Monday 4 March 2013

Back from the Smoke

Afternoon all. I've just finished a class on Evelyn Waugh's Vile Bodies, which is appropriate because I spent the weekend partying with family and friends. It was my nephew's christening so it was off to That London, staying with my old university friend Adam and Katie his wife. We dined and drank to excess, then had a day of proper tourism: up the London Eye, a walk along the South Bank, then more gustatory pleasures. On the Sunday it was off to beautiful Greenwich for the christening, conducted at a  Catholic church which was both Happy and Clappy. The guitars were only drowned out by the unruly children and the dog someone brought to Mass: it seemed to enjoy the music even less than I did…

So - a few photos taken along the Thames. I won't bore you with the family portraits, but the whole set is here. Otherwise, click these to enlarge.

I wanted to go up the Shard to do some photography but it's booked up for months

St. Paul's illuminated in a shaft of sunlight. God smiles on photographers.

Curiously enough, Adam gave me a V for Vendetta Guy Fawkes costume that very evening!


We saw these parkour kids on the Thames 'beach' so I fired off a few shots

On the roof of the old GLC County Hall: one of the best views in the world.


Beautifully lit, and spotted by my companions. No doubt some urban evangelical will nick this for the cover of a patronising street bible.

The book stalls on the South Bank. One of my favourite places. 



This child stole my lens cap!

Another shot of the book stalls.

2 comments:

Artog said...

You get a surprisingly good view of the Shard from Richmond Park. It looks exactly the kind of thing I expect our alien overlords will construct when they finally reveal themselves.

The Plashing Vole said...

I object to the Shard architecturally and ideologically too. But the view from it must be great.