Phew, it's hot out there

I have just pulled together this topical collection from my London photos – it includes a ghostsign for a well-known soap brand on a wall in Hackney, a fire insurance marker, a couple of sundials, a mosaic memorial in St Pancras churchayard and a few pubs, Oh and Lloyd's Bank.

My BBC Weather app tells me it's 27ºC out there at the moment (mid-day 20th June 2021) and it's forecast to rise a little higher after lunch with the threat of thundery showers and light winds which I'm quite looking forward to – I might go out for a walk in it.

The weather has been very changeble here this year. We've had heavy rainfall, strong winds, a dull/cold June and now this, which has got me thinking about extremes of weather, specifically in London. I think, being as we Brits do like to talk about this subject, that I will design a new online talk about it – I even have a title ready – Frost Fairs and Long Hot Summers. See my other website and schedule for updates.

But first, I'm off to have another luke-warm shower.

Sunshine and a rainbow

Hard to believe it's August at the moment. It's cold and wet and windy out there.
So I have put together some sunny-coloured things to remind us of that big hot thing that usually sits in the sky.

I was asked to tweet about my favourite colour of the rainbow earlier this week for Samsung's #MidnightRainbow event. I actually prefer indigo – this old post features some lovely old dark blue tiles and links in nicely with the above.

Here's a photo of the rainbow made using lots of Samsung Tab S screens taken at the press event last night where I bumped into my old school mate Andy who is now the big cheese there.
See the rainbow today on the Southbank near Gabriel's Wharf.

The Wonders of the Solar System

Last Sunday the first programme in the series 'The Wonders of the Solar System' presented by Dr Brian Cox, was aired on BBC2.

Due to him being in a few bands before getting his PhD, Brian has often been referred to as the 'rockstar physicist'. Never mind that, it's his far-too-good-to-be-true cheekbones and thick mop of hair that fascinate me as he is older than he looks!

His enthusiasm for his subject is infectious. I am hooked and really looking forward to the next four programmes.

And here are some London images that loosely tie in with the programmes.

Row 1: The Quays (previously The Half Moon), N7; Belgravia, SW1; Upper St, N1; St Lukes, EC1; St Pancras churchyard.

Row 2: Graffiti, E9; wall, Bethnal Green Rd; stink pipe, W3; Shoreditch High St; Thames Festival 2009

Row 3: Circumshpere, Deptford Wharf; coal hole cover; Crouch End Broadway; Paddington, W2; Cockspur St.

Row 4: (Mars) Marshalls, Dalston; (Neptune) closed fishmongers, W3; (Milky Way) Nestlé Milk, New Cross; (Venus) Lime St, EC3; (Saturn) doorbells SW1.

Bring me sunshine

I have today loaded up another Urban Sightseeing post on Londonist. It's not as information-packed as some of my previous ones – it's just a collection of images featuring the sun.

Check it out here. And please click the 'Like' star at the bottom of that post if you approve. Thanks.

Click here to see all my Urban Sightseeing posts