Tag: crowds

“I’m Going To Tell Him Off”

At lunchtime we drove to William Gilpin school at Pilley where, for the establishment’s Food Festival, we joined Elizabeth, Danni, Ella, Jack, Adam, Thea, and Jasper – my sister, niece, great niece, great nephew, nephew, niece-in-law, and great nephew respectively – although, as will be seen, respect didn’t really come into it for Ella.

This was a well-attended happy event in perfect sunny, yet temperate weather.

It was suggested that I might like to sit on a hay bale if I needed to rest my knees. I explained that, were I to do so, I would be unable to get up. Mind you, I would not have needed protection from the tiger from one of these seats.

Apart from the odd tree root this terrain was flat enough for me to wander around reasonably comfortably.

Because we had eaten toast at home before we left we felt no need to join the

lengthy queues for food, the most popular of which seemed to be for pizzas

and tacos.

Having arrived earlier, the younger families were happily fed.

Thea clutched a cardboard container

while Jasper and Ella climbed in and out of building bricks of large solid tyres.

Jack took everything in although he didn’t say much.

Did I mention the tiger?

Well, when I did decide I would like to sit down for a bit, I joined a group resting on a seat built around a large oak tree. I chose the highest section and chatted happily with the woman next to me, until I was approached by an artistically painted tiger who, stern-faced stated “I was sitting there”.

My neighbour explained to the fierce feline that “this gentleman needs to sit here”. This cut no ice so I shifted sideways. The tiger, having made her point, leaving the open space sat on the other side of me.

I then owned up to knowing that when this particular little big cat told you to do something you’d best comply, thus revealing my relationship to my great niece.

Sharing the amusement later I learned from Thea that Ella had pointed out that I was sitting in her place and, marching across from the tyre, stated “I’m going to tell him off”.

We all decamped to Elizabeth’s for a short while before Jackie and I returned home, where Becky and Ian brought back Dillon, Flo, and Ellie, quickly turning around to their own home.

The four of us dined on Red Chilli’s excellent takeaway fare. My main choice was Naga Chilli Chicken and vegetable rice with which I finished the Malbec. We shared peshwari naans. Jackie didn’t imbibe and Flo and Dillon drank fruit cordial

No More Shell Building

IMAGES CAN BE ENLARGED BY CLICKING ON THEM – TWICE IF NECESSARY

As usual when I travel to London, Waterloo, Jackie drove me to and from New Milton today. Apart from the fact that the ticket office was closed because the system wasn’t working, and I held up the queue for the machine on the platform because I didn’t know how to use it, the journey was uneventful.

When I last took today’s walk from Waterloo Station, across Westminster Bridge to Carol’s  home off Victoria Street, I would have crossed York Road by footbridge from the station concourse. This was not possible today. The bridge was closed and we had to walk down steps on the station side, and along the road until reaching the County Hall corner before we could cross.

South Bank development 1South Bank development 3

South Bank Development 2South Bank Development 5

South Bank Development 4

A great, gaping hole appeared where the Shell Building, a landmark as long as I can remember, had stood when I made the trip a year ago.

South Bank Development signs

This is to become a South Bank Development of ‘exceptionally stylish apartments’. Apparently people are already queuing up to acquire them although prices have not yet been fixed.

South Bank development workmen 1

Around the corner, on the approach to The London Eye, I noticed two men in hard hats sitting against the background of building works.

South Bank development workmen 2

As I came nearer, one of the very friendly men held up warning hands to ensure that I did not, without a hard hat, enter the site. The other gentleman came over to me and we had a pleasant conversation during which he suggested I might prefer to be photographing the New Forest.

South Bank Development 6

I then shot the scene without the workers.

Crowd on Westminster Bridge 1

Once on Westminster Bridge I was reminded how difficult it is to negotiate that thoroughfare during the tourist season.

Piper and audience

The piper, however, was given some breathing space.

Roadsweeper

An assiduous road sweeper kept the area around Parliament Square suitably tidy. The Plane tree around which he had just wielded his brush, was bursting into leaf,

Plane Trees and buses

as were those in an unusually quiet Victoria Street,

Plane trees and St Stephen's Church

and outside St Stephen’s Church, Rochester Row.

I didn’t note the name of the excellent Italian restaurant in that street where Carol and I enjoyed each other’s company over a superb meal. My choice was a tortellini and clear chicken stock soup followed by sea food risotto. We both chose creme brûlée. I drank Friuli sauvignon.

Lambeth Palace from 507 bus

I returned to Waterloo on the 507 bus, from which I gained a clear view of Lambeth Palace.

P.S. Perusal of the comments by Paul and Geoff below, will show that the title and the inference of this post is only partially correct. The main tower remains. It is just the lower levels that have been removed.