June 10, 2013

Put out more flags



It's nice to see the Coronation anniversary being celebrated in a fairly low-key manner - here's what Regent Street look like at the moment.

posted by Ham at 11:08 -- Comments here: 0

Sunday, June 09, 2013

London's Naked Bike Ride



Picture is from a couple of years back, when I was able to ride it. Unfortunately, yesterday apart from a brief 60km early in the morning I was car-bound and unable to join in. Not just car bound but continually stuck in traffic, as is so common in London these days. Looking at the mile after mile of near stationary traffic (it was the same the other side of the road) and the glum faces in the cars, it struck me that this one simple message - we CAN change this, one car ride at a time, we need to stop being dependent on oil - is one to take away from the ride. Not every journey is possible by bike - I was in a car, after all - but so many are.

posted by Ham at 08:13 -- Comments here: 4

Saturday, June 08, 2013

Hand Knitting



At Patricia Roberts, there are some very lovely things. Featured previously here, it is one of the perennial favourites on this site for search engine results.

posted by Ham at 13:04 -- Comments here: 0

Friday, June 07, 2013

Soho Alleys



People still live in Soho, and ever now and again the streetscape reminds you that is the case.

posted by Ham at 01:13 -- Comments here: 3

Thursday, June 06, 2013

Bridge the Gap



Probably about time for another Tower Bridge photo, this one letting you see just how much steel is involved.

posted by Ham at 00:29 -- Comments here: 2

Wednesday, June 05, 2013

Guy's Gates



The detail on the coat of arms on the gates to Guys Hospital is quite fascinating, I'm pretty sure that it is supposed to be three panthers with crowns, but they look like three old men to me, rather appropriate for the hospital.

posted by Ham at 07:51 -- Comments here: 0

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Name: Ham Location: London, United Kingdom View my complete profile






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