You have an awesome job, SG!

Soon, Bri! Haven't been able to get onto that 'cause the two J's split up (they're now dating again but not living together) so I haven't been up there lately.

From the official launch.
I included one with some local schoolkids to show the area's demographic. This might help to explain why the local councillors were so keen on courtesy to Muslim colleagues (in the Ramadan thread - it's the same London borough)

*laughs* brilliant!

Our puppet of the Dagda for Halloween in Dublin.
As you can see, the technical aspects are finished, but he needs some dressing. He will grow hair and a beard, and be filled out more.

They are rehearsing the movements in the yard this afternoon, so I snuck out for a pic.

check this out SG:

http://picasaweb.google.com/phillip....92053823231554

Damn. Came back to here as it seemed like the right thread for my new London pics, forgot how much I loved my job. I've been trying to convince myself it was crummy, but it wasn't. Sigh.

Anyway.

On Weds I went to London. I saved the train fare (far and away the most expensive part of any trip) over the last three weeks, and also had some money to get my hair cut. Funnily enough, it costs almost twice as much in l'il old Aylesbury as it does in the Big Smoke. Then again, the place I have it cut is very unusual - it's the only place I know that cuts hair as cheaply, or as well.

I planned to meet my bro after my haircut and before the screening I was going to. On the day I was so glad I was meeting Stevo. The whole trip down I was feeling very vulnerable and not looking forward to my Big Day Out at all. Ridiculous - I've never had an issue with being in London alone before. Still, that's where I was. Luckily, once I had my hair cut I lost my worries and enjoyed my day. Haircuts are not on my list of Nice Things, but this one was fine. So silly to worry so much about things.

After the cut (Covent Garden) I hopped on over to Waterloo Station. Still my favourite part of London because this is the area Nan and Grandad lived in, and we spent our school holidays in. Walked up the South Bank to Westminster Bridge.

The London Eye for you.
And a Dali elephant with the Houses of Parliament in the background.

Composed Upon Westminster Bridge
Earth has not anything to show more fair:
Dull would he be of soul who could pass by
A sight so touching in its majesty:
This City now doth, like a garment, wear
The beauty of the morning; silent, bare,
Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples lie
Open unto the fields, and to the sky;
All bright and glittering in the smokeless air.
Never did sun more beautifully steep
In his first splendour, valley, rock, or hill;
Ne'er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep!
The river glideth at his own sweet will:
Dear God! the very houses seem asleep;
And all that mighty heart is lying still!

I suppose it helped that Wordsworth was theere on a sunny morning.
The view, and me on the South Bank.

On the bridge is a statue of Boadicea.
When I was growing up that's what we called her anyway, pronounced bo-deh-SEE-a.
Now she's called Boudica, pronounced BOO-dicka.
I assume it's a more correct reckoning, but it doesn't feel as nice in my mouth.

She was a warrior queen anyway - fought against the Romans. A heroine for many warlike schoolgirls.

The clock tower. More commonly known as Big Ben, but as has been mentioned before, this is the name of the bell (yeah, I call it Big Ben too)

Walking to my brother's workplace I passed two grand buildings. Well, many grand buildings of course. But I thought I'd take some pics for the engineers here.

And for the uncivil ones...

This is the courtyard to the back of the building Ste works in.
Is that Bruce?

And a very blurry shot of the pelicans in St James' Park - literally across the road from his building. I didn't have time to go down to the entrance and get close enough for a proper pic, sadly. I love them. There've been pelicans in the park for more than 300 years now.

Brought this poem to mind

Immigrant
November ’63: eight months in London.
I pause on the low bridge to watch the pelicans:
they float swanlike, arching their white necks
over only slightly ruffled bundles of wings,
burying awkward beaks in the lake’s water.
I clench cold fists in my Marks and Spencer’s jacket
and secretly test my accent once again:
St James’s Park; St James’s Park; St James’s Park

Fleur Adcock

And here is 1 Horseguards Road, the bro's office.
The second pic shows the office he was interviewed in - the large one above the round window. It looks straight out onto Parliament Square. Intimidating? Hell yes, says Stevo.

Beautiful pics, SG. (And I love the new haircut!)

Yes, that's me. Notice I'm so toxic I've pocked all the adjacent stones.;)