577th Anniversary of the execution of Joan of Arc

Today marks the 577th year since English forces had Joan of Arc burnt to death for Heresy (not witchcraft as sometimes stated). Although Joan of Arc turned the Hundred Years War against England, if she were English I would think of her as a hero through her actions, so I recognise her as one.

You can attempt to justify the decision to put her to death in those times, as she was the only successful general the French had had at that time, and in times of war, the spirit of the enemy needs to be broken. But burning her was excessive and cruel (certainly by today's standards). She was a brave woman.

Creepy new film coming soon

It was originally going to be called "The Kentucky Fried Horror Show" but then KFC took the producers to court! Because I guess they wouldn't want people to be confused between what goes into their food products, and what's in the bucket in the poster...

Crutched Friars

The Crutched Friars were an order of monks from Italy, who settled in England in the 13th Century, and London specifically in 1249. The area that they settled is now a road called "Crutched Friars" and these two monks are standing on the corner, looking at the area they used to live.

Statue of Sir John Cass

I noticed this statue yesterday above the entrance to the old London Guildhall University, now home of the Sir John Cass Foundation. I thought the expression on the statue as you look from below was quite interesting. Sir John Cass was a fellow who lived until 1718, who in his will set up a school for boys and girls in Aldgate, and a school in his name carries on today, along with the charitable foundation bearing his name.

Saracen's Head Yard

Following on the theme of literal place names in London, the yard in question surely has a murky past. I don't think that a Saracen had his head chopped off in the vicinity, instead I think it more likely that a Crusader bought back the head of a Saracen to this place. Although upon reflection the most probable explanation would be that at one point in history, an Inn named The Saracen's Head stood here, although a quick search on Google doesn't reveal much.

Lichtenstein versus Czech Republic and Slovakia

Apparently, the state of Lichtenstein in Europe refuses to acknowledge the existence of the Czech Republic and Slovakia, and they in turn refuse to recognise Lichtenstein. It all stems from the Second World War, where the Czechs and Slovaks allege the Prince of Lichtenstein profited from an arrangement with the Nazis. So when the war was over, and Czechoslovakia (at the time) was freed from Nazi Germany, to be swallowed by Mother Russia, the government confiscated all of the Prince's property in their country. And also barred Liechtensteiners from entering the country during the Cold War, I suppose in case they tried to mount a Nazi insurrection in order to reclaim the Prince's lands. Lichtenstein did not take kindly to this behaviour (and also allege that the property - 1,600 km² of land - was seized in 1918, whilst Czechs and Slovaks put the date at 1948), and refuses to have any diplomatic relations with the two countries, the former Czechoslovakia treating Lichtenstein as it is treated.

Alfonso XII Momument

I'm quite in the blogging mood now I have begun, so thought I'd share this picture of a monument to King Alfonso XII of Spain, from the Parque del Retiro in Madrid. Apparently the parque attendants sometimes clean out the whole lake you can see in the picture, which means that temporarily they have to move 3,000 fish. That's something I'd like to see.

Canary Wharf from the Royal Observatory Hill, Greenwich

1 Canada Square

Pyramid Gravestone

Saw this in the graveyard at St Anne's - how many times do you see a pyramid in a graveyard?

St Anne's Church, Limehouse

This is another church built by Nicholas Hawksmoor (1714-1730 was the building period). Like St George-In-The-East, it has very pleasant and relaxing grounds, and I think well worth a visit.

St-George-In-The-East, Shadwell

This is a church that was designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor and built between 1714 & 1729. It is located just beyond the Cable Street mural.

Here's Hitler!

In case you missed it in the mural below, there is probably the only painting of Adolf Hitler in his underwear in London.

Battle of Cable Street

Getting off of the Docklands at Shadwell, I found this mural depicting the Battle of Cable Street. This occurred in 1936, when an outnumbered party of Jews and Communists fought a vicious street battle with Oswald Mosley's Fascists, who were trying to march down past Cable Street to demonstrate in a mainly Jewish area. In spite of heavy fighting, at the end of the day the Jews and Communists prevailed and sent the Fascists packing. This mural is on the side of Shadwell Town Hall.

Crest on Tower Bridge

Pope's Head Alley

Once when I was on a boat tour around New York harbour, the tour guide condescendingly remarked, "You can tell the English parts of this city because they gave very unimaginative names to streets - Bank Street was where the bank was, Wall Street had a wall running down it, et cetera." Now, without getting drawn into what determines an imaginative street name and what doesn't (I hardly think 33rd Street or 10th Avenue are more colourful than the English examples given), I saw this alley close to Bank Station and thought it was a delightfully descriptive name, although I am a little surprised that the PC-brigade haven't forced the name to be changed.

St Paul's Cathedral from the Millennium Foot Bridge

I like the view that coming off of the bridge gives of St Paul's, and also the brilliant blue sky serves as a great backdrop

St James's Park

Although it looks as if it could be anywhere in the countryside, what I would think of as "quintessentially English"

Nelson's Column

Looking toward Plymouth in the sunshine, how glorious!

Sphinx

One of the two Sphinxes at the base of Cleopatra's Needle

Tower Bridge

Tower Bridge is going to be swathed in scaffolding come June for a paint-job, so I figured I would make the most of my opportunity

Port of London Authority Building Statues

First we have Father Thames, sitting on top of the building, and then we have Navigation, located on the side

St Olave's Church, Seething Lane, EC3

To be more precise, the entrance gate to St Olave's. Taken because how often do you see the entrance to a church decorated with skulls?

Exploring London

Another day of fantastic weather made me determined to actually make something of a Sunday. Seeing how everything looks much nicer in the sunshine, I decided that I would journey up to London to get some pictures of places that usually I only see in the dull cloudy light that is common for England. As a result, I spent 5 and a half hours zig-zagging my way across the Capital, and did manage to get some good pictures too.