At last! I finally got to take a photo walk. The weather cooperated and I wasn't dismayed by the prospect of carrying my French books. (I tucked them in my camera bag -- they stuck out but it wasn't too awkward.)
After class yesterday I took the tube up to Finsbury Park in North London, and walked northward to Crouch End. I'd never explored this area before. Above is the cafe where I had lunch -- a vegetarian English breakfast, actually. The lady with the cane sat at a nearby table -- her name is Mary, and the proprietor kept making rhymes with her name like "Mary Mary strawberry."
She must be a regular to put up with that!
From Crouch Hill the Alexandra Palace, or Ally Pally as it's fondly known, can be seen in the distance. You may remember I went there for a couple of antiques shows several years ago.
It's that time of year! And here's evidence that the Halloween phenomenon is growing in Britain. Our local Waitrose grocery store is also selling pumpkins specifically labeled for Halloween.
The Socialist Workers Party has a refreshing take on the refugee situation.
And finally, here's Emirates Stadium, where the Arsenal football team plays. There was a game yesterday (Dave says I should say "match" rather than "game") and it was fun to walk near the stadium, hearing the crowd's cheers wash over the surrounding neighborhoods like waves. By this time I was no longer in Crouch End, but more to the south in Islington. I caught the tube home from there. A fun day out!
My son lives at The Arsenal Stadium.
ReplyDeletePerhaps if you pay return visits to that cafe the proprietor will start making up rhymes about you. "I can't believe/The return of Steve!"..."Pay no heed!/It's just Steve Reed!" etcetera.
It does look like a fun day! Thanks for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a great walk...think you'll venture back for another vegetarian breakfast?
ReplyDeleteFrench class and a good walk would be a fun day. I think your walk must have been a long one...time.
ReplyDeleteEmirites? as in United Arab Emirites? and that's a modern looking palace from what I can see.
ReplyDeleteI love following along on your exploratory walks!
ReplyDeleteHaving discovered how satisfying a photo walk is, I get it! And your description of the cheering passing over the surroundings like a wave - I remember that from university. The football (not soccer, football!) field was at the bottom of the long hill where the rest of the campus lay. I wasn't all that interested in sports, so rarely attended. The roar of the crowd washed over the rest of campus in the same way you describe. To me, that is a purely autumnal sound, associated with crisp breezes and coloured leaves.
ReplyDeleteNice to explore with you!
ReplyDeleteI want that woman's purple hat
ReplyDeleteI have pumpkins on my blog today too! And while I didn't get a picture of it I saw a sign outside a church which sort of mirrors your Socialist Workers Party sign: Jesus didn't reject anyone, neither do we.
ReplyDeleteHow interesting to see an Open the Borders Let Them In sign! The graphics look nearly identical to those out here along the border with Mexico in San Diego.
ReplyDeleteYP: He's got a bigger apartment than most of us! And yeah, I could do without the rhyming.
ReplyDeleteMs Moon: Indeed!
E: If I'm in the 'hood! A veg English breakfast is a very common feature at most cafes here.
Red: Yeah, I was out about four hours, I think.
Ellen: Yes, Emirates, as in the airline. (Which is based in the UAE.) They sponsor the stadium.
Sharon: Good! :)
Jenny-O: It's a very cool sound. When you think of the thousands of people, all reacting in similar ways to the same moment on the field -- well, it seems very powerful.
37P: :)
John: You should have told me! I could have grabbed it for you easily.
Catalyst: An appropriate sign! And yeah, it's pumpkin time. Pumpkins here in England are smaller than the ones in the states, generally speaking -- maybe that's just a London thing.
Elizabeth: I thought the same thing, with the couple running with the child. It looks like the road signs in the American west warning of migrants crossing.