Celebrating in London
November 5th was Bonfire Night and I celebrated by visiting London.On my way to the zoo
I passed by Regent's Canal ...
... where I found a floating Chinese restaurant.
(Further down the canal, I noticed an oily slick in the water).
I passed by the Broad Walk of Regent's Park.
London Zoo
In a tunnel underneath the Outer Circle (a street).
In this British zoo, I found the animals VERY reserved.
It was very difficult to take full frontal photos.
Here is a red river hog.
These hogs are mainly active at night, and spend daytimes hiding in dense vegetation.
This giraffe hid its face (and neck) from the camera.
A publicity shy skunk retreating.
The meerkat. "Highly sociable, these mongooses live in extensive burrow systems. One of the group acts as sentry on a high vantage point, while the others forage for food. Black hair around their eyes enables them to scan the bright sky for predators and a variety of calls warns the group to hide when danger is near." (description quoted from ZSL)
I don't believe this one noticed me and my camera.
A troop of kangaroos retiring.
I took these pelicans by surprise.
Blond haired penguin alone.
Blond haired penguin with swimmer.
Blond haired penguin with yawning friend.
A huddle of penguins.
The Penguin Pool at the London Zoo
Classic modernist architecture, built in 1934. The pool is no longer in use. (I'm sure the penguins are much happier.)
Innovative for its time, the pool used reinforced concrete to build the spiraling ramps.
The ramps reminded me of DNA.
The pool's elliptical shape provided more wading space for the penguins and more viewing space for humans.
The penguins were moved to a new home, and the Penguin Pool was repopulated with pixilated penguins.
A better view of the pixilated penguins.
An Antarctic landscape.
Primrose Hill
The London cityscape, photographed from the hilltop. You can make out the "Gherkin", St. Paul's Cathedral, the BT Telecom Tower, and the London Eye.
Shopping
Stopped by at Selfridges.
Looked in at Liberty.
Tate Britain
Visited Tate Britain, but took a picture of the surrounding neighbourhood.
Walking along the Thames Embankment
Looking across to the London Eye.
Looking into the river.
The Palace of Westminster
Bonfire Night celebrates the capture of Guy Fawkes and 12 other men who tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament. This year (2005) marked the 400th anniversary. I had to visit the Palace of Westminster.
The Clock Tower (and Big Ben).
The Clock Tower (and Big Ben) again.
Admiring the Gothic revival style of the Palace of Westminster.
With the London Eye in the background.
On the train ride home, I saw fireworks in the towns along the way to Sheffield. It was a good day.