We had a big day on Saturday; a trip up to London which didn't involve going to some Hospital.
It's been six months in the making - the problem was that I needed to be well enough to do it and the weather needed to be OK as well. We were sick of waiting for good forecasts and finding that on the day it was raining....or we didn't go because the forecast was bad and the day turned out good.
In the summer when we got married our friends Fiona, Chris, June and Beth had a whip round and bought us a day out as a wedding present.
Now this was the last week we could still use the vouchers and we weren't going to lose them!
It was the perfect point for me too; far enough from Chemo for the symptoms to have come down and near enough for the pain to still be bearable although I can't say I was looking forward to it.
We got up and........of course it was raining!
This was where we were going first;
And there's me, scared of heights.
Gulp!
That's where we are going - the 72nd floor near the top, just below the 'V';
It's something I would never have done myself - it's an expensive ticket.
But while I'm not a great fan of skyscrapers, this is some really good architecture;
With some very dramatic sights at the rooftop.
Angular and uncompromising.
I have to confess from the start that I'm ambiguous about the whole thing; at one level London Bridge Station and the area around it was worn out, old and not functioning very well. The building of The Shard also brought about the redevelopment of the station into a 21st century building that works (and has lifts for the disabled like me).
The views are amazing, even in the rain;
I found myself looking down on The Post office Tower - I watched it being built. For my whole life I've been looking up at it, for goodness sake.
Here's a view of the complex of towers at The City of London, including the former 'Natwest' building on the left, which for 30 years was the tallest and only real tower in The City. 'The Gherkin' was revolutionary for a few years at the turn of the millennium and now you can hardly see it.
You can still see 'The Walkie Talkie', which we went up last summer - looking down at it from above this time.
Over the next ten years over 200 skyscrapers are planned which will change the whole appearance of the city - something no one has had a vote about.
Great eddies of wind will blow around the towers, scattering pedestrians. The ecology of the city will change - much hotter in the summer, but darker on ground level and far less friendly too.
Say goodbye to the 'sunny side of the street'.
The Isle of Dogs, as we know it will be completely eradicated, a whole community driven out by the developments of multiple apartment blocks to serve Canary Wharf. These are financed by money stolen from the Russian and Chinese people and laundered through The City of London and the more exclusive estate agents.
Once upon a time, this rather rainy view of St. Pauls Cathedral was the most dramatic sight in town.
You can see Canary Wharf as the river bends and at the bottom of the picture Tower Bridge and City Hall where Robyn and I got engaged this time last year;
Even The Houses of Parliament are getting hidden.
One day even The Shard will disappear behind a wall of towers.
OK, I'm grumbling too much - it was a real joy being up in the clouds, at the same level as the birds and the helicopters and looking down on the city below.
We were so high up you could just make out The Eiffel Tower on the horizon;
Actually that's the radio aerial at Crystal Palace.
And I couldn't get over looking down on these blocks of flats - they are 20 stories high.
Here's The Tower of London, built a thousand years ago to intimidate the defeated population of London.
Not looking so intimidating now, is it?
We had a great time and after a while I managed to grab a chair and have a sit down, which helped a lot.
The viewing areas are quite small for the numbers of people but it is possible to walk 360 degrees around - amazing views.
And the skies cleared for us eventually!
But our day wasn't over - more to come tomorrow!
Neil Harris
(a don't stop till you drop production)
Home: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com
Contact me: neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com
On Sunday morning I was waiting to meet Robyn and for part of the time I had a walk around 'Old Isleworth'.
It's not looking so well these days;
Isleworth is a working class community and I was privileged to represent some of the people there, over the years. Since the 1980's of Margaret Thatcher, 'Old Isleworth' has been trying to drive out the poorer people - it's been getting much more of a problem recently.
This used to be 'Isleworth Coaches', a big employer;
It wasn't old and it wasn't particularly beautiful but it was a big employer and part of driving people away is getting rid of their jobs.
These perfectly good buildings had years of life left in them, as did the people who worked there but the problem is they were down by the riverbank and that makes them prime real estate.
As I was taking pictures three groups of people came up to me and asked if I'd worked there. The site plainly meant a lot to local people and the arrival of flats for rich people isn't at all welcome.
These days the cement and steel is recycled, which is more than you can say for the people.
Brentford and Isleworth were once river communities - effectively ports and docks with boat services too.
Nearly all of that has gone now - there are a few boatyards hanging on at Brentford. While at Isleworth there are a few working boats left;
But it won't be long before they are gone too - just like the Thames Lightermen (Cargo) and Watermen (passengers) I once knew.
The river bank still keeps a few secrets to tell you this was once a working river.....from the days before building materials were recycled;
And not far from the new luxury flats there's a big flow of water into the river - it's from Mogden, West London's major sewage works.
Here's the 'river' just before it joins The Thames;
I walked on to 'The London Apprentice', it's a pub near the nicest part of the river and still unspoilt. I wandered about on the bank but I wasn't feeling so well and started off back to my car.
At least the birds were getting fed;
Neil Harris
(a don't stop till you drop production)
Home: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com
Contact me: neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com
After a day's break, we were off again - showing Cathy and Robert (Robyn's Mum and Dad) around London.
It was gruelling.
Robyn had booked tickets to the 'Walkie Talkie' at 20 Fenchurch St. They are still free!
On the way we stopped of at 'The Monument' which was built to commemorate The Great Fire of London;
These days it's dominated by the tower blocks all around - when it was built it was challenging the tallest buildings in London.
We got to the tower and negotiated the security - it is always worth it;
Tower bridge was looking good and we were even able to see Canary Wharf. The tube trains look like toys in the distance;
The height makes the old 'Post Office Tower' look quite close to St. Pauls Cathedral;
While we felt we could touch 'The Gherkin'.
But we had a long way to go before we were finished;
I'll post the rest tomorrow.
Neil Harris
(a don't stop till you drop production)
Home: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com
Contact me: neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com
We had a treat!
Well, it was a grim week, we had to get out.
I'm not going to tell you what we did till tomorrow because I've got to wait for Robyn to send me her pictures but we had to go up to London;
We got off at Piccadilly Circus to walk up Regent Street and look at the Christmas lights and nose into the expensive shops along the way.
People were wearing Christmas pullovers and hats, there were office parties looking slightly embarrassed and lots of happy shoppers.
There was a photo shoot - hey it's London!
And I absolutely had to go to Carnaby Street which always has the best lights;
I wonder who this old MOD is in his Parka?
I was here in the 1960's and it was shabby and full of Hippy tat.
It's more cool these days even if it is a bit corporate;
We couldn't get a picture but there were three shops in a row that just sum me up - Levi's jeans, Ben Sherman shirts and Dr Martens shoes - that's all my shopping sorted out;
It's become a home for us MODS, which I don't think it ever really was in the old days. It certainly wasn't when I was young;
Then we went to Liberty's which has to be just the nicest shop in London, even if it's outrageously expensive.
It's a huge shame that the private venture capital company that now owns it has done away with the bay windows which used to be filled with the most wonderful displays but they still have the florist at the front door;
And a grand display in the atrium;
It's a product of the 19th century 'Arts and Crafts' movement which is not my thing but it's a fairy tale at Christmas.
Also it reminds me of 'The Slaviansky Bazaar' which was a Czarist era restaurant in Moscow which survived in all its glory until the Yeltsin age when it was burnt down in an argument between rival gangsters;
There were lots of decorations wherever we went;
And a quick visit to the most impressive pub in London - 'The Argyll Arms on Argyll street;
It was built as a convenient bar near 'The London Palladium' and it has a truly theatrical interior with private little drinking areas and ornate ceilings and glasswork.
No time for a drink though, we were short of time - we had an urgent appointment.
We still had time to take in Oxford Street, Robyn's bank and a walk through Soho though.
Oh, we also had a Burger King which Robyn really enjoyed;
Then we had to get off we had an appointment........more of that tomorrow.
I had a tough week, feeling fairly ill most of the time but today I was feeling good.
If I tell you that after our busy day and our exciting evening we went Christmas shopping at midnight you'll get an idea.
I think I'm paying for it now!
Neil Harris
(a don't stop till you drop production)
Home: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com
Contact me: neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com
