Walking along the Thames at night is where I really fell in love with this city. It was 2004 and I was here on a study abroad programme. It was an Autumn night, quiet except for the distant sounds of boat parties and someone playing guitar. It was magical and peaceful and I was hooked.
These photos were added to the Flickr pool by jamiefraser1. Thanks Jamie!
Do you remember where you were when you fell in love with London? Or your own city for that matter?
Late at night, the city looks different.
Lights flick in and out of focus on the horizon.
Street lamps cast an eerie glow around the silhouette of another person walking in front of you.
There is stillness everywhere, except along the roads where the city moves on.
Reflections, colourful long streaks, plunge into the Thames along the shore.
Faded pale backgrounds blur into spots hanging in the sky like fairy lights.
It is silent but for the distant music, shouts and laughter from a party boat floating by, sinking slowly under the bridge and into the night.
There are no stars in this part of London, but you can at least see the bright moon.
Bonfire night was cold and rainy, but we bundled up and decided to wander along the Chelsea Embankment, over the nearest bridge, back over Wandsworth Bridge and home for some hot milo and a movie.
We stopped along the Thames here and there to watch the colourful explosion of sea urchin fireworks lighting up the sky in the distance.
It was quiet and dimly lit along the riverbank and the city lights shimmered in the dark water that lapped gently at the sand below us.
Peaceful, away from the crowds.
Anyone have any good bonfire night stories to share? Where did you go to watch the fireworks? Recommendations for next year?
These were taken from Trafalgar Square, standing on top of the base of Nelson’s Column by the lions:
K and I went to Southall last night in search of a good Diwali atmosphere and we certainly found it. I was surprised that my Indian boyfriend had never celebrated the holiday there, so it was a new experience for both of us which made it even better.
All we did was wander down different streets, but everyone was out in their front gardens lighting off fireworks in the streets. Stepping out of Southall station, you are on top of a hill and surrounded by firework displays in every direction. Incredible. If you closed your eyes, it was easy to picture yourself in the middle of a war zone…. and some of the streets we walked down felt like one too! Here’s a photo of a gorgeous temple and below some videos that don’t quite capture the full magic of it, but they’re an idea.
Diwali is called the Festival of Lights. It’s meant to signify light overcoming darkness in different religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, jainism, Sikhism, etc. Of course, like most holidays, it’s a time when people get together and socialise and eat. It’s more religious for some people than others. Diyas, which are small clay pots filled with oil and a long lit candle wick are lit, or just candles. In Hinduism, the lights are a reminder of the story of Rama, an exiled deity who returns to his home along a lamplit pathway….There’s a lot more to it, but that’s the gist of it.
Little London Observationist 