Busy

It's been a wee while since I posted a picture.  Where do the days go, so busy, must do better.  A glimpse of other busy people hurrying about there business.  A view from the Tate viewing platform.

The Cheshire Cat

Remember the cat in Alice in Wonderland?  Who often recited the first verse of the Jabbertwocky poem

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves 

      Did gyre and gimble in the wabe: 

All mimsy were the borogoves, 

      And the mome raths outgrabe.

The Queen of Hearts, rabbit and the bottle were also spotted tripping around the streets.  Ah summer promises to be fun with lots to entertain us.

Golden Glow

Sometimes it is a waiting game until the right person walks into the small shaft of light that brightens up the scene.

The Warrior

A Roman Warrior, an historic church, and a modern glass tower, only in London would all this sit side by side.  The site occupied by Southwark Cathedral has always been a place of worship, prior to the earliest Christian church in the seventh century, there is evidence to show Roman pagan worship took place here.

Now there is a monument in honour of the religion of money, the towering Shard with its exclusive hotel and expensive viewing platform has taken over from the Bishops who managed the brothels along the waterfront in the middle ages.

The Courtyard

The courtyard that passes through the sanctuary of St Guy's Hospital.

After Hours

The market late at night when all the stalls are closed and packed away for another day.

Blue Sky

The sky on Monday was so very very blue, no plane trails, no clouds, a rare event in London.

Shadows and Light

A street view from the wonderful viewing deck of the Tate Modern.

Cityscape

A view of the Shard and Southwark bridge from the city side of the river.

The Chocolate Factory

Imagine the smells that must have filled the air back in the 1800's when this was the French Menier chocolate factory.  Following years of being a derelict building it began its new life in 2004 as a theatre and art gallery.

As part of the continuing development of the area a whole new development is currently being undertaken next door.  To be known as Flat Iron square, it promises restaurants, music and entertainment venues

Now and Then

The old fire station showing images of the transport from a bygone era.  Now we run and cycle.

The Entertainer

Enjoying the music.

The Measure of Success

You are visiting London and want me to show you the sites.  I just know you wouldn't be interested in a 150 year old pub with a history and tales to tell.  I just know you would rather this corner was a glass tower with a Starbucks at ground level and loads of offices and apartments above it, that's why you've travelled half way around the world, right?  I know you'd be impressed with how much money the developer has made in the past couple of years right?  Isn't that the measure of success?

The Pub sells Pieminister pies (a successful company based in Bristol that uses locally produced ingredients), they are proud of their selection of real ales, craft beers, lagers, single malts and selection of wines. It's a live music venue with an in-house-label for regulars with their CD's on sale at the bar.  Locals, both the hipster type, and the regular oldies rub shoulders here over their preferred tipple.  (Charles Dickens lodged just up the road as a child).  The owner of the building is a company registered in an off-shore tax haven - isn't that a measure of success?

Locals want to keep their pub just as it is.  They won the battle to prevent the demolition of the pub.  However now the pub has been advised of the new rent increase that takes effect in October, it will mean the pub has to close.  That's OK though as the landlord will get more rent from the new tenant.  Isn't that a measure of success?

Oscar Wilde said "people know the price of everything and the value of nothing".

This Saturday supporters will do a pub crawl around other threatened pubs and end up here at the Gladstone pub.  Why don't you join them.

The Garden Wall

The entrance to the Redcross community garden.

The Intersection

Traffic Control (so reads the sign), but does it apply to the train?

More than a Rock

When the first settlers arrived in New England (USA) they weren't prepared for the harsh reality of the environment or the locals.  These strangers were welcomed by the chieftain of the Mohegan tribe, Mohomet Weyonomon.  He helped them survive the harsh winters and to repel Indian attacks from other tribes.

The new settlers showed their gratitude by stealing the tribes hunting and planting land. It reached such proportions that in 1735 Mahomomet and three supporters sailed to England to petition King George II for the return of their lands.  While waiting to see the king The Indian chieftain contracted smallpox and died.  He was buried in an unmarked grave. (and as we know the lands were never returned!)

Not forgotten by his descendants the Mohegan tribe requested a proper memorial and ceremony for their past chief.  This stone comes from Mohegan lands and carved with forms that reflect ancient customs.  In the grounds of Southwark Cathedral the stone was unveiled on 2006 by Queen Elizabeth II and and accompnaied by a traditional funeral ceremony conducted by members of the Mohegan tribe.  

Sunshine

Strolling and cycling in the sunshine, a welcome return after a couple of weeks of cold and grey skies.

The Recital

He entertained the diners with his prose.

The Selfie

A perfect backdrop for selfie fans.

The Hop Exchange

Proof of the importance of beer.  The Hop exchange building was built in 1867, originally with a glass roof to enable the trading of hops to be conducted under natural light.  Southwark was for a very long time the area known for hops, breweries and coaching inns. The hops were grown in nearby Kent and right up until the 1960's locals, often entire families, would take a working holiday each Autumn picking the bines.

Most of the warehouses and other buildings in the area were destroyed during the second world war, the hop exchange was the grandest building in Southwark to survive.  Although not entirely in its original form.  Unfortunately due to a fire in 1920 the top two floors were removed and the remainder of the building was converted into offices.