D and I have returned from a Christmas present trip to London. London snowbound and prettier for it, but harder to get around. In fact, one day we spent most of our time in a pub in Hoxton with friends, watching the snow blanket the streets. I’m still weary from our long train journey back up, and from walking on the icy streets, and seeing so much and so much. Lots of photos to share, so this will probably be a two parter. The first thing we did after dropping off our bag was to head to the familiar but wonderful British Museum to see all the lovely bought, looted, relics of Empires old and modern:
The Rosetta Stone
The Elgin Marbles from the Parthenon
Ancient Egyptian Ram God resting his head on a king
Beyond the Museum, D and I wandered the cold streets taking in the distinctive architecture:
The colourfully named The Hung, Drawn and Quartered Pub
A street south of the river, with the ghostly Shard Building above
The Shard at night
One of the running discussions of our trip was the Shard building itself, which we saw every morning and every evening as we walked back to our hotel. It’s probably been said elsewhere, but whoever designed that building was clearly going for ‘evil megacorp lair and/or inter-dimensional space portal’. It looms, it glows malevolently at the heavens.
But aside from awe-inspiring solitary buildings, the city as a whole impresses upon the viewer with its hard, dull edge. It’s a city worn into shape over hundreds and hundreds of years. Londinium. In the right light, it itself glows in its own gloom.
Northwards across the Thames, with the Tower of London to the right
More to follow, when I’ve recovered a little more.
“Londinium…glows in its own gloom.” Very nice, Helen….
Northwest across the Thames–a beautiful, beautiful shot! Here on Canada’s west coast Shietree is in my inbox and read over breakfast. A wonderful way to start the day.
Love your descriptions, Helen. And your last image is exceptional, exemplifying “Londinium” wonderfully.