Chinese New Year

I went for a walk earlier today from Trafalgar Square, up through Leicester Square, and on to Chinatown in Soho.

Abbey Road

 The iconic cover art from the Beatles' 1969 record "Abbey Road."

With the recent news that EMI announced the intended sale of the famed Abbey Road studios, I made a note to return to that area, one quite centrally located but to which I'd not traveled in the course of my last few trips to London.

Needing a break from my reading and seizing the bright blue skies and near tolerable temperatures, I made my way to Saint John's Wood and Abbey Road earlier today. What follows are a few pictures I took whilst there...

There were the usual collection of tourists taking pictures of one another walking across the street and there were also a few members of the news media reporting on the pending sale.

Abbey Road studios sits just behind the famous crosswalk.

It has been reported that EMI has rejected an offer for £30 million for the building.

The white walls outside the studios are constantly repainted, but it doesn't take long for fans to cover them up once more.

Hampstead

The neighborhood of Hampstead in North London, once a distinct village, was, years ago, subsumed by an expanding London. The area is very hilly, a rarity for London, and not on the popular list of tourist locales. The Hampstead Tube Station is on the border of Zone 2 and Zone 3, so a base monthly pass is valid for the journey. The area is very close to Central London and quite remote at the same time.

Olympics

As you all undoubtedly know, the 2010 Olympics started last night in Vancouver. With the next round taking place in London in 2012, the city is paying particular attention to the events in Canada. There is a large television screen set up in Trafalgar Square, which is beaming the sights and sounds to London day and night. There is also a nice ice sculpture of the Olympic rings and some interactive booths shilling Olympic video games and other goodies.

What follows are a few pictures I took this morning in Trafalgar Square.

East London From Memory

This post has nothing to do with anywhere I've been or anything I've actually seen. It does, however, have to do with a fantastic visual portrayal of London with a wonderful story.

I was watching some television the other night trying to fall asleep when I came across a documentary about a 33-year-old Autistic savant called Stephen Wiltshire. He did not speak until the age of nine, but has managed to overcome many of the social hindrances his condition saddles him with. The man possesses an amazing, if not eidetic, memory and the special centered largely around one large piece he was completing. He flew around East London in a helicopter for 15 minutes, then spent five days sketching what he saw from memory. The final product stretched over 16 feet across and is absolutely astounding.

What follows is a comparison of his work and a skyline view of East London, accompanied by a more detailed copy of his work. Please click on the pictures to make them appear larger. People who looked for their homes or offices commented that he was even correct in remembering how many windows or floors a certain building had.