Something Old, Some New - Sep 1, 2019
Another thing I learned at the Retama photography club meetings, every photo should tell a story. The above two photos were taken just a few seconds apart but it's easy to see which one tells a story and which one is just a photo. I really am trying to improve my photography on this trip. With one or two exceptions every photo has been taken on either aperture or shutter priority. Manual will have to wait until sometime in the future. Improving Bob.
The police horse patrol was out this morning on the walk up from the Embankment tube station to Trafalgar Square.
And what happens when your guide is so busy talking he doesn't know where he's walking? He steps in it. Observant Bob.
We have seen several demonstrations around London of this exact same thing, the sign always says stop the persecution of Falun Gong in China. I finally looked it up, or I guess I should say I googled it. It's interesting reading what this is all about.
It seems that everybody who visits London tries to take a photo of Nelson's column and statue in Trafalgar Square I'm not sure what story this photo tells, but I'm pretty certain it's definitely different from the way most people take a picture of the column and statue.
Our guide Tony said that we should do like everybody who visits Trafalgar Square and take a picture of us with the lions. Silly us, we've visited Trafalgar Square a number of times and had never taken a photo of us with the lions. I guess we can say that now were real London tourists. Ashamed Bob and Linda.
This one deserves a comment. It's the smallest police station in London. At least that's what our guide Tony, he who says he never tells a lie, told us. I could probably look it up and verify it if it's true, on the other hand there is only so much time in the day.
One of Linda's pictures. This was taken looking at the entrance to the Savoy Hotel. It's not just any hotel and another of those things that googling can bring enlightenment to a reader. The top hat should be a giveaway and if not how about the baggage elevator.
A little section of the menu for a restaurant at the Savoy. It is dessert wine by the glass and the prices are 12.50 to 89.00 pounds per Glass. And just to prove I really did take the photo I left the reflection of my hand and camera at the bottom. How's that for telling the story. Photographer Bob.
The chimney pot photos of the day but the second one is really special as the building was owned by Charles Dickens and it was where he spent the last years of his life. Even chimney pots can tell a story. Bad Bob
This is the something old in the "Something Old, Something New" title of today's post. What memories it brought back because in another life a church group we belonged to put this play on and I played the part of Ruben and designed all the lighting. I'm not sure I should mention it, but Linda was a stagehand. But what I probably really shouldn't mention is that she was also played the part of a camel. Really truly. Likely in Big Trouble Bob.
Theater isn't theater without getting there early and having a double gin and tonic. Happy Linda
As always our seats were right down front, a little off to the side, five rows back, which is about our limit for how far back we like to sit. They turned out to be great seats, really expensive seats, but really great seats and worth every pence. Poor Bob.
Obligatory photo of the ceiling of the theater. It is the London Palladium Theater, built in 1910 and seating 2200 on three levels. There is something special about seeing these plays in these old theaters that simply defies words. In two weeks will be back to London for a week of theater and this really whetted our appetites for the performances to come.
There are no photos to be taken during the performances but Ms. Sneak Ashot managed to get one in of the conductor/musical director. Afterwards we laughed at his constant gyrations, naming him the Energizer Conductor.
I always post a photo of the billboards along the escalators in the tube stations. Predictable Bob.
The something new, the Tower Bridge opening.
All the way open.
The reason it was open was so 11 class 70 yachts could pass underneath. Actually it open twice, once when they sailed up the Thames and about half an hour later when they sailed back down the Thames. When they passed under it coming back down it was the beginning of a 42,000 mile, 240+ day around the world yacht race.
At the back of the crowd. By adroitly slip sliding, slithering, crowding and dogged determination you might notice that those first pictures were taken with us in the front row. This one was taken before we decided that only those who want to be in the first row get to be in the first row.
At one point there were a whole series of television interviews taking place directly behind us. It was a true happening experience. This photo is credited to Linda while I held on to our front row position.
We took photos galore as well as numerous videos. We were right next to a number of people who were associated with one of the boats and at times their screaming and yelling was a little exuberant. Deafer Bob.
The last of the 11 yachts to head out to sea. We were glad to see it was a UNICEF boat. We have been proud in the past to make substantial contributions to this extremely worthwhile endeavor. Every child, no matter what their country or what their circumstances, deserves the chance to be somebody and get ahead in life.
A couple of placards about the yachts and the race. If you'd like to know more about it search for - The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race.
These are simply memory shots for Linda and I of our farewell dinner tonight, though I should probably mention that if you notice the bearded cockney in the last two images, the thing missing is him talking, because, Tony, our guide literally, and I really mean that, literally, never stops talking. And that's not a bad thing because he has a story for every step he takes and every one of them is interesting.
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