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Renée had an early morning meeting in Green Park. So I decided to come with her. After the meeting we went together to Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park which was just around the corner. The thick cloud and dull and gloomy weather actually worked well as all the lights showed up well, helping to emphasise the festive spirit of the place. This place was horrifically expensive though. Atleast admission was free. But as a result of the horrendous prices we didn't buy any food or go on any rides. It was pretty and worth visiting if in the area, but a shame the prices spoil the experience a bit. It was also a bit mild for the ice rink, which had a slippery layer of water on the surface. One person slipped over and instantly got soaked jeans and coat. In the end, by lunchtime we had already finished looking around and headed home.
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| A troop at Hyde Park Corner. | Arriving at the Hyde Park Corner entrance to Winter Wonderland. | Walking through the Christmas Market stalls towards the fairground rides. | |||
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| The Bavarian Village. | The fairgbround area. | The ferris wheel. | Panorama of the ferris wheel area. | |
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| A reindeer sleigh. | The Alpen Hotel ride. | A polar exhibit. | The ice rink. |
A Chanukah gathering in Kenton. Since it was the last night, all 8 candles (plus the Shamash) were lit. With 3 menorahs, that's 27 candles in all. Pretty! And just to pay homage to the time of year in the UK, some mince pies snuck their way in there too alongside the donuts!
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| Louise, David and Renée lighting the menorahs. | All 3 menorahs fully alight and looking lovely. | Chanukah lights, fruit, donuts and mince pies should cater for everybody! |
Louise kindly made me a 'bourbon biscuit birthday cake'! Yum! Plus another bourbon biscuit experiment that looked more like a flapjack. Plus a birthday dessert at the Taj Mahal Indian restaurant in the evening. Thanks Renée!
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| Birthday bourbon biscuit cake. | Birthday dessert. | |
This year's Ealing Cricket Club Bonfire Night Fireworks Display was a golden jubilee theme, with music from throughout the years of the queen's rein. As with a previous visit, I found the music and fireworks to be well chosen together and the fireworks were awesome big professional ones that were well worth the entrance fee to get in and see. A lovely party atmosphere and a huge bonfire at the end to round things off. I did struggle in the low light levels to get decent shots with the iPhone camera, but here is a selection of the best of the bunch.
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| Chinese lanterns with union jacks on them being launched as we waited for the display to start. | A large crowd was already gathering. We were glad we managed to get to the front. |
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| Fireworks! | |||||
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| More fireworks! | The giant bonfire lit at the end gave everyone a warm orange glow. | |||
Some Chrysanthumum flowers in a pot.
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| Chrysanthumums. |
Renée and I visited the Olympic Park after she managed to obtain a pair of walk in the park tickets. It was a pretty place to wander around, with some nice buildings, wild flowers and walkways, and some attractions that we could go into also. So although we didn't get to go inside the stadium or other venues it was a pleasant day out, especially as the weather improved at lunchtime.We took the main walkways northwards up the West side of the River Lea, before crossing over at the far end and stopping for lunch in front of a big screen. Then we wandered back along the East side. Later on in the afternoon we rendezvoused with my parents who were also in the park on the same day, and eventually exited and headed for Westfield Shopping Centre and an early birthday meal for my dad before heading home.
A map of the olympic park can be found here.
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| Renée in front of the entrance near Stratford station. | Up ahead the view was dominated by the Orbit sculpture and the main stadium. | A large colourful mosaic in the middle of the park, just North of the stadium. | ||
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| 360 degree panorama from London Way, close to World Square. | The crazy looking Coca Cola Beatbox. | Inside the Coca Cola Beatbox. They gave us free bottles of Coke in here! | |
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| A picture taken of Renée and I holding a genuine Paralympic torch on the roof of the Coca Cola Beatbox. | Looking South from a bridge over the River Lea at the Northern end of the park. | The basketball arena, the largest temporary building in the world. | Two views of the velodrome from near the river lawns. | |
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| Park Live East, where we stopped for lunch while watching a big screen. | Wildflower meadows. I even saw a Common Blue butterfly in one spot. | ||
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| One more view of the Orbit sculpture and the main stadium. | The Aquatic Centre. | Another view of the wildflower meadows. |
A view of the Dunstable Downs.
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| Looking South along the Dunstable Downs from Five Knolls. |
The olympic torch going through Hendon. 100 year old Diana Gould brought the flame to Middlesex University for lunch. Then Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley in Harry Potter films) carried it onwards.
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| Diana Gould arriving by bus. | Even the police escorts were in on the fun. | London Mayor Boris Johnson was present too. | Diana Gould carrying the flame into the university campus. |
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| Lots of red balloons being released at the start of the break. | Floats with dancers and all sorts went ahead of the torch. | Rupert Grint carrying the torch Eastwards down the hill towards Finchley. | |
A succulent plant I grew from a cutting has started to flower. This one is called 'Dracula' and the colour of the flowers certainly live up to that name! They are big flowers too, the size of my hand.
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| Large red flowers on a succulent plant named 'Dracula' developing on 15th. | The first flower has now died but the 2nd flower is at it's best on 21st. | |||
Pictures taken at Ivinghoe Beacon.
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| 360 degree panorama taken on top of a hill close to Ivinghoe Beacon. | A curious dark hole in a field of rape seed. The road is the B489. |
Pictures taken while in the Long Sutton Butterfly Farm. See the Butterflies gallery for more pictures.
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| Tortoise with a sign warning visitors not to stroke or feed it as it has a nasty bite. | Very noisy and cheeky parrot. | Dove with a view. | Zebra finches and a parrot feeding on seed. | ||
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| Bearded Dragon. | Small ground dwelling birds (not sure what species) stalking the undergrowth. | |
Pictures taken during a visit to North Norfolk on a sunny break in a long spell of bad weather. Pictures come from Holme Next The Sea, Thornham, Hunstanton and North Wootton. There are also weather and butterfly pics too (this was a butterflying trip, and there were some outstanding clouds seen too). See the relevant galleries to see these.
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| Pier restaurant building at Heacham on way out to Holme. | Views of a marsh from near where the car park, with the beach in the background, as we walk up on the dunes. | Stone Chat on a bush. | |
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| Another panoramic view of the beach as we progress Eastwards. | A sign covered by a swarm of flies. | Pipit. | Dunnock. | Looking out across The Wash to an offshore wind farm on the other side. |
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| Looking East and West along the path over the dunes. | Closing in on the visitor centre where the copse of trees is. | Pipit. | Panorama of the trees and dunes by the visitor centre. | |
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| Lapwings performing fancy aerobatic manouvres above a wetland habitat. | 360 degree panorama from on top of a high part of the dunes on the way back. | ||
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| Looking down through a gap in the dune to the beach below. | Lucky shot of an unidentified bird flying alongside the dunes. | Weather vane near the car park. | A pair of Avocets at Thornham. | Redshank catching a worm. | |
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| Shelduck waddling across the mud. | Two more views of the Avocet pair and their amazingly slender curved beaks. | The old coal shed at Thornham. | Looking out across The Wash from the cliff tops at Heacham. | ||
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| More views of Heacham. | Looking across The Wash from Heacham to Lincolnshire on the other side. | |
iPhone pictures of the Shard in London Bridge as I walked past it on the way to an interview (last pic on way out later on). The outer shell looks just about complete now. This is the tallest building in Western Europe apparently. Also seen is a gull in flight.
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| The Shard from underneath and close by. | A gull flying over Hendon. | ||
iPhone pictures of puffed up pies at Porters in Covent Garden, hyacinths and dwarf daffodils growing in pots, a helicopter over Sunny Hill Park in Hendon, crocuses in Golder Hill Park in Golders Green and views across Trent Park near Cockfosters. Plus the 2nd anniversary roses and a new scooter in the family.
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| Porters pies. | Growing Hyacinths and daffodils, including 3 daffodil heads on one stalk. | Helicopter over Sunny Hill Park. | ||||
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| Crocuses in Golders Hill Park. | Views across Trent Park. | |||
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| Roses to celebrate 2 years of Renée and I being together. | Louise's new Scooter. In the driveway next to my motorbike in Kenton and Louise practicing in Hendon. | ||
I took more pictures when I saw heavy metal band Edguy play live in London. Click here to go to the Gigs 2011 - 2012 page to see the pictures.
A walk on Hampstead Heath with a walking group. It was a bit cloudy, misty and cold but a pleasant day for a nice walk.
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| The Hill Garden Pergola. | South side of East Heath. | Pryor's Field panorama. | Hampstead Ponds. |
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| Crossing Hampstead Ponds. | Views of Central London and Highgate from the summit of Parliament Hill. | ||
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| Parliament Hill Café area panorama. | Parliament Hill from Parliament Hill Café area. | Highgate Ponds. | Model Boating Pond at Highgate Ponds. |
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| Walking through Kenwood. | Some very early blossom at Kenwood. | Another view across a Kenwood field. | ||
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| Fallen tree near Bird Bridge. | The viaduct from Bird Bridge. | Big low branch over the path and pond reflection at Sandy Heath. | |