I had to go down into Westminster yesterday afternoon for my doctor's appointment. As long as I was there, I went sightseeing with my camera and took in some of the holiday decorations. I haven't been down in that part of town for months, and it was nice to walk around a bit.
That's Piccadilly above, with Fortnum & Mason acting like 2020 was actually something to celebrate.
The tony shopping district of Bond Street was decorated with peacock-themed holiday lights – appropriate for a strip dedicated to expensive fashion.
(A shop assistant stopped me and gave me a packet of fancy hand lotion, and tried to convince me to come inside and check out their products. I demurred, being about as likely to routinely use hand lotion as Godzilla. I'll give the sample to Dave.)
Meanwhile, on the Cartier building...
...a giant panther was toying with a bow.
And Tiffany was decorated with neon trees. (You can't quite tell, I'm sure, but the woman on the left is holding up her pug for a photo. I guess her photographer is standing outside the frame.)
Angels are flying over Regent Street and the other streets around Piccadilly Circus.
As you can probably tell in the photos, quite a few people were out and about, and the shops are open. Apparently under Tier 3 you can still go shopping at Louis Vuitton, but you can't go to the pub. Vuitton was the only shop I saw with a line of people waiting to get in (for distancing purposes, I suppose). Maybe they're having a sale.
As you can probably tell in the photos, quite a few people were out and about, and the shops are open. Apparently under Tier 3 you can still go shopping at Louis Vuitton, but you can't go to the pub. Vuitton was the only shop I saw with a line of people waiting to get in (for distancing purposes, I suppose). Maybe they're having a sale.
Debenhams is definitely having a sale. The entire department store chain is in the process of shutting down after talks to save it from bankruptcy recently collapsed. It's been struggling for years, but Covid certainly didn't do it any favors.
And the doctor? Well, it was just a preliminary consultation, but it went fine. I told him about my chronic indigestion and cough and he doesn't think I have much to worry about, but he's going to do an endoscopy just to be sure. I just have to schedule it. Interestingly, although I wore a mask throughout our appointment, he did not!
Lovely photos of the London lights. I just realised that when I had my eye lasered last week ( a normal thing after cataract surgery ) the consultant didn't have a mask on! There was a tiny perspex screen on his side of the apparatus though.
ReplyDeleteWell, at least there was some kind of shield, but I wonder why no mask?
DeleteI wonder what will happen to Debenhams in Australia? One disadvantage of it being light until 9pm here is the lack of Christmas lighting until late, and shops don't participate very much. 9pm is too late for kiddies and old people to out. I love seeing London's Christmas lighting. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I wonder if Debenhams there is the same corporate entity?
Delete"being about as likely to routinely use hand lotion as Godzilla" - Ha-ha! You have got the makings of a stand-up comedian Steve!
ReplyDeleteAt Shirley's health centre it is a golden rule that doctors and nurses wear COVID masks for every consultation. Who does your guy think he is? Most unprofessional.
I try to keep it snappy! As for the doctor, maybe he gets tested routinely, so doesn't feel a need to protect his patients with a mask? I'm sure if he were doing a procedure he'd be masked.
DeleteWow. Thanks for this! I miss the city lights! And thanks also for the comment about 2020 in lights. Lots of memes should come out of that.
ReplyDeleteGlad you got a kick out of them! It was nice to see them and remind myself that some things are normal out there.
DeleteWe used to go up to London each year to see the lights but they have excelled them selves this year. I love the angels but the peacock one's are beautiful
ReplyDeleteI suffer from chronic reflux Steve and it isn't nice. I take omeprazole when it's really bad but actually a lot of it comes down to eating the wrong food (all the stuff I like ) if I eat low fat and not too many carbs I'm okay. When Tom had his gall stones we both went on a low fat diet and I hardly suffered at all.
Briony
x
I'm pretty good about my diet, overall, but I had curry for lunch Thursday and it almost killed me. LOL
DeleteI'm glad you're getting an endoscopy. Hopefully you'll get answers.
ReplyDeleteThe photos are lovely. It's the same here. You can't visit with anyone in their home but you can shop til you drop.
I feel sort of silly doing something so invasive, but it's better to just KNOW than to wonder. Anything less than endoscopy and I'd still be wondering.
DeleteI feel sorry for 2020. As a number (Twenty Twenty) it had such a ring to it. Still, there is 3030 to look forward to. Long may we rot.
ReplyDeleteU
20/20 used to be the name of a TV show in the states -- a popular news program. That's what I always think of!
DeleteHere here
ReplyDeleteIndeed!
DeleteThe doctor did not wear a mask?? Jeez, the entitlement.
ReplyDeleteI am glad to hear it's nothing urgent with your health.
I'm assuming he gets tested routinely, which makes his masklessness a little more excusable. But who knows.
DeleteThanks for the light show! Very impressive! I can't imagine not using hand lotion - in winter anyway. I feel like I'm reapplying every 20 minutes - ha!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe your doctor didn't wear a mask. I presume he's routinely tested? Because the mask is to protect YOU, not so much him. Weird!
I once had a bottle of nice hand lotion that a parent gave me, and it lasted for YEARS. Ha!
DeleteI think I might have asked, "Just out of curiosity, why aren't you wearing a mask?"
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad that he doesn't think you have anything to worry about.
Really impressive pictures and I have to say that I love the peacock decorations. They are so bourgeois but also, very pretty.
"Bourgeois" is the perfect word for them! (For the whole street, in fact.)
DeleteInteresting that your street scenes have so many people. first you think that with covid people would stay home. Second I'm used to malls and very little downtown.
ReplyDeleteThere were quite a few people out and about, but far fewer than on a normal evening at Christmastime.
DeleteYour doctor should wear a mask.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the light show!
I was surprised he didn't. The nurse who helped me didn't wear one either, now that I think of it. They did take my temperature the minute I came in the door, though.
DeleteThose lights are so beautiful. What a wonderful view of the Christmas season there.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised the doc didn't wear a mask. Oy.
I'm guessing he gets tested frequently? Maybe everyone at the practice does.
DeleteNo mask on the doctor? That seems very strange. I've been to three different doctors during this time and they have all worn masks.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for all the holiday photos. I've actually been thinking about how much fun it is to visit London during the holiday season. (Well, except for the cold.) Fortnum & Mason is one of my all time favorite places to shop. The lights on the streets are wonderful.
I went to the garden for the luminarias last night and took a lot of night shots. Photos will be coming.
I remember how much you like Fortnum & Mason! Their building is decorated to look like an advent calendar, but I didn't photograph it head-on.
DeleteThanx For Remembering Your Camera - So Dig The White Peacock Theme - Be Well My Man - Be Well
ReplyDeleteCheers
You too!
DeleteNice capture on the lights! In the late 80's we went to London at Christmas to get away from our parents. There had been some discussions as to where we would spend the day, which were unpleasant, so we left the country. That was the coldest I have ever been in my life. Long underwear under jeans was not enough.
ReplyDeleteHa! That was back when global warming was milder. We haven't even been below freezing yet this year. It IS very damp out there, though.
DeleteI love those lights because they are unique and tasteful! My parents had the same experience at the hematologist. I wonder if the doctors are being tested every day for Covid--or is there such a thing?
ReplyDeleteYeah, I think they must be getting tested. Let's hope so!
DeleteSuch beautiful photos of a beautiful city! Thank you for sharing them!
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome! Seeing them made Christmas feel a little more normal.
DeleteYour show of lights made my day! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad! :)
Deletethose guys with the free lotion are shysters - I actually went inside and was SO sorry, I did not buy anything and was insulted on my way out, like " you really REALLY need this product, madam"...Thank you so much for photographing the lights, Sure do miss London and may forever more...Brexit looks like an evil befalling the kingdom!
ReplyDeletealso i gave their free sample back.
DeleteOK, well, I'm glad I didn't take him up on it! He was quite insistent (and also very cute) but I knew better. LOL
DeleteThose light displays are amazing! We definitely don't have such things in Jacksonville, Florida. You and Godzilla . . . now the two of you are together in my feeble brain.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
Yeah, what does Jax do for holiday decorating? When I was there a couple years ago they put big wreaths around the necks of the lions in San Marco. But that's all I remember. I don't think I went downtown.
DeleteAll very pretty and flash. Camberwell does not seem to have lights. My favourite things are the Christmas trees I pass in various locations each day. Have you seen the advert for Pepsi I think that says 'All I want for Christmas is 2021'? Quite clever I thought! Glad your appointment went ok.
ReplyDeleteHa! I haven't seen that ad, but we can all identify!
DeleteI've never seen anything quite like those light displays. Thank you for the festive glimpse of your corner of the world!
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome!
DeleteThanks for the tour! Awesome lighting displays!
ReplyDelete