Ally Pally

Tremendous weather in London the last few days. All of London was taking advantage of it, including these folks at the People's Palace, Ally Pally.

hole in the city

Construction is a common sight in London. Much of it will be finished for the Olympics, though this giant hole in the middle of the financial district looks like it's got a while longer to go.

sunny sunday at mol

Nothing like a sunny Sunday at Museum of London to make you fall in love with the city all over again. (Because in all the rain and cloud we usually get, I sometimes forget how truly beautiful the city can be in the sun.)

Jubilee rising

The Queen's Diamond Jubilee is coming up in a matter of weeks and the city is getting decked out. Most of the major tourist thoroughfares are covered in bunting or Union Jacks. Here we see how it's achieved in Covent Garden.

red barge

I like visiting the Docklands in the southeast every once in a while. It's so different from the rest of the city, it's almost like being on holiday.

foggy shard

See the Shard...?

And don't be fooled by this shot of Docklands. It's bright sunshine outside right now.

St Paul's YHA

One of my favourite things to do on the weekends is wander around the City, the central business district of London. It's mostly offices, plus some landmarks like St. Paul's Cathedral and the Bank of England. Because it's a place where people tend to work rather than live, on the weekends it can get very quiet and peaceful, especially in the side streets.

Last weekend I ran across this stunning building right near St. Paul's. From the Latin inscription along the top, it looks like it might have had some function related to the Cathedral in the past. Now it's the local youth hostel!

gnomes welcome you

Noticed these funny little faces above the windows and doors of these houses in Archway. It went on for a block or so. They're a bit like little porcelain gnomes and they made me chuckle quietly to myself.

shard with a top!

I can see the Shard! And it's almost finished!

men (not) at work

Deserted work site. I love capturing this little still lifes throughout the city. It makes London somehow feel smaller or more personal.

muscly soviet man

Public art designed by the 'People's Artist of the USSR'.

reflections

Reflections!

hydrogen bus

Hydrogen bus! I couldn't help but think of the Hindenburg...

st dunstan part 3

St Dunstan from another angle. Always remember to look up.

st dunstan part 2

I've posted about St Dunstan in the East before, a bombed-out church that's been turned into a park. I imagine it's packed with office workers having their lunches during the week, but on the weekend it's a calm oasis in the middle of this metropolis.