...and still the sun shone

I had a day off in London to do exactly what I wanted. I love walking and learning through my feet. The walking scale gives such an intimate view of a place. I walked to Kensington Gardens and the Serpentine gallery. I wanted to see the Peter Zumthor pavillion and the gardens by Piet Oudolf.

 I walked back through Hyde park and took myself for a splendid lunch.

South Ealing Station

Later that afternoon en route to Heathrow I changed tube trains at South Ealing. It is the most gorgeous example of Art Deco. It embodies that zeal for the new, the excitement of the Modern Age and the passion for travel.

Wales is not always wet...

The sun has shone upon me for three days, it is as if I have brought it with me. I began on Tuesday leaving wet London behind me for a day trip to Wales. When I arrived the coast of north Wales was bleached by sunlight. The white and palest pastel houses of Llandudno smiled towards the blue sea. The winter winds and the salt air eat those facades, it is better not too look too closely.

from the beach at Llandudno

 Far from the palm-framed promenade on the faint horizon a wind farm reflects the light, the blades continually rotating like crazed stick men animations.

the promenade

I visited the Mostyn gallery, originally begun by Lady Mostyn in 1901 to exhibit the work of women artists and now expanded into a even lovelier space by Dominic Williams.I'd seen it on television but it was better in reality.

a Monday afternoon

Sometimes it only needs a very little journey to change how I view the city I live in. Today was one of those trips: two hours in an electric boat (powered by green energy), motoring around the canals of the inner city. It was the first day of full sun for so long. Literally the perspective changes, being suddenly so much lower down in the water.

view from the boat

 

 

 

It was a Monday afternoon, it felt deliciously naughty to take the afternoon off on a working day. 

Seeing the familiar from a different angle makes it look new. This was pioneering when built and the rivets are still magnificent. It is much beloved amongst film location hunters and it forms the backdrop to several war movies. It was mechanized a few years ago so that the bridge men no longer have to crank it open. It still clunks satisfactorily as it moves and bounces gently when the bridge lands back in place after opening. It doesn't matter how long I live here, it always cheers me to see bridges and boats working together like this and I'll wait patiently for the road to open again.

along the Amstel

 This is the city as created for the tourists: lovely wood bridges edged with a lace of lightbulbs.