Merry Xmas

    Have a lovely Xmas wherever you are

The Final touches to the Corn Queen

She is truly magnificent this year, the Corn Queen's final touches are applied before the big day.  Apple festival at Borough Market last weekend, a celebration melding both Christian and Pagan traditions.

The event kicked of with the Harvest Thanksgiving service conducted by Southwark Cathedral and  accompanied by the Market's choir.

In true British fashion we were then treated to the quirky festivities probably adapted from past Pagan  rites.  The Green Man and Apple Queen led the procession into the market.

This is the Corn Queen's big moment, centre of the parade she trundles along in her trolley waving to the crowds. Flag waving, bell ringing and a bit of dancing they travel from Bankside to the market.

The afternoon is filled with story telling, conker fights, Morris Dancing (this has to be one of the quirkiest dances ever invented) and of course lots of apple tastings and cider drinking.

Splash

Boys, water, summer, equals fun.

Waiting

It's a waiting game.

Girl's Voices

A new generation of young women fighting the same old battles.  

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 Station

An ever changing station and surrounding area in the Paddington basin.

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.

St Paul's in the City

A different view of an iconic London building.

The Delightful Indira

Please pop over here to read the story of Indira and Marimuthu.

The Orange Street Corner

A colour co-ordinated street corner.

Stormy Night

Between showers.

Under the Bridge

Framing the view under Blackfriars Bridge

Please Sir, I want some more!

Charles Dickens and his family moved a lot depending on their circumstances.  A couple of times he lived in this charming Georgian house in Fitzrovia, just a few yards from the Workhouse.

It is believed that some of the characters in Oliver Twist were based on those from the workhouse. There apparently was even a shopkeeper in the street with the name Bill Sykes!

Those that are asking for more now however are not poor working lads but rather developers who wish to pull down the Georgian buildings and build modern expensive apartments that sell for a couple of million.

Dickens fans, historians, local community groups and lots of other Londoners have been trying to save the historic buildings and character of the area.  What has been achieved is that the workhouse building has managed to get a heritage order placed on it.  Everything around it however will be demolished and a high rise apartment building will go up behind it.  The developers plan to gut the workhouse and create luxury apartments inside the facade.

To view the application and leave comments you still have a couple more days to have your say.
For details and links visit here.

the workhouse

City Fashion

Another response to that question I was asked "what are people wearing in London?"  A mixture of tourists and those heading into the city.  A mixture of casual and formal.