As it was rather warm today we put off going out until nearly 4pm. Our first call then was to…

Jusaka

…yes, to Jusaka, where we drank our coffee on the premises – which I think will be our habit from now on, supposing no resurgence of the virus.

Next, we boarded a 431 bus which took us to Waterloo Bridge and to…

The Southbank Centre

…the Southbank Centre. This is accessed from the bridge by…

Staircase to the Thames

…a staircase. I don’t know how many steps there are, not many, but they are worn smooth and care is advised.

First view of the Thames

This was my first view of the Thames in I don’t know how many months. It gives you a wonderful feeling of openness after the confines of the city and the sky is mercifully clear of intrusive over-tall buildings.

Path beside the river

We set off along the walkway beside the river. There were lots of people walking and sitting but not too many for us all to keep our distance. The only nuisance was cyclists. Apparently, cyclists can’t read and therefore ignore the “No cycling” notice.

Riverside lamp

I love these ancient riverside lamps with their sensuous decorations. Curled around them are dolphins though you could be forgiven for not recognizing them as such. That is because they are heraldic dolphins, not realistic ones. They are distinguished from fish by their rounded heads and broad mouths.

A view of the Thames

I kept my eyes on the river most of time, enjoying its open aspect and watching boats of various sizes sailing past. It was high tide when we arrived and as we walked, the water began flowing noticeably downstream.

Black-headed gull

There were bLack-headed gulls being very active flying back and forth over the water and swooping to pick up food. This one was perched on the railings watching gulls and people. He seemed relatively unafraid of passers-by and I was able to come fairly close to take a photo.

Looking towards Blackfriars Bridge

We passed the famous OXO Tower from where I took this photo of the river and Blackfriars Bridge, behind which can be seen a line-up of familiar buildings, including the Dome of Sir Christopher Wren’s masterpiece towards the left.

Arms of London, Chatham and Dover Railway

There are actually two bridges at Blackfriars, the road bridge, seen in the previous photo, and the railway bridge. There have also been two railway bridges. The first was built in 1864 for the Londow, Chatham Railway Company and second and present one in 1886. Remains of the first bridge are still visible, including the supporting pillars and this rather splendid coat of arms with its foundation date of 1864.

St Paul’s Cathedral behind the bridge

What is now Blackfriars Station was originally called St Paul’s after the neighbouring Cathedral. A notable fact about the present station is that when the new longer trains were introduced, the old station was too small and could not be extended. A new station was therefore built on the bridge. The southbound train usually waits for a while in the station and during that time passengers can enjoy views of the Thames in both directions.

I took this photo from the road bridge where we were waiting for a bus to take us home. We had walked from Waterloo Bridge to Blackfriars Bridge along the south bank of the Thames and you can see that area on this map.

We caught a 63 bus and later changed to a 431 which brought us back to Angel and an evening relaxing at home.

Arthur Rimbaud 1854-1891

We took another longish walk today with a bus ride part of the way.

It started with a visit to Myddelton’s in Amwell Street where we bought our usual coffees – a black americano and a latte, please! – and the makings of a picnic.

From there we walked to our picnic spot. On the way I took just one photo:

BT Tower

Looking down Wharton Street/Lloyd Square, we can see the BT Tower (aka the “Post Office Tower”) in the distance. Tigger is fond of this landmark so I photographed it for her!

Percy Circus

This is where we came for our picnic: Percy Circus Garden. The weather was already quite warm and sunny and it was pleasant to sit in the shade under the trees.

Pleasant under the trees

Except when another person came and sat for a while on the bench across from us, we had the place to ourselves.

Having finished our picnic, we set off on the next stage of our expedition. This took us through the quiet streets of this residential area though we did come upon one slightly unexpected sight.

“Help yourself”

Someone had put out a table laden with pastries and a notice that passers-by should help themselves. An interesting exercise in recycling! Some homeless or hard-up person will be glad of the bounty.

Building with date

In King’s Cross Road, we spied this building. It is Victorian and looks as if it was intended as a commercial property of some kind unless the ground floor was altered later. However, what piqued our interest was that the building bears a date. Can you see it?

Date in wrought iron

The date is at the end of the building in a blank façade, in whimsically designed wrought iron. On the left ‘A’ and ‘D’ are interlaced and on the right are superposed the numerals 1888. The date, then, is AD 1888. The Victorians used to love putting building dates in complicated designs like this. This one is not very difficult to work out but sometimes the result is a real puzzle.

A symbol above the door

A little further on, this symbol above a door caught our attention. What does it represent? We thought about it and my best guess was a microscope. Perhaps there was once a research or analysis laboratory here, using a microscope as an indication of its business.

I went a little closer and the truth was revealed: it is a bent arm, clad in armour, holding up a dagger! What its meaning could be escapes me unless it was the trademark of some product made here on the premises. It seems likely that the symbol and the date 1890 are contemporaneous and that might give some knowledgeable person a clue as the what it represents.

King’s Cross Laundry

In Caledonia Street, we found a monogramme worked into the fabric of a building and also incorporated into the design of the iron railings. Again, it was Tigger who deciphered this as KCL – King’s Cross Laundry. It must once have been an important company to have been able to build its own premises and display its initials in the fabric. Unfortunately, I know nothing about it. Perhaps something will turn up later.

Building works all around

We walked up York Way which runs beside King’s Cross station and its railway tracks. Everywhere you look there are tower cranes and the skeletons of new buildings rising up. And not just ordinary buildings, either, but great tall ones that close in the view and clutter the skyline. Such tall buildings, of which the monstrous Shard is a dreadful example, are a modern plague but there seems to be nothing we can do to halt the encroachment.

Reflections

This is an establishment called King’s Place which describes itself as “Home to music, words & comedy” and sustainer of its arts charity. We visit sometimes to have a cup of tea in its cafe and to visit its artworks and art exhibitions. Today I was amused to see it reflecting the blue sky and clouds of this hot autumn afternoon – a natural work of art.

Chapel Down – closed

I wasn’t sure what this place was when I first saw it though I realized that it had been built inside the remains of an old gasholder. It turns out that it is – or rather, was – a restaurant belonging to the company of the same name, manufacturers of wines and spirits. Perhaps, like so many other businesses, their restaurant has fallen victim to the Covid-19 crisis or has failed for other reasons. Either way, it will be interesting to see what, if anything, succeeds it.

Regent’s Canal

This is the Regent’s Canal, which one keeps coming across as one explores Islington. The view is from a bridge leading to the newly arranged Granary Square, where in the past grain was brought by rail from various parts of the country and deposited in tne grain warehouse.

Granary Square fronts a large area, once of warehouses for the commerce of grain and coal but now given over the entertainment and the arts. It is an area that draws people in large numbers.This in turn leads to a topic that is important but too often glossed over.

I speak of public toilets. Local councils have closed many public toilets and the Covid-19 epidemic has made things much worse because businesses that previously provided toilets for the customers have now closed them.

Relief is at hand

We asked several people who gave us, at best, but vague directions. Happily, Tigger’s “inner pigeon” came into play and she led me unerringly to Coal Drops Yard where there was indeed a public toilet thsat was open. Relief, indeed.

St Pancras Lock

This is the St Pancras Lock on the Regent’s Canal. Today, it was strangely quiet, especially for a weekday. On previous visits we have found it busy with barges queueing to go through. Its deserted state seemed very strange.

Hard hat flower basket

As we approached Camley Street, beside St Pancras Station, we saw building works were in progress. There were temporary huts and on one of them an unconvential hanging flower basket – made of a workman’s hard hat! A good example of recycling!

Camley Street Natural Park

We passed in front of Camley Street Natural Park. I saw that it was closed and that building work was in progress inside. I hope that this it for the purposes of improving the park and not replacing it with buildings.Time will tell. I have already written about this wild life oasis – see An urban wildlife park.

Aboard the 214

From Camley Street it is but a short walk to St Pancras Station where we could catch the 214 bus for home. My first post-lockdown trip on a bus (see Bus to Tottenham Court Road) made me feel a little nervous but I have become more used to it and this is my fourth ride. Next may be a journey by train but I will recount that if and when it happens.

We went on a longer than usual outing today which took us to Paternoster Square, close to St Paul’s Cathedral. I took many photos of which I include a selection here.

Aboard the 153

We started in St John Street where we caught the 153 bus (remembering to wear our face masks, as required by Transport for London!).

The White Bear

We left the bus part way down St John Street and walked from there. The above photo shows the White Bear, a long established pub, dating from no later than the mid-1800s though I do not know whether the building dates from then.

Decorative mouldings

A feature that impressed me was the decorative mouldings. They are complex and beautifully made. I can see that they have recently been cleaned, presumably of an intrusive layer of paint. I hope this indicates that the building is being restored and carefully maintained.

Old warehouse

Many of the buildings along this street are old and built to serve purposes that are no longer required. Traces may remain of their past lives. This building, for example, was probably a warehouse and, if you look carefully, you may be able to see not only the hoist for lifting goods but also the drop-down platform upon which they would rest before being taken inside.

The hoist

This close-up shows the hoist more clearly. Many buildings in the city and the docks area retain these hoists, although in some cases they are later additions for decorative effect.

The Cross Keys Hotel

Though now put to other uses, this building is easily recognized for what it was – a tavern – and even its name can be deduced from the symbols on the pediment. An inn existed here from the late 18th century though the present building is younger than that, probably late Victorian.

The Boar’s Head

Yes, yet another old pub. There is a reason for there being so many along this particular street and also for the fact that so many closed down. We will come to that in a moment. There was a tavern here from the 17th century but as we see it today, this version dates from 1897, as declared on the pediment.

Smithfield Market

Here is the reason for the existence – and subsequent closure – of taverns and inns in St John Street: Smithfield Market. Cattle from all parts of the country used to be driven here along the roads by cattle drovers to be slaghtered and butchered at Smithfield, London’s meat market. Drovers needed places to refresh themselves from the thirst of the dusty roads. Some no doubt also spent in the same way some of the money earned at the market.

The main hall

Fortunately, the gruesome days of animal slaughter are long gone though meat is still traded here. What the building becomes in the future remains to be seen.

Decorative ironwork

It is one if the ironies that a place where horrors were perpetrated is so beautifully decorated.

West Smithfield Garden

We bought a takeaway lunch and ate it in this small but pleasant park called West Smithfield Garden. There were benches in the shade (it was now quite warm in the sun) and not too many people.

Drinking fountain and statue of Peace

In the centre is a large and elaborate drinking fountain, erected in 1873, with a large bronze sculpture representing Peace.

Taxi garden

In the street nearby, stands this curious object, the carcase of a London black cab that has been turned into a public bench with flower boxes. The flowers have all died and withered and apparently no one is looking after it. Will it be left to rust away or will it be removed? Your guess is as good as mine.

Graveyard guard house

This building is part of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and guards the entrance to its burial ground though, with the closure of London’s cemeteries, it lost its function. It dates from the time when body snatchers could earn good money by stealing fresh corpses and selling them to the medical schools where they were needed for dissection. Guard houses were set up at some burial grounds to prevent the theft of corpses.

Drinking fountain 1867

This prettily designed public drinking fountain bears a date of 1867. Notice the instruction to “replace the cup”.

Drinking fountain cups

This fountain is unusual in that it does still have its cups, two of them, attached by chains. Most other old fountains lack their cups, retaining at most a few inches of broken chain. This fountain has done well to keep its cups right up to the present.

Central Criminal Court

Here we are approaching the Central Criminal Court, better known as the Old Bailey, after the name of the road in which it resides. It is immediately recognisable by its rounded dome topped by a statue of Justice, blindfolded and holding both sword and scales.

Doorway to the Old Bailey

This door is, I assume, for court officials and those having business in court because there is a separate entrance for the public galleries and another for prison vans. Above it are three allegorical figures. The present building dates from 1902.

Paternoster Square

And so we arrived at Paternoster Square, in the shadow, so to speak, of St Paul’s Cathedral. The square is a wide open space where people can stroll or sit on a cafe terrace. There are a number of items of interest here but we will leave them for another day.

Paternoster
Elizabeth Frink

A noteworthy feature of the square is a group sculpture by Elizabeth Frink. Also called Paternoster, it shows a shepherd with a small flock of sheep. The title, especially given the setting near the Cathedral, suggests a religious interpretation but it is sufficiently realistic to be enjoyed for that alone.

From here we walked to the street and a stop where we could board a bus to take us home to Angel.

I wonder whether they missed us at Myddelton’s? 🙂

In the “old days” – that legendary era before Covid-19 – we would do our weekly shopping on Sunday morning. This involved breakfast in a local cafe, while waiting for Sainsbury’s to open, and then a quick trundle around the shelves with a shopping trolley during the 15-minute “browsing time” so as to reach the check-outs just as they opened.

With the onset of lockdown we agreed that Tigger alone would brave the shops while I remained, a little fretfully, at home. I suppose we shall have to decide at some point that it’s time to resume going together to the shops but today, once more, Tigger went on her own.

Today, Tigger took a bus to Camden Town, partly to enjoy the novelty and partly to see if the shops there stocked different items to vary our diet. It was agreed that she would let me me know when she was on the way home and that we would go to Jusaka together.

And so it was.

The world from Jasaka’s window

We met at the bus stop in City Road and crossed to Jusaka. Once again, we agreed to consume our coffee on the premises. As we were the only customers, there was no difficulty in maintaining “social distancing”! Sitting at a table like civilized folk, I took the above photo through the window. The scenery will be familiar, the perspective less so.

Our reusable cups

We took our reusable cups to save on the disposable ones in which coffee is being served at present to help avoid infection.

Through the window I noticed that a police car with flashing blue lights had stopped in the outside lane of the High Street, causing something of an obstacle to other traffic. I then noticed that in front of the police vehicle was a private car with its hazard lights flashing. They were soon joined by a low-loader which proceeded to hoist the car onto itself. It seems that the car had broken down and the police were helping to have it removed, presumably to a garage. Unfortunately, I couldn’t take a good photo of this activity because constantly flowing traffic kept blocking the view.

Not a very exciting story, I know, but more entertaining than nothing, I suppose!!

Coffee consumed, we dragged the shopping trolley home and put away its contents. All done for another week. Perhaps tomorrow we will be able to go for a more interesting outing.