Simon Butcher

London

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London from Greenwich

Following a successful long weekend last year, we returned to London again for another long weekend of shopping, vegetating, and a little bit of sight-seeing.

Here is a tiny selection of photos from what we got up to. I'm glad I took my DSLR.

Inside Tate Modern
Having never been to Tate Modern, it was time for a visit. Some of the work there is stunning. Some of it is pretty horrible.
I don't know art, but I know what I like.
Ai Weiwei: Sunflower Seeds (Tate Modern Turbine Hall)
Ai Weiwei: Sunflower Seeds (Tate Modern Turbine Hall)
Ai Weiwei: Sunflower Seeds (Tate Modern Turbine Hall)
Of course, there was a reason to visit. Ai Weiwei (艾未未) has installed his stunning Sunflower Seeds in the Turbine Hall, which is amazing in its logistical complexity and beautiful in its simplicity.
Harry Potter fans
We spotted some Harry Potter fans camping out in Leicester Square. With all the signage and construction around, it was clear that the next movie was going to premier here soon. Who cares, right?
Bill Bailey - Dandelion Mind (Wyndhams Theatre)
Bill Bailey - Dandelion Mind (Wyndham's Theatre)
On a whim (well, an ad in a tube station, just like last year) we got tickets to see Bill Bailey perform a very early and experimental version of Dandelion Mind at Wyndham's Theatre. It was brilliant, and for those who bothered to hang around after the show, he came out and did some of his old classic material. It was great!
Greenwich
The following day we headed out to Greenwich to have a look at the observatory (okay, and to get all nerdy around 0° — Mmm-hey). We couldn't have picked a better day for the weather, and got absolutely drenched by the rain while running from the observatory to Greenwich-proper. We didn't expect that there wouldn't be a single place to shelter on the way through the park.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (Premier on Leicester Square) - The queue in front of the Empire
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (Premier on Leicester Square) - Fans around Leicester Square
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (Premier on Leicester Square) - More wet weather on the way, yet somehow appropriate
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (Premier on Leicester Square) - Fans around Leicester Square
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (Premier on Leicester Square) - Very appropriate weather
A really wanted to see the Harry Potter premier, so we went, and we waited. We waited in the wind. We waited in the rain. We waited in the cold. We waited to wait. We waited for waiting. Oh, how we waited. I got bored quickly so I started taking some pictures and probably took more than I should have, until such time as A was too cold, at which point we yielded our spot for some teenagers with lightning bolts drawn on their foreheads to go get some food in the warmth. I got some photos that seemed amazingly appropriate for the event though.


Categories England, Tourism

Comments

  1. Oi... I didn't really want to see the premiere, I just thought the atmosphere was fun and it would be cool to see a few celebs on Premiere night. Again apologies for making us stand in the rain/cold/wind for absolutely nothing... except some really nice shots ! ;)

  2. I love Greenwich, and the Observatory. Shame about the Cutty Sark fire. (You're still not admitting that was you, are you?)

  3. (Author)

    I don't know what you're talking about... :)

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