As Winter Turns to Spring

As Winter turns to Spring.

Now — now, as low I stooped, thought I,

I will see what this snowdrop is;

As winters dark aura covers the land the humble snowdrop defies its icy grip and emerges to give us hope that Spring cannot be denied and will soon banish the cold. 

So shall I put much argument by,

And solve a lifetime's mysteries.

A northern wind had frozen the grass;

This tiny delicate flower must be the toughest tenacious and hardiest of our garden flowers. Pushing its slender leaves through the hardest of frost bitten soils in the first two months of every new year. It raises our spirits and we are glad to see those pale green shoots topped by a shy white bowing flower head.  

Its blades were hoar with crystal rime,

Aglint like light-dissecting glass

At beam of morning prime.

Snowdrops were first described by the classical Greek author Theophrastus in the fourth century BC.

Rembert Dodoens, a Flemish botanist described and illustrated it in 1583 as did Gerard the herbalist in 1597. The genus was formally named by Carl Linnaeus in 1753. He described it as a single species Galanthus Nivalis. Other well known botanists have contributed to the knowledge of the species and there are around 20variations of the galanthus specious. The most common and the most prolific are the Galanthus Nivalis.

Its angled, slender, cold, dark stem,

Whence dangled an inverted cup

For tri-leaved diadem.

Beneath these ice-pure sepals lay

So well beloved are these delightful little blooms that there are dedicated Snowdrop walks in big estates across the country. Its small white scaleless bulbs escape the most ruthless of garden clearances and pop up in the most unexpected places the following spring.  

A triplet of green-pencilled snow,

Which in the chill-aired gloom of day

Stirred softly to and fro.

Mind fixed, but else made vacant, I,

Lost to my body, called my soul

To don that frail solemnity,

They are the easiest of flowers to spread around the garden. Just dig up a clump when the leaves are still green but the flowers have faded. Divide it and replant small clumps where ever you want to see these special little flowers.

Its inmost self my goal.

And though in vain — no mortal mind

Across that threshold yet hath fared! —

In this collusion I divined

Some consciousness we shared.

Strange roads — while suns, a myriad, set —

Had led us through infinity;

And where they crossed, there then had met

Not two of us, but three.

                                                                                          Walter de la Mare

A New Year, Already?

I’m conscious that I should write a blog page but seem to have a bit of a writers block. So what should I write about??? Knitting? Web pages, I write and administrate two now getting Tech. cleaver in my dotage! My fancy new Home help called Alexa?

I wouldn’t have thought of investing in a home hub. I was never quite sure about its usefulness, even though I’m loving the age of technology. However since this Christmas present from No 3 son I’m warming to it. Being of a certain age the memory gets bit questionably at times now days. Well, OK, maybe more than a bit! Now, as soon as I realise I need to put certain things on the shopping list I just tell Alexa to add it. Great. No more getting home from shopping and thinking Damn I forgot the gravy granules, or whatever. No, with Alexa also linked to my phone I have the list with me when shopping. No more swearing because the list is still at home on the kitchen worktop either.

She’s proving useful when I’m cooking as well. Her timer is impeccable. Now when I put something in the oven I tell her how long I want to cook it and bingo, she’s spot on. No more fiddling with my little clock timer trying to set it. Or forgetting to set it as I was doing something else so I would then forget what time I put the food in the oven or on the hob.

She tells me what the days weather is going to be like and updates me with the morning news headlines. I can ask her to play me music for whatever my mood is. Or, if I’m really lazy she can read to me from the book I’m currently reading. She’s a fountain of knowledge, can tell jokes, ok, naff jokes. 

She should have been able to switched light on and off for me. But the sockets I bought so she could show my how cleaver she is wouldn’t hook up to my WiFi. But I’ll investigate other makes and will get her to let us switch lights on and off from our chairs. She could control our heating, our TV or let me see who’s at the front door, warn me of intruders, but the extra pieces of Tech needed would stretch the budget a little too much at the present, but watch this space. I’m hooked!

Floating in the Silken Water

Now the weather’s changing and the air temperature is cooler Most mornings have found me in swimming in the lido. Now there’s space. Space to swim, to lose yourself in a mindful swim, then, Lengths completed, to flip over, relax. Floating gently with the liquid silk waters washing around you is pure bliss. To lie there and watch the clouds float across the blue of the sky, or just shut your eyes and feel the gentle movement of the water around you. 

OK so this is not me!

This morning, swimming under a cloudless cerulean sky with the Sun in the South East and the Moon still visible in the South West you could help but be mesmerized by the shimmering silver, gold mesh-like strands of light bathing the pool floor.

As the high summer heatwave has dissipated and more normal cooler weather set in the Lido queues and crowds have opted for other school holiday pursuit.  Families and children still arrive but the regular swimmers have enjoyed a quite few days.  Peaceful swimming. No weaving around the person stroking powerfully towards you. They didn’t see you, their swimming line has been invaded by teenagers jumping and diving in from the sides.  No sudden stopping as children stray across your swimming path. No batting a beach ball, that's just hit you on the head, away, back to the laughing children next to you. 

If you're a strong swimmer you opt for the lanes and swim clockwise or anti-clockwise in rhythm with the other strong swimmers. Les active swimmers, like me, try to swim their lengths around the hoards of fair weather swimmers and the kids just having fun. 

Fletton Quays.

New and Old.  Fletton Quays and Historic Buildings .

The derelic site on the South bank of the Nene in Peterborough is undergoing a drastic transformation. It's has been part of the Councils plan for some time now but our Council always takes time to bring plans to fruition.

A Computerised view of Fletton Quays

The former warehouse size buildings, housing B&Q and Matalan stores have been demolished. As has Aqua House at the entrance to the site. The old Whitworth Mill and the railway shed at the bottom of the site are being renovated, transformed and repurposed. New council offices, a hotel, a multistory car park, retail and leisure facitites are also planned.

Whitworth mill before its Renovation

Weston Homes is  the company building  the super modern apartments on the riverside Quays as well as restoring and renovating The Gables on Thorpe Road, and a short row of Victorian houses used by the NHS on Thorpe Road. To restore these Important historical buildings requires a considerable amount  work in planning, surveying and liaising with local city planners, English Heritage and many other Bodies before any work can begin. The aim is to remove all or most of 20th century add-on buildings and repair the scaring these later extensions leave on the building and to sympathetically repair and conserve as much of the fabric of the original building as possible, Where this is not possible, work to make the building as user friendly for modern living as possible, the building work must reflect the present day level of architecture in the  buildings life as has happened in the buildings past lifetime. The cost of these  renovations are far greater than any new build, so Westons offset these often massive cost by sympathetically planning new build apartments and houses on the Historic buildings site.

The Gables before transformation

The Gables began its time line in 1895 as a home for a wealthy local Coal Merchant  J. H. Beeby. Designed by the architect John Alfred Gotch, the red brick building was in a Tudor/Jacobean style. In 1933, J. H. Beeby’s widow sold it to George Ralph Baker, a director of the engineering firm of Baker Perkins. By 1947 the house had been transferred to the ownership of the newly created NHS and used as one of the two Maternity Units in the City. In 1970 when a new purpose maternity unit was opened it was then used for psychiatric care. Many building were added to the old house during its years in the NHS ownership. The house eventually became obsolete when the new City hospital was built in Bretton and has stood empty and neglected for the last decade.

The Gables transformation almost complete.

The Heatwave Cools at Last.

Well, the weather’s changed thank goodness. I think. I didn’t cope well with the heatwave of the last few weeks. Another effect of the aging process as in my younger days I use to adore the hot sun.  My arthritic joints are another anathema. Most people with arthritis love the hot weather. My joints prefer cool dry weather. 

Most mornings have found me in swimming in the lido.  As the high summer heatwave has dissipated and more normal cooler weather set in the Lido queues and crowds have opted for other school holiday pursuit.  Families and children still arrive but the regular swimmers have enjoyed a quite few days. 

in the Heatwave, families poured in to enjoy the Lido

The cooler weather has meant Space. No weaving around the person stroking powerfully towards you. They didn’t see you, their swimming line has been invaded by teenagers jumping and diving in from the sides.  No sudden stopping as children stray across your swimming path. No batting a beach ball, that's just hit you on the head, away, back to the laughing children next to you. If you're a strong swimmer you opt for the lanes and swim clockwise or anti-clockwise in rhythm with the other strong swimmers. Les active swimmers, like me, try to swim their lengths around the hoards of fair weather swimmers and the kids just having fun. 

welcome clouds

Fewer suntanned bodies in the water and more rain and cloudier skies have cooled the water slightly and the regulars all breath a sigh of relief. There’s space. Space to swim, to lose yourself in a mindful swim, then, lengths completed, to flip over, relax and float with the liquid silk waters washing around you is pure bliss. To lie there and watch the clouds float across the blue of the sky, or just shut your eyes and feel the gentle movement of the water around you. 

That's a Shameful way to Treat the Aged.

There has been an increasing number of reports over the last few years about how the elderly are treated. Especially in Care Homes. I know these reports are sensationalised for the Media, but as a person of a certain age this still worries and concerns me. I dread the day my husband and son begin to struggle to care for my needs. I'd hate to have to rely on strangers to care for personal care. This looms terrifyingly closer as the years pass more rapidly than I'd like. I struggle to keep my mobility as arthritis continues to ravage joints. My only form of exercise I can continue to do with relative ease is swimming. Luckily I enjoy this and find it therapeutic not a chore to be endured.

The reports coming from Doncaster about the allegedly appalling treatment of elderly dementia residents and their family being given a measly 30 minutes to find a new care home beggars belief. Having had to find suitable care homes for my Step Sister in Law after she had a devastating paralysing stroke and my elderly, doubly incontinent, increasing frail, nonverbal, prone to choking Parent I know what a traumatic time consuming thankless job this is. There was no way could I have ever managed to choose a care home from a list presented to me by a stressed Social Worker as those Doncaster relatives had to. 

I looked at numerous Care Homes on the internet and at their Care Quality Commission reports. Made umpteen telephone calls and appointments to view Homes and discuss my relative's needs. I discussed with other immediate family my findings and recommendations. Then when you've chosen a home there are other formalities to go through such as the financial situation and the Manager of your chosen home has to be assured she has the staff and equipment to care for your relative before she/he accepts your vulnerable much-loved relative.

The Media reports state that many of the staff were crying, the residents were crying and relatives were crying. The place was in chaos. Medical records weren't sent with the resident. Their placements hadn't considered whether they had the facilities to care for the resident's needs, That a shambles. Whatever evidence the Council had for shutting the home, previously inspected and rated as Good, at such short notice, there must have been a better way of handling it. Heads should roll for this unforgivable treatment of such vulnerable people.

Having completed a search through the internet articles it seems the Doncaster City Council Social Care policy for the elderly has been in total disarray now for several years. Reports of threatened closures have been happening now since 2014. That seems quite sufficient time to get your policies and commitments in an acceptable position. Going from crisis to crisis speaks of poor leadership and management.

Maybe there should be thoughts given to a radical new Countrywide policy that removes profit-making from elderly care.  After all, if the St Johns  Ambulance Association can run 'Not for Profit' Care Homes then why can't all Care Homes be run on a similar model.  

Departed Swimmers

Memories recovered.

Last week, a few of the regular Lido swimmers were interview  by Keely Mills, Peterborough’s Poet, and the Lido’s Poet in Residence. She is producing a series of programs for BBC Cambridgeshire. One of the questions  our interviewer asked us was ‘Who could we remember from the past who is no longer swimming’. We all responded in unison ‘Walter’. 

The Interview with Keely

Walter was not a born and bred Peterborian. He came Peterborough after escapeing from  Latvia as a 14 year old during the war. He was an eccentric. A body building, strong man and a Lifeguard at the Lido for many years. He taught many of the young tearaway teenagers to swim. Most of his zany antics were done for charity. Most were reported in the local press and some made the BBC television. So over the years Walter became a local celebrity. 

Later thinking about this question I realised, No, Walter wasn’t the only Lido swimmer who is no longer with us who we remember fondly. There were actually quite a few.

There was Marion and Ken, Great Cathedral supporters and organisers. Their exodus from Peterborough was to move North to be closer to family. Marion, a retired school teacher, organised our impromptus lunch time picnics. Before the advent of Vivacity there wes no morning coffee to be had at the pool. The Cafe had closed years before. So we’d walk into the City and have coffee and toast at the little Sundays cafe off Cathedral Square. Often she would organise a lunch at her home in Stanground. When they moved Jeanne and I decided we should keep the lunches going as well as organising the Christmas dinner outing.

Maggie, John, Marian & Ken

Then there was Dot, a strong willed octogenarian, who raced up to the lido on her mobility scooter. Dot believed her scooter gave her the right of way and heaven help you if you got in her way! She started swimming in the Lido back in 1965. As she reached her 80’s she didn’t actually swim much but she got in the water whatever the weather and temperature and ‘pedalled’ her way to the deep end where she would pedal back and forth to exercise he damaged legs. Once out she would shower then one of us, would  dash out of the pool to help her to get dried and dressed. Later when she could no longer manage the pool we would arrange a gathering for a little lunch or tea, first at her home then later in her care Home until she died.

John, Marian & Dot.

Russel was another swimmer He was well known at the Lido from a young 9 year old lad until his eighties. He was a great one for chatting to the Ladies. He could swim the length of the pool underwater. If he was behind you, you just knew at any moment if you looked down there he would be overtaking you by swimming under you. He arrived on his bike one morning to be told it was closed It was June 8th 1940 and a pavilion had been the target of a Luftwaffe bomb. After his wife died he spent more and more time at the pool. He was always at our picnics, and lunches. A mild stroke slowed him for a while but not for long he fought his way back to health but was banned from any more underwater swimming. A couple of years later we began to notice his health deteriorating. Janet began to look out and care for him more and more. Two weeks after a diagnosis of Motor Neurone disease he sadly died. 

iris ,Russel Coe and John Reynolds

Big Russel  or Russel Hunter Rowe was another keen Lido swimmer for over 15  years who became ill and left us. The wooden bench outside the mens changing area where they would sit and dry off, was loosing its personalities. The Ladies the table at other end of the pool had christened the Bench ‘The Last of the Summer Wine Bench’ after the long running television program. Its still there today  and still used as a drying perch for those not so agile swimmers.

Most recently there was Chris, a tall good looking fit 60plus year old, With a head of silver curly hair he was to be seen swimming his 32 length, mile most mornings. Then at the end of a Lido season s few years ago we heard he’d been diagnosed with cancer.  The disease progressed so quickly and  he died at the new Year. Chris’s sudden demise shocked us all badly.

A  Lido End of Season Picnic.

The Stash Stack

My winter knitting was supposed to be about reducing my ever increasing yarn stash. It started well. I duly wound skeins of beautiful yarn unto neat manageable cakes of yarn. Then the dilemma began. I searched through my patterns I search Ravelary, I searched Patternfish. Frustration set in. So many garment I want to knit. The problem was I couldn't match what I wanted to knit with yarn I had. A couple of shawls later I was only two balls of stash  down. This wasn't working. 

Then a trip to the Oundle Farmers Market found me in the Oundle Yarn shop, Oundle in Stitches, http://www.oundleinstitches.co.uk  Just browsing though wasn't I? Er no! A big bag of Rico Essentials Cotton Glitze DK. Well it was almost half price. I couldn't leave it. Could I? So now what to do with it? A quick search online for crochet patterns and a root through the needle draw for long abandoned hooks. After a quick tutorial on the difference between UK and US crochet stitches and I was away. Soon the Lost in Time shawl was growing. I'd forgotten how much I use to love crocheting. 

Shawl finished and folded and stacked away. I dipped into the Deramores website. Bad move. Jacket pattern and yarn ordered.
Three different sizes of a jackets later ....

and two sizes of yet another jacket...Not sure if I'll ever reduce this Yarn stash. Still tryingthough!

‘Lido’ an Italian Word for Bathing Beach.

From a poem by Keeley Mills.

Words from a poem by Keeley Mills applied to the entrance way to our Lido. Lido an Italian word for bathing beach. Which ever way you say it it still means to me a  blissful half hour or more immersed in my own private world of thoughts and ideas. The only interruptions are my fellow swimmers with their cheerful ‘morning’ greeting. It’s especially enjoyable this year. State of the art new boilers in the 80 year old boiler house means pleasantly warm waters in the pool. 

Sliding into the water at  just gone 9am. The Cathedral bell have stopped ringing but the birds chirp away. The gentle hum of the City traffic fades as you dip your head under the blue waters. A golden Walter swings slowly as the breeze hits him on his perch on the top of the clock tower. Not too hot and not too cold but just right for relaxing mindful swimming. even the rain docent faze us.

All through the grey winter mornings we trudge to the indoor pool. The changing rooms are brightly lit with electric lights. But. No windows. No fresh air.  Just the stale dank moist air swirled about by the corridor door constantly opening. Through the shower area with it’s slippery shampoo greased floor to the pool. Turning the corner, into the pool area, the stuffy chemically loaded over heated air hit you full in the face. This hall of a room is also lit by a glare of artificial lights. There is some daylight from the domed roof glazing but not enough, and the tree shaded window wall boarders the diving pit ares let’s in some more. But we swim dreaming of the last weekend in May when the Lido opens its metal gates once more.

Last Friday at 11am we plunged into the welcoming open air waters. A pre season swim arranged especially for our newly formed 'Friends of the Lido' group. Some more active members had been helping The lido staff prepare the winter damaged buildings ready for the opening day. I had been busy over winter creating a web page to keep members and non members up to date. Swim over we sat in the sunshine with chips and a bacon butties from the cafe putting the world to rights. To start this season I've invested in a new bright pink swim towel. one that dries you quickly, two new swimsuits, new goggles  and a pair of comfortable pool shoes. It promises to be a wonderful season swimming.

Coffee and Knitting

Over the last few years there's been a revival in the art of knitting. An article I read today described it as it's third renaissance. I not sure how they arrived at this description. Knitting for my Mothers and Grandmothers generation and in my teens was a skill passed on from Mother to daughter. Or in my case Grandmother to Granddaughter. It wasn't a skill I latched onto as a kid. I preferred reading and painting then.

Leaving home and living in a Nurses Home as a 1960's Student Nurse painting had to be dropped. A hobby not suited to working a 44 hour weeks and spare time studying. So knitting became the relaxing pastime. Every magazine then had new knitting patterns and almost every street a wool shop. In the 1970's Knitting was declining and by the 1980's it was definitely out of favour. The wool shops all but disappeared.

A Crocheted bedspread aka 1978.

After knitting 11 sweaters one year mid 1970's I burnt out and couldn't pick up the needles any more. Eventually needles, crochet hooks  and patterns were relegated to a Charity shop. Sugar craft was my new sideline. During the 1980's and 1990's I took courses and did a City and Guild course in Sugarcraft and design. I instigated and became the Chairman of the Peterborough Branch of the British Sugarcraft Guild. We were a successful Guild winning competitions at National level. In my spare time between full-time work and looking after my family I make intricate wedding and celebratory cakes.

One of my many wedding cake creations.

Then in 2003 a visit from my 'surrogate' daughter from Canada and a visit with her to the Knitting and Stitching show at the Alexander Palace in London and I was reinstate back into the knitting community. The needles once more were clicking. Yarn and patterns searched for. My borrowed Canadian daughter and her Mom were delighted. we were all back knitting. Visits to Canada involved a lot of knitting and visits to yarn stores. Returning home to Britain with suitcases stuffed with delicious yarns.

The American have taken knitting to the next level with 'Bitch and Stitch' and 'Knit and Natter' groups.  It slowly became filtered across to the UK. The Internet helped with the American website Ravalery attracting members worldwide. Wool became Yarn and the American spinners and dyers created some wonderful yarns. We now have wonderful yarns from all over the world.

A Canadian Yarn store 2005.

 It's taken Britain a while to retrieve the love of Knitting but it's getting there. Yarn shops are on the increase and the online yarn providers do a roaring trade. The health aspect of knitting is becoming clear, with research finding a whole range of health benefits. From slowing the onset of dementia, reducing anxiety, lowering blood pressure, distracting from chronic pain and lowering depression.
Knitting has been a reaction from my own health problems. As arthritis progresses and I found painting and gardening difficult my knitting has once more become my obsession. My Great grand children are benefiting where unfortunately my grand children came along in my barren knitting years.

Little People Knits.

Now I'm knitting all sorts of garments. From lacy scarves and shawls, to gaily coloured socks, hats and hand warmers. Cardigans for me. Sweaters for the lads. Jackets cardigans and jumpers for the little people in my life. Knitting groups are not for me, I'm a solitary knitter, feet up with a mug of coffee and sometimes with the headphones and an audio book. Bliss.

New Beginnings

After a prolong absent I’m back at last.

 After my last post in October 2013 my blog has been lying sadly abandoned. Other matters in life took over. Family matters had to be attended to. Health, mostly in the form of ageing joint made mobility an issue. My art and craft work took a back seat and knitting became my new focus. Grandchildren producing their own prodigy gave me a reason to knit.

Recently though, always being a bit of a tech lover I took on some Websites Administration and after designing another website from scratch plus the purchase of a up to date new laptop gave me a reason to look back at the abandoned blogs. So, I thought lets get myself a proper domaine name and get back to it. So here I am...and what to write....well it's Ramblings from the 'Boro so we'll  start with the History Society news would be appropriate.

Last Thursday evening “Himself” and I took ourselves in to Town to a meeting of the Local History Society. Wherever Ive lived I delved into the local History of the area. History was one of my favourite subjects all those eons ago at school, and in one form or another has remained so all my life. It actually took us a long time to actually join the Peterborough Local History Society but after attending their Annual Charity talks in the Town Hall for several years we took the plunge and went along to a meeting.

 This evening  we were expecting an interesting talk from the speaker, Mr Toby Wood, Vice Chairman of the Peterborough Civic Society. His subject was Peterborough’s Blue Plaques.

The Civic Society was set up in 1952 to campaign for the protection and preservation of Historic buildings and monuments. They aim to work with Public authorities to care for the City’s future, by promoting good design, campaigning to save our local heritage buildings and other features and to promote public interest.

From 1985 to 2012 The Civic Society had placed 28 metal aluminium Plaques around the City. They commemorated the City’s historic people or historic buildings. Each plaque had quite a bit of reading information engraved on it. The problem was over the years a few have disappeared when buildings were demolished, many have suffer wear and tear and many were erected in places where it was impossible to read them.  

In 2015 the Civic Society made a decision to replace the old plaques with a new design following the heritage design of the London Blue Plaques. These Plaques are more visual to the public. They were erected to enhance the City centre and form a  trail that can be further  enhanced with a leaflet giving more information on each plaque. So far a total of 20 plaques have been put in place. The Civic Society are planing more and have invited the public to make suggestions. There are restrictions though. With people they have had to have been dead for over 50 years. This rules out many famous people for some time to come yet. People such as Edmond Hockeridge and Ernie Wise. Even Henry Royce of Rolls Royce who was connected to Alwalton cant be included because Alwalton is not actually part of Peterborough. Its part of Huntindon albeit some 20 miles along the A1. Other people such as Edith Cavel were connected to buildings in the Cathedral Precincts. And the Cathedral are planing their own Blue Plaque trail within their grounds.

The program took 3 years to implement. From deciding which plaques to replace, the information on them, the colours, the fonts, getting permission to erect them in the chosen location. Costing over £300 each, they were cast and hand painted by a Derbyshire Architectural signage casting company. They are cast from an amalgamation of metal and plastic making them useless to metal thieves. 

Sky High in the Smoke.

Tuesday Oct 22^nd London and The Shard

Way back in May this year we had a holiday in Italy. Our trip was booked with a local travel firm it was also was affiliated with a Yorkshire firm. Half way through the holiday the Peterborough people realised the Yorkshire people were talking about the home wards journey a day before we were expecting to go. We had, after all booked a 10-day holiday from their brochure. Frantic emails went back and forth from our driver to the offices of the Peterborough firm and the Yorkshire firm. Oh dear, the Peterborough firm had screwed up proof reading their brochure. We were not too happy but there was nothing to be done but enjoy the remainder of our holiday and sort it once back in the UK. All to soon it was time to return home.At home we found the Tour firm had already pre-empted our concerns and an envelope with an abject apology and vouchers for £40 each had been delivered.

The vouchers sat in the cupboard until I thought it was about time we used them up. I pinpointed two day trips from their excursions brochure and we discussed. The London Shard with afternoon tea was decided on and I rang to book it. I wasn’t sure if we would get seats, as the trip was only two weeks away. No problems the coach wasn’t full. We now just prayed for a fine day.

Tuesday arrived, as did the rain, Oh well can’t be helped. We drove to the pick up point we had chosen and the coach pulled in right on time. The journey was uneventful, driving along the grey wet motorway cheered up by the autumnal tints of the roadside trees. A comfort break was made at South Mimms before we hit the snails pace of London traffic. The one good thing about a slow coach ride through London is that you can take in all the architecture of the Georgians, Victorian and the Edwardians.

'The Navigators' at the Hays Galleria.

Eventually we arrived outside the Hays Galleria and were dropped of with our Courier. Then coach  and driver beat retreated to a distant coach park for the day. The Hays Galleria was named after Alexander Hays who bought the property, then a Brewhouse in 1651. The present buildings were created out of the Pool of London’s Wharf and warehouse complex, where, in past decades, Tea Clippers berthed and all the Perishable goods for London arrived. It was known as the Larder of London. Badly Bombed in World War 11, the area became economically depressed.  A program of regeneration was embarked upon in the 1980’s and the now restored tea and produce warehouses are a maze of independent shops, offices and restaurants and is a fascinating areas to explore. We walked through the Galleria’s central court yard past a fountain with a moving bronze sculpture called ‘The Navigators’. Created by the sculptor David Kemp, it was unveiled in 1987 and commemorates the Galleria’s shipping heritage. On through the massive Port gates to the riverside’s Jubilee Walk. Here you see the last surviving Battle Cruiser, HMS Belfast moored. She is now part of The Imperial War Museum and open to the public. My brother actually served on the Belfast when she was Berthed in Portsmouth before she was decommissioned and dispatched to her present berth on the Thames. A little further along the imposing Tower Bridge spans the river. We only had a short time to explore as our time for the Shard experience was fast approaching.

Part of The Hays Galleria

The Galleria plaque.

HMS Belfast moored in the Thames

Looking to Tower Bridge

                       

A short walk brought us to this new iconic London Landmark. In 1998 the London based entrepreneur Irvine Sellar and his Partners decided to redevelop Southwark Towers in the Tower Bridge quarter of London. The Italian architect, Renzo Piano was approached, and at an initial meeting he apparently spoke of his contempt of conventional tall buildings. He flipped over the restaurants menu and sketched a spire like building rising from the river Thames. Apparently he was inspired by the railway lines next to the site and spires depicted by the 18^th century Venetian painter, Canaletto and the masts of sailing ships.

There was much opposition to the plans but in 2002 John Prescott the then Deputy Prime Minister approved the plans. Funding was eventually obtained from an Arab consortium including the Qatar National Bank. Construction began in the spring of 2009. The 87-story, 310 meter, high skyscraper was to be a slender glass and steel spire. It is currently the tallest building in Western Europe. In early 2011 the Shards Concrete core was topped out at 245 meters, the 72^nd floor.  The floors above -73 to 87 are the glass and steel Spire of the building.

Quite an impressive reflection

The ground level entrance

Level 72 Note the rain splatter floor

The open shards

We really did it!

and it was fun!

The views were impressive even on a grey day.

The Ground floor is to be a hotel, restaurant and an office reception. Level 1-2 is to be office and retail space. Level 3 – 28 offices, 31-33 are 3 restaurants. Level 34 – 52 is to be a hotel called The Shangri-la. The opening of this is delayed apparently due to fitting out problems. Level 53 – 65 are Residences and level 68-72 is the viewing area called simply ‘The View’. It was opened to the public in February this year. The experience doesn’t come cheap. Pre booked tickets are £24.95p and tickets on the day are £29.95p. You enter the building at street level and go through an airport security type procedure. Your bags and coat are scanned and you walk through an x-ray portal. We were told to take photo identification but we didn’t actually need to show it. Next was the usual ‘experience’ photo that you could buy later. A short walk followed, through a corridor were the walls screened the Shard construction and the views to come, brought you to the two lifts. The first smooth and rapid ride up is to level 33, then a short hop around the corner into the second lift the whisks you up to level 68. Stairs then took you up to the next level, 69, the indoor viewing level. Or a small lift takes you up to level 72 the outdoor viewing platform. We went straight up to 72. It was quite cold and windy. The area you walk around was glass panelled, no possibility of accidentally chucking yourself off!  But the shards of steel and glass towering to the spire were open to the elements. The 360-degree views were breathtaking even though the weather wasn’t good. By this time there were just rain showers and the cloud layer was breaking up to give some small blue patches. After scanning the views and the usual photo shots from all angles we went down to the comparative shelter of level 69. On this level there were interactive telescopes, free as well, that you could point at the views out side and the screen would tell you what you were seeing.

My postcard purchase from the gift shop

Viewing over, we congregated on the lower floor where all the Shard commemorative gifts were to be found. Sorry to say we gave them a miss and the ‘experience’ photo, Just the one night time postcard was my only purchase  Our courier took us the short walk to the Hilton Hotel were our Afternoon Tea was booked. Although the walks were short I struggled to keep up and by the time we reached the hotel my back knee and ankle were sorely complaining. My first action, once the teapot of Darjeeling was placed on the table (after it had brewed according to the special Twinning tea timers on the table) was to wash down two Paracetamol tablets. Never has a cup of tea been so enjoyed. The food arrived it looked delicious and was duly devoured and thoroughly enjoyed.

My desperately need cup of tea. Mine was Darjeeling and 
Dave's was Earl Grey. Note the nifty timer for timing the brew.

Afternoon Tea Hilton style.

All to soon we were on the coach once again. Our driver took a different route through London. We drove slowly over Tower Bridge, slowly because it was rush hour and all the traffic could do was to go slow. He also took us through the Camden Market route. If I had been several years younger I should love to explore this area of London and many more but now days I’m afraid although the spirit is willing the body will not comply!

Out of London we hit the rain once again and it stayed with us most of the way accumulating in a really heavy down pour when we reached out destination. Good job the car was parked just across the road.

We both thought it was a good day out and not at all scary although I must admit just once me heart missed a beat and the old legs did buckle. I had to grab the steel upright edging the glass panels and remind myself there was absolutely no possibility of falling!