Skywatch Friday - A day at the Beach

Sun. Yes we had a day of sun. So we went to the seaside. A wonderful day at Brighton.

Don't forget to visit all the other skywatchers around the globe.

Heritage Wardens

I didn't know these guys even existed until the other day. However Heritage Wardens have been keeping us safe in Trafalgar Square since 2000. Apparently.

Cafe Seats

The latest seats around the outdoor eating places in Camden market.

Teamwork

I think I found one of the pianos that have been installed around the city for the summer festival, in its new life. Playing their own tunes happily together. If only we could all live like this.

Boys on Swing

Even a broken arm didn't slow these boys down

Dogs and their owners

Elegant women have small dogs, street people have large dogs, farmers have working dogs. What have you noticed about dogs and their owners?

Summer

Do not leave home without an umbrella.

Skywatch Friday - Regent's Park

According to the calendar it is summer. The sky, well yesterday was mostly this colour, occasionally dark black. Oh for bright blue skies.

Remember to visit skywatchers around the globe

Flirtation

Fancy a drink?

Hokey Tokey

Also known as hokey cokey, hokey pokey, cokey cokey. A lot of effort went into finding a name for this dance, performed, as I understand it, by most English speaking nations around the world. Is that right? Do you know it? Do you have a version in your country?

Actually these red stocking legs are on a more serious outing than that of a frivolous dance. They are pikemen and musketeers. Not a single mickey mouse in sight, these guys form part of the honourable artillery company that dates back to the 1500's. They are to be found leading parades for royalty or heads of state or as on this day, the Lord mayor.
No hokey tokey here.

Chatty Flowerpots

We have Royals who chat to trees and flower pots that chat and sing to us.
Whoever said the English were eccentric?

Tricks

The boys perform for one another. They spend hours practicing manoeuvres and competing.

Giant Cupcake

A perfect day for sweet tooth Londoners in Covent Garden.
Thanks to Angie for letting me know about the event.

Skywatch Friday - Steaming up the Thames

The 100 year old President is a lovingly restored steam engine canal boat. During its heyday a unique and fast way to transport goods by canal. Canal boats during that time were drawn by horse alongside the canal. Hence the tow-paths that we walk and cycle along now.
Here President is steaming up the Thames to part take in the Henley Regatta this weekend.

Remember to visit other skywatchers around the world

Cart Marking

Although only ceremonial now, the tradition of cart marking goes back to the 16th century. An early form of protectionism for the industry of carmen. The city granted them certain rights to enter the city and carry goods. In exchange the carmen kept the streets clean and charged reasonable rates.
Remember around medieval times sewerage was one of the biggest problems in the streets.

The ceremony now has a line up of 46 vehicles ranging from horse-drawn to modern electric and hybrid engine buses and trucks. Each coming to have their number branded on a wooden plaque attached to the vehicle. The branding is carried out by the Master Carman and the Lord Mayor of London.
The Master Glove Maker gets a look in presenting each of the 'branders' with a set of gloves to protect their hands during the process.

Mid Month Subway - We're British

At least twice a day millions race underground to these stylish bunkers where they pack themselves into these equally stylish pods in a manner befitting a tinned sardine. No eye contact, please don't talk. Best of all please don't expect to get anywhere on time. Weekends. I suggest you walk. Can you spot where the millions in refurbishment has been spent?

subway day is a mid-month theme shared by the following blogs:
Budapest - London - Paris - Stockholm - Sydney
and previously (where you can still see earlier posts) - New York City

Did I say you could sit there?

No clearly I didn't. Can't you see this is a boys area!

Bet you didn't expect to see us in London did you? Well it's all here. Our park is the biggest in London and hasn't changed much in centuries. Major achievement was convincing royalty to talk to trees instead of putting our headgear on their walls.

Play Me I'm Yours

Thirty pianos have been installed around the streets of London with 'play me I'm yours' written on them. Yesterday even the rain didn't deter players.
Such a brilliant idea. I've heard all sorts of music played. Strangers are chatting to one another, some dance and others sing. Their final day on the streets is today, then they will be donated to schools and community groups. Let's hope the magic continues.

Sheep Drive on London Bridge

The building of old London Bridge was completed in 1209. Yesterday the current London Bridge was closed to traffic to hold the 8ooth anniversary fayre.
Part of the festivities included a sheep drive. The origins go back to medieval times when the freemen were permitted to drive their sheep across the bridge bringing them into market without having to pay the toll.

Skywatch Friday - Flood Gates

Another view of the Thames Barrier gates taken in May and just a couple of days before their 25th anniversary. During that time the gates have been closed 410 times, 296 of those were for testing. That means 114 times London needed the protection from flooding.

Remember to visit other skywatchers around the world.

Joy of Life Fountain

Joy of life? Looks like impish trouble to me.
A fund set up by Constance, who was the then widow of artist Sigismund C H Goetze, paid for this and several other sculptures in London Parks.

Rain Hail and Thunder

Last night hundreds of Harry Potter fans braved the rain, hail and thunder to catch a glimpse of the stars at the premiere of the half-Blood Prince in Leicester Square.

Candyfloss

Summer just wouldn't be summer without candyfloss, cotton candy, spun sugar. What is it called where you come from?

Gay Pride 2009

More than half a million people partook and supported London's gay pride parade on Saturday.

Preparation for Guests

London is getting a makeover in time for the 2012 Olympics. This fountain at Marble Arch is one of the many to benefit from extensive work in recent weeks. Doubling as an impromptu swimming pool this week as temperatures in the city soar to mid 30's.

Headless

This 6 tonne sculpture by Nic Fiddian-Green appeared at Marble Arch a couple of weeks ago.

"Losing your head" is nowdays about falling in love. Once though it meant having it chopped off, a common practice in France.

The English liked their fun to last a little longer, so hanging was the preferred entertainment, sorry, form of justice here in London. This area was the location of the once infamous Tyburn Tree where some 50,000 executions took place. Afterwards the hangman would sell the rope for 6 pence an inch.

Skywatch Friday - Drop by Studio

Summer around London is exciting. So much is happening everywhere. For starters there is the City of London Festival. One of those events is this outdoor studio. Richard Tait an artist who specialises in London skylines has created the framework for a cityscape on the hoardings of the construction site next to St Pauls.

You are encouraged to draw a piece or add a bit of colour. Even I added a splodge of red. My talents in this area are less than nil but all you budding artists get down there and have a look and partake.

As always on Friday check out skywatchers from around the world.

Painting not your thing? Ok if you want to have a go at winning some tickets to a music festival in August I found this: http://blog.hostelbookers.com/competitions/london-festival-tickets/

Luke' s song

Luke asked for a bit of a promotion of his new song. Filmed around Camden, an area known for its market and trendy scene.
Enjoy

July Theme - Empty

The coffers are empty.
Here at Treasury the pot is more than empty. There is a shortfall of something like £17.5 billion.

No worries though Gordon (he's the unelected bloke in charge of the country at the moment) has got a few ideas to fix the problem. A big spend up next year, cos it's election year and to just print more of the stuff.

Meanwhile at the other end of this street lives Liz (she's the one who wears a crown every now and then), seems Gordon wont give her any of this printed stuff to fix up her house.

I figure that as we (that is you and I who pay a wee bit of the tax) seeing as we are in debt for the payout to the bankers of £19 each and Liz costs us a mere .69p each we should fix up her house. I also figured that if every tourist that visits her pad donated £3 each that would be enough to cover the amount she needs.

Otherwise it seems her purse is going to be empty in 2012.

That's my empty today. Visit all the other versions of empty here:
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