From the 02 arena on Wednesday, where I saw Curt Smith and Roland Orzabal live for the first time. Better known, as course, as Tears For Fears. I listened to them a lot during childhood and so was great to finally see them perform classics like Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Mad World and Head over Heals. Click below for a bonus image.
Out on a walk, I saw this gorgeous combination of colour, shape and outline and just had to share it with you all.
One last photo from the Magical Ice Kingdom.
A montage that captures the different ways you can decorate at Christmas when I was out and about in London.
I just love ice statues. Especially the ones in Winter Wonderland. They’re so creative and magical, with the lights adding that ethereal touch. Using 500 tonnes of sculptured ice and snow, this year’s theme was a wintry forest, filled with animals including wolves, unicorns and bears. In the first of two posts, please enjoy the display.
I’ve always liked ferris wheels, especially after watching the pivotal scene in The Third Man. So if you like what you see above, why not check out this shot from the same event last year, this photo from Leicester Square or the famous Prater Wheel in Vienna.
I’ve always been a big tennis fan. I played a lot as a child and have been lucky enough to see most of the top players live. I’ve read loads of tennis books, including, of course, Open by Andre Agassi (review here). I’ve also been to the famous lawns of Wimbledon, and even got a photo with the famous trophy. So I just had to go and see Roger Federer when he was in the Nitto World Tour Finals, an exclusive tournament for the best eight male players of the year. In the opening match of the London-based tournament, he faced Japanese star Kei Nishikori. But in a huge shock, the Swiss maestro lost 7-6 6-3.
Even now, over 100 years later, the words Battle of the Somme send a cold shiver down the spine. Though any war is brutal and casualties can be heavy, the battle between the British and French troops against the Germans in northern France is infamous for the horrific loss of life. More than three million men fought in the battle and one million men were wounded or killed, making it one of the bloodiest battles in human history. To mark 100 years since the end of the First World War, 72,396 shrouded figures have been laid out in rows, shoulder to shoulder covering an area over 4,000 square metres across the South Park Lawn in the Olympic Park, best known for being a pivotal part of the 2012 Olympics. Each figure represents a British serviceman killed at The Battle of the Somme who has no known grave, many of whose bodies were never recovered from the battlefields. The Shrouds of the Somme is a poignant tribute.
This is the spectacular installation at the Tower of London, commemorating 100 years since Armastice Day. There are 10,000 flames, which represent not just the soldiers who lost their lives, but all those who were bereaved or affected by the war. Each flame is ceremonially lit, creating a circle of light around the tower as a powerful symbol of remembrance. The lighting takes 4–50 minutes and the flames remain lit for around four hours. I really recommend you see this post from a previous commemoration.
