I know it's a little soon for another collection of random iPhone photos, but, well, I have them so why not use them? Besides, with our flight leaving in about seven hours, I'm packing this morning and watering plants and doing other travel-related stuff. Tomorrow, insha'allah, we'll be in Florida.
So here goes with the photos!
First, a well-stickered street sign on Abbey Road near work. Because of its Beatles associations Abbey Road gets lots of tourism. For some reason, many visitors seem to feel they must graffiti the wall in front of Abbey Road Studios and, failing that, graffiti the street signs. The council cleans them off occasionally. I actually photographed this sign before, about three years ago.
A tree in the cemetery. It had been marked for something (apparently not removal because that mark has been there for years) and someone recently added the heart.
Captain...somebody? Stuck on the sidewalk near our flat. (And slightly blurry.)
Whoever graffitied this "keep left" sign apparently didn't mind danger, because I had to stand in traffic on busy Finchley Road to photograph it. It says "It is what it is, and that's that."
Dubious Household Objects in Shop Windows, Part I: How about a vase with a giant fish penetrating the side?
Cute graffiti on the pedestrian bridge over the tube station (with a train passing below).
Another curious sticker near Abbey Road. I guess a Texan visitor must have passed through. (Or at least someone who'd been to Texas.) That's Waylon Jennings and Buddy Holly on the sticker -- apparently Jennings was supposed to be on the plane that killed Holly when it crashed, but he'd given up his seat to the Big Bopper.
Dubious Household Objects in Shop Windows, Part II: Anyone want a hideously over-muscled horse figurine? I can't quite read the price tag, but whatever it says, it's too much.
The last object would make a good birthday gift for someone you detest but have to be nice to. 'Thanks Steve. It is lovely.'
ReplyDeleteThe fish escaping the bowl could almost be seen as amusing in the right setting. The horse is wrong in so many ways.
ReplyDeleteI guess there will always be graffiti where famous people have been but for the life of me I cannot understand the thought (or lack thereof) process behind it. Fame by association?
Safe travels to you both and I hope Olga is settling in and enjoying her holiday.
-Caro xx
The fish bowl reminded me of the house in Oxford ( Headington) that has a shark sticking out of the roof!
ReplyDeleteWishing you a safe journey and a good holiday.
Thoughts of the tragic plane crash in Clear Lake, Iowa all those years ago seem prescient. I hope that I am not too late to suggest that you should give up your own seat today - just like Waylon Jennings. Otherwise this post may be the last one. AS they say in Morocco, "insha'allah!"
ReplyDeleteWeird stuff is right! The horse looks as if it's from an allegory in tableau form. Or something.
ReplyDeleteThe goldfish escaping the fishbowl is funny, I think. The horse statue looks like a cartoon horse from a Disney movie.
ReplyDeleteBy now you are already in Florida so I hope you have a great time!
My father was from Lubbock and have been there quite a few times. I've even been to the Buddy Holly Center. I only have one relative there now, my cousin. Everyone else has died off.
ReplyDeleteNice random collection of photos, Steve. I would love to take a walk on Abbey Road. It may be the only place I would leave a graffiti heart.
ReplyDeleteYou see a lot on your streets.
ReplyDeleteHappy and safe traveling.
Ooh, that horse is bad. The goldfish escaping through the glass of the bowl is an interesting idea. But it wasn’t made to work. More animated goldfish. Blueish resin in the bowl with splash rings (and splash) to look like real water. If I were handier, I’d do it myself.
ReplyDeleteThat's Captain Ant! Or some such, maybe. I'm not up on my superheros. And I don't think that's what they call the ant dude.
ReplyDeleteThat horse reminds me of some of the cartoons from WAY back in the day. Like WWII or something. My brain is weird. Ha!
Love seeing microcosmic London sights through your eyes. Safe travels and see you in Florida!
ReplyDeleteThe horse looks like something I would do because I'm terrible! Not worth a penny. Hope the trip goes very smoothly!
ReplyDeleteI agree about the horse and the fish bowl. Best left for someone else.
ReplyDeleteI really don't understand the need to leave stickers and writing on signs and walls.
Safe travels today!
I hope you have a wonderful time in Florida, Steve! :)
ReplyDeleteBoth shop window items are a bit strange. I don't think either would draw me into the shop for a closer look.
ReplyDeleteI hope you have/had a smooth journey over.
Bon voyage!
ReplyDeleteThat is a very ugly horse figurine. I like the Abbey Road sign even with the graffiti.
ReplyDeleteAndrew: Ha! I'm laughing at the idea of someone actually saying that. I can just see the expression.
ReplyDeleteCaro: I guess it's a way for people to participate in the culture -- to show their enthusiasm for the famous person and (in this case) to involve themselves however slightly in musical history.
Frances: Ha! Yeah, I've seen pictures of that house. Better them than me.
YP: I didn't even think about the "tempting fate" aspects of mentioning a plane crash on a day we were flying. But we survived!
Boud: It DOES look like a specific horse from mythology or something. Trojan Horse? It could certainly hold a couple hundred troops in that inflated body.
Ellen D: It's a funny idea. I'm not sure it's well-executed.
Ellen: So is Buddy himself from Lubbock? I knew he was Texan but I don't know his specific city of origin.
Robin: You would certainly not be alone!
Red: London streets offer a lot of visual stimulation!
Mitchell: Yes, that's exactly the problem with the fish bowl. It's a good idea but it's poorly executed.
Bug: You mean Ant Man? I don't think it's him. The horse DOES look like an old-fashioned cartoon character, though.
37P: Thank you! :)
Margaret: I would definitely buy YOUR horse before I bought that mass-produced piece of schlock.
Sharon: The stickers are just plain old advertising, most of the time, but I'm not sure what good it does to advertise a Lubbock bar in London! (Then again, my blog post is giving it global reach!)
Jennifer: Thank you!
Kelly: The weird thing is, both shops actually carry nice high-end furniture. Why they have such terrible room accessories I'm not sure.
Catalyst: Thank you!
River: I do too. The graffiti and stickers add to it and give it character!