Frost Honest, Oxford St and Santas: I wrote an extended publish on My London Diary about my actions on Saturday sixteenth December 2006, which maybe deserves bringing out of hiding and re-publishing, as standard with acceptable corrections, and with hyperlinks to the numerous footage I took, a couple of of which I’ll use to punctuate the re-posting.
Bankside Frost Honest: Conventional Thames Cutters
Southwark’s Frost Honest is a reminder of days lengthy gone, when Previous London Bridge so restricted the stream of the Thames that there was a lake above it between the Metropolis and Southwark. In chilly winters, this could freeze over, and in some years the ice turned so thick {that a} truthful could possibly be held on it.
The possibilities of this occurring once more given world warming appear slight, though as soon as the polar ice cap melts in twenty or so years time, the entire world climate system can be upturned. We might even lose our warming water and air streams and our local weather might perversely turn into extra continental with freezing winters and torrid summers. After all, we might by then be abandoning the Metropolis and Southwark as water ranges rise.
As we speak it was sunny, although there was a chill within the wind, and the tide was working out at a fee of knots that made it onerous going upstream for the rowers within the cutters that got here from town to Southwark, going upstream of the Millennium Bridge earlier than turning to achieve the pier outdoors the Globe Theatre.
Ready for them there (and we have been ready a very long time) was a gaggle of London guildsmen. There was a speech of welcome, shaking of palms, after which the corporate went off for refreshments whereas I wandered by the Frost Honest. To be sincere, there didn’t appear to be an excellent deal occurring. A band taking part in, then some carols sung, food and drinks being offered. Even the promised huskies didn’t appear to be round, although the stall was taking bookings for rides.
extra footage
St Paul’s & Oxford Avenue
I ought to have been there yesterday for the lantern parade, however had different issues to take care of, and there appeared to be little to do or to {photograph} in the present day, so I strolled over the Millennium bridge and round St Paul’s to get a bus to the West Finish.
I used to be searching for Santas. I assumed I’d discover some on Oxford Avenue, and take a look on the Xmas decorations too, however each appeared quite skinny on the bottom. A number of holding sandwich boards, the odd individual with a Santa hat. Stalls with hats and costumes on the market, however the place have been the individuals carrying them?
I paused briefly outdoors Marks and Spencers for the common picket there, in the present day a small choir was singing. I considered the dispatches I’d lately learn from Deacon Dave, on a peace go to to Palestine, assaulted by a Jewish settler, and the numerous tales of how Palestinians are being denied the precise to work their lands, together with the constructing of the wall that separates some from their fields.
Extra footage from St Pauls and Oxford St.
Santacon – Trafalgar Sq.
I jumped again on a bus once more, going to the highest deck to see out for Santas, and because the bus got here as much as Trafalgar Sq., there they have been, across the base of Nelson. I jumped up. Thankfully the bus was simply coming to a cease and I used to be in a position to run off and begin taking footage.
The assembled Santas sang a couple of Santacon carols:
Away On A Bender,
O Come All Ye Santas, Hark!
The Drunken Santas Sing and extra,
Hymns to drunken extra, although it was early within the day and most santas nonetheless appeared fairly sober.
We have been all ready for extra Santas to reach, and eventually they did so in a gaggle coming from the northeast of the sq.. Now there have been definitely a number of hundred of them, although I couldn’t handle even a tough rely, as individuals saved shifting. In addition to Santas there have been additionally some others together with a crew of reindeer and some oddities.
Then got here a chunk of actual life drama as one Santa declared his love for one more, down on his knees, surrounded by the gang, producing an engagement ring.
I can’t really bear in mind how I proposed (most likely my spouse can) nevertheless it definitely wasn’t like this. Definitely an occasion the 2 of them will bear in mind (and fortuitously she stated sure.)
After that, anything could be anticlimax, and because the Santas left to go up Strand, I turned away for dwelling.
View many extra footage from Santacon on My London Diary.
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All pictures on this web page are copyright © Peter Marshall.
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Tags: apartheid wall, BDS, boycott, Christmas, Metropolis guilds, cutters., engagement, engagement ring, Frost Honest, Guilds, Israeli items, kiss, London, London Images, M&S, Oxford Avenue, Palestine, peter Marshall, protest, reindeer, Santa, Santacon, Santacon carols, Santas, Southwark, St Paul’s, Trafalgar Sq., Weekly picket, Xmas, Xmas decorations
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