Brixton is only about 5 miles from where I live, but the last time I was there was over 10 years ago I believe, attending a photography workshop at Photofusion. Today, I dropped by this South London photo-space to take a look at Kazuma Obara’s Silent Histories exhibition. The town has it’s famous attraction, the Brixton Academy, Ritzy and of course the multi-ethnic Brixton Market with its street stalls, fish, fruit and veg outlets, halal butchers, and trendy cafes.
I haven’t shot in Chinatown for a while, and today was a great opportunity to bring a group of enthusiastic photographers from the City Academy Documentary class, as the sun was shining and the weather was warm. It always brings a smile to me to see tourists eyeing the strung up roast ducks and chickens in the restaurant fronts, as well as more weird and colourful delicacies like chicken feets, squids and offal hanging off steel rack displays. I even saw visitors smelling large spiky durians that cost as much as they weighed.
Sakura blossoms in the woodland, Wimbledon Common
The weather has been kind recently, rather warm by early Spring standards. Today is 1 April and we are already in Summer Time. A balmy 13C and recent low teens temperature had woken up the odd cherry blossom tree, dotted around the forests and woodland in Wimbledon Common, my hunting ground close to home for doggie walks.
Another to add to my Commonscapes collection.
First raced in 1829, the 162th annual Boat Race between the rowing clubs of Oxford and Cambridge Universities was held today on a cold but sunny Easter Sunday, on the River Thames at Putney Bridge. I live close by, so a quick walk upriver got me there. The race was won by the Cambridge team, overtaking Oxford at Hammersmith Bridge.
Spent some time at Westminster Cathedral in Victoria this morning. Today is Maundy Thursday, the first day of the Easter celebrations covering the three main events called the Easter Triduum. During the last two weeks in Lent season, all statuary and crucifixes in churches are veiled in purple cloth, a ritual practice since the Middle Ages. The traditional colour for veils is purple, a colour that represents penance and humility.
Christians today commemorate Christ’s entry into Jerusalem on a donkey, and this Sunday is also known as Palm Sunday as palm branches were laid on the path of his entry into the city, before he was betrayed and crucified on Good Friday. Hence, today marks the beginning of Holy Week, the last week in Lent.
I was fortunate to attend a choir performance of Faure’s Requeim at the Polish church of Our Lady of Czestochowa in Islington, a friend was singing Baritone, and got this photograph of three Polish shool boys selling homemade palms and cakes by the church entrance. These palms are wholly different from the ones handed out in the other churches.
Got off my backside and forced myself to go for a walk in the cold and dank weather yesterday down in Shanklin beach. The tide was low and exposed a great distance of the pebble-sands from the steep 150m drop cliffs. What a find, as I was to discover these two ancient trees trunks lying, rotting, hardening, prone like two giant carcasses left to the forces of nature.
One of my favourite pubs to relax in London, The Churchill Arms. The pub in Kensington was built in the 1750s, and is famously known for it’s amazing external floral display in the summer. Churchill’s grandparents used to frequent it in the 1800s hence the name, after WW2. It is also the first pub in London to serve Thai food and still does. I hear that the Thai restaurant is now owned by an Irishman.
Stealing a kiss on the Bosphorus, Istanbul, 2010
This chariot-trike bike is such an amazingly simple design that can bring tons of adventure to young children. It reminded me of the 70s Chopper with three gears and the extended handlebars which I had. I used to do wheelies on it and race my brother around the local streets after school. But this trike is even better, it has no handlebars, instead, to make turns, it has a pair of leather reins controlled by the child as he or she pedals.
Promenade, Menton, Alpes-Maritimes
explorenation.net ~ photography posts, workshops, writings and thoughts by Steven V-L Lee 
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