Merry Christmas 2017

THANKS FOR VISITING CHRYSALISM IN 2017.
AND THANKS TO THE FEW THAT REGULARLY STOPPED BY
TO COMMENT AND CONTRIBUTE.

HAVE A GREAT CHRISTMAS AND GOOD HEALTH IN 2018.

A Festive St Pancras and some Novelty Festive Bus Tours.

THE ST PANCRAS STATION FLORAL CHRISTMAS TREE

Above and below is the rather impressive floral festive tree that
stands on display in St Pancras International Station.
The 47ft tree was designed by luxury florists Moyses and features
roses, petals and pine cones instead of string lights.
The tree will stay up until January 3rd.

 

Below: The John Betjeman Statue as well as The Lovers Statue.

 

Now here's a festive novelty. A private Vintage Bus Company is running a free vintage
bus ride service in the Capital on Christmas Day.
With all of London's buses taking the day off for the holidays, a 1950's RT double
decker will ply part of the 430 route,  from Putney Bridge to Roehampton.
Running from 9.00 am to 4.00 pm, the route terminates at Danebury  Avenue in
Roehampton Village, close to a community centre which is hosting a free lunch
and dinner for those who would otherwise be spending Christmas Day on their own.

I do miss the old Routmasters even though one or two still run around the Capital,
but just not in my part of town. The current crop of new London buses still seem to
be having problems with their stop and start quick breaking. And any older passengers
navigating their way to a seat might just endure a touch of whiplash when these
new buses slap on those rapid breaks.

For more information on the Christmas Day Vintage Bus visit their website at....

THE VINTAGE CHRISTMAS DAY BUS

Below: Yet another London Bus novelty tour that takes in the sites
around the Capital while you tuck in to tea and cakes, but at quite
a hefty price.

LONDON BUS AFTERNOON TEA TOUR 

Below: There's even a special holiday Bus tour around some of the
capital's festive sights taking in the street lights and many
of the decorated Stores.

CHRISTMAS BUS TOUR & AFTERNOON TEA

Catching Up With Some London Images

ABOVE:  HOMELESS MAN IN CENTRAL LONDON  -  AUGUST 2017

TRAFALGAR SQUARE


Above and below are just a few pictures I took while running around Central
London during the Summer on what was a quite busy time in town. But
then it was in August, the height of the busy tourist season.
It was in fact the very day I visited the spectacular  Banqueting House in
Whitehall. I just had to go and see that Rubens painted ceiling.

I also seem to remember it being a special day. The weather was perfect
and the whole area around The Thames and Westminster was really buzzing
despite some of the recent setbacks that the Capital has endured.
I managed to watch Street performers and spoke to one or two pavement
artists. And yet I was only in Town for a whole morning happily snapping
away at everything and anything. One wonders how much photographic
images I might have accumulated had I hung around for the whole of
that happy sunny day.
It's easy to see why Central London is such a tourist magnet.

BANQUETING HOUSE

BELOW:  A BUSY RIVER THAMES PLUS BIG BEN DURING THE START OF
THE BIG SCAFFOLDING COVER UP WHILE THE WORK TO REPAIR IT BEGINS.
OF COURSE THE CHIMES HAVE BEEN SILENCED WHILE THE REPAIR WORKS
TAKE PLACE OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS. BUT WE'RE TOLD THAT THE
BELLS WILL ONCE AGAIN RING OUT SPECIALLY FOR THIS COMING NEW YEARS EVE.

ABOVE:  A BUSY WESTMINSTER BRIDGE

BELOW:  HORSGUARDS PARADE. 

Below: Churchill, Nelson and George Washington

Below:  Parliament Square and Churchill's Statue