London: I Live Here - 25-26 June 02

London: I Live Here
25-26 June 2002

Location
Central London including Chinatown, Leicester Square, Buckingham Palace and the Wellington Arch.

Weather

Cloudy on the first day, sunny and warm on the second.

Click on the images to see larger versions.

The first time I strolled through China Town in London, I was surprised at just how Chinese the place is. Here's a decorative sigil on the wall of a restaurant. The camera in the lower right is typical London, though.

Dragons bring good luck so they are numerous in China Town. Here two golden ones face each other above the sign for another restaurant.

Another restaurant dragon. This one is frolicking in the clouds.

The last dragon for the day also represents a restaurant. This one looks like it's nearsighted and doesn't really know where it's going.

Dragons are not the only creatures used to market restaurants in China Town. This is a fearsome marble dog.

China Town isn't just restaurants. There are also banks, complete with bilingual signs.

The colourful piles of fruit and vegetables can take your breath away. This photo really shows off the "Sony colours" in all their beauty. The same motif would have looked completely washed out with my old camera.

And there are some things that I'm not sure I'd buy. The things that look like conkers on steroids are durians from Tailand.

Once on Picadilly Circus, there is an abrupt change of culture. Eros is taking aim high up in the air.

I thought the juxtaposition between Eros and the John Lennon quote was meaningful.

One last look at the bronze boy with the bow.

This is Cecil Court, off Charing Cross Road. Watkins Metaphysical Bookshop is on the right.

Several Odeon cinemas vie for customers on Leicester Square. This one is obviously showing Spider Man.

A more sedate portrait of an actor. This is Henry Irving, the first actor in British history to receive a knightood.

Fearing that this page would look too much like a tourist brochure, I included this image of a typical, unattractive gate into a cramped backyard. Note that you cannot use the pedestrian gate if you can't deal with steps and the white paint on the right wall that has been used to paint over graffitti. I won't describe the smell.

A much nicer photo. The building in the background is the Bank of England. The street is Long Acre just by the Covent Garden tube station. Marks & Sparks with its excellent food hall is to my left.

Stanford's map and travel book shop on Long Acre is a place of pilgrimage for people who enjoy travelling whether their preferred mode of transportation is by foot, air, sea, car or armchair. Sadly, their web site leaves a lot to be desired.

Looking down St. Martin's Lane towards St. Martin's-in-the-Fields.

The many parks in London are a welcome relief from the concrete, stone and brick everywhere. This is Green Park, living up to its name.

The gates to Green Park, facing Buckingham Palace are magnificent.

The lamps in Green Park are still lit by gas.

Outside Buckingham Palace there was a small forest of flagstaffs like this one. I guess it's because of the jubilee.

The streetlighting outside Buckingham Palace alludes to the time when Britain was a great sea-faring nation.

And then there is the giant gilded sculpture of Victory personified. Some might find this gaudy and ostentatious. Then again, if you can't put a grand, patriotic, maybe even jingoistic statue in gold in front of the royal palace, where you can you put it?

A much more subdued image. This is one of the guards outside the palace. They stand inside the giant fence so I'm not sure what good they do guarding.

Britain lays claim to the unicorn as a national symbol. I just hope not all unicorns frighten this easily.

Near Wellington Arch there was a signpost for pedestrians. There are lots of these around the central parts of London. I was heading through Wellington Arch to Hyde Park Corner tube station.

Having just passed through the arch, I got this view of a very determined-looking lady and her four horses. They look pretty wild to me.

The whole arch was hard to photograph because of the contrast between the light stone and the dark quadriga on top.

I end on a somber note with this sculpture of one of the many British men killed in what was called "The Great War" until there was another.

Location	Central London including Chinatown, Leicester Square, Buckingham Palace and the Wellington Arch.

Weather	Cloudy on the first day, sunny and warm on the second.

Click on the images to see larger versions.

	The first time I strolled through China Town in London, I was surprised at just how Chinese the place is. Here's a decorative sigil on the wall of a restaurant. The camera in the lower right is typical London, though.

Dragons bring good luck so they are numerous in China Town. Here two golden ones face each other above the sign for another restaurant.

	Another restaurant dragon. This one is frolicking in the clouds.

The last dragon for the day also represents a restaurant. This one looks like it's nearsighted and doesn't really know where it's going.

	Dragons are not the only creatures used to market restaurants in China Town. This is a fearsome marble dog.

China Town isn't just restaurants. There are also banks, complete with bilingual signs.

	The colourful piles of fruit and vegetables can take your breath away. This photo really shows off the "Sony colours" in all their beauty. The same motif would have looked completely washed out with my old camera.

And there are some things that I'm not sure I'd buy. The things that look like conkers on steroids are durians from Tailand.

	Once on Picadilly Circus, there is an abrupt change of culture. Eros is taking aim high up in the air.

I thought the juxtaposition between Eros and the John Lennon quote was meaningful.

	One last look at the bronze boy with the bow.

This is Cecil Court, off Charing Cross Road. Watkins Metaphysical Bookshop is on the right.

	Several Odeon cinemas vie for customers on Leicester Square. This one is obviously showing Spider Man.

A more sedate portrait of an actor. This is Henry Irving, the first actor in British history to receive a knightood.

	Fearing that this page would look too much like a tourist brochure, I included this image of a typical, unattractive gate into a cramped backyard. Note that you cannot use the pedestrian gate if you can't deal with steps and the white paint on the right wall that has been used to paint over graffitti. I won't describe the smell.

A much nicer photo. The building in the background is the Bank of England. The street is Long Acre just by the Covent Garden tube station. Marks & Sparks with its excellent food hall is to my left.

	Stanford's map and travel book shop on Long Acre is a place of pilgrimage for people who enjoy travelling whether their preferred mode of transportation is by foot, air, sea, car or armchair. Sadly, their web site leaves a lot to be desired.

Looking down St. Martin's Lane towards St. Martin's-in-the-Fields.

	The many parks in London are a welcome relief from the concrete, stone and brick everywhere. This is Green Park, living up to its name.

The gates to Green Park, facing Buckingham Palace are magnificent.

	The lamps in Green Park are still lit by gas.

Outside Buckingham Palace there was a small forest of flagstaffs like this one. I guess it's because of the jubilee.

	The streetlighting outside Buckingham Palace alludes to the time when Britain was a great sea-faring nation.

And then there is the giant gilded sculpture of Victory personified. Some might find this gaudy and ostentatious. Then again, if you can't put a grand, patriotic, maybe even jingoistic statue in gold in front of the royal palace, where you can you put it?

	A much more subdued image. This is one of the guards outside the palace. They stand inside the giant fence so I'm not sure what good they do guarding.

Britain lays claim to the unicorn as a national symbol. I just hope not all unicorns frighten this easily.

	Near Wellington Arch there was a signpost for pedestrians. There are lots of these around the central parts of London. I was heading through Wellington Arch to Hyde Park Corner tube station.

Having just passed through the arch, I got this view of a very determined-looking lady and her four horses. They look pretty wild to me.

	The whole arch was hard to photograph because of the contrast between the light stone and the dark quadriga on top.

I end on a somber note with this sculpture of one of the many British men killed in what was called "The Great War" until there was another.