Wednesday, April 19, 2006

Spectacular Views Across London

As mentioned in my earlier rant about getting to London yesterday, we had lunch quite high up, and the views were spectacular.

In one direction you can make out the financial Square Mile - with St Paul's Cathedral and the Gherkin - and Canary Wharf (London's highest building) in the background. The River Thames is over to the right.

Moving around, the new arch towering over Wembley Stadium can be seen (at lot more clearly than the shot from the plane).

Only when you get up high (or look at a map!) can you see that London still retains huge green parks encircled by really dense building.

Perhaps an effect of the Second World War Blitz, I was surprised to find that parts of the city are built it blocks, with parallel roads. When walking through the streets at night, it had always seems so higgledy piggledy, and yet there is great order.

There should be a architectural competition to see who can design the most stylish roof. From up high, you can pick out the most incredible detail - whether air conditioning units, or flats being built on top of the roofs.

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