[null, null, null, {"document_url": "http://life-and-vincent.blogspot.com/2010/08/thames.html", "unformatted_src": "http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_emVVxD0jGRk/TFcbcML16FI/AAAAAAAAEbY/se06IZx6cWY/s400/DSC01783.JPG", "src": "http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_emVVxD0jGRk/TFcbcML16FI/AAAAAAAAEbY/se06IZx6cWY/s400/DSC01783.JPG", "formatted_filename": "DSC"}, null, {"document_url": "http://life-and-vincent.blogspot.com/2010/08/thames.html", "unformatted_src": "http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_emVVxD0jGRk/TFcbb18TNQI/AAAAAAAAEbQ/d_h0WLlJj44/s400/DSC01785.JPG", "src": "http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_emVVxD0jGRk/TFcbb18TNQI/AAAAAAAAEbQ/d_h0WLlJj44/s400/DSC01785.JPG", "formatted_filename": "DSC"}, null, {"document_url": "http://life-and-vincent.blogspot.com/2010/08/thames.html", "unformatted_src": "http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_emVVxD0jGRk/TFcbbHgWcaI/AAAAAAAAEbI/kAbUcBgQIVM/s400/DSC01784.JPG", "src": "http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_emVVxD0jGRk/TFcbbHgWcaI/AAAAAAAAEbI/kAbUcBgQIVM/s400/DSC01784.JPG", "formatted_filename": "DSC"}, null, {"document_url": "http://life-and-vincent.blogspot.com/2010/08/thames.html", "unformatted_src": "http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_emVVxD0jGRk/TFca_dSBtxI/AAAAAAAAEbA/bf_biMSiuvA/s400/DSC01786.JPG", "src": "http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_emVVxD0jGRk/TFca_dSBtxI/AAAAAAAAEbA/bf_biMSiuvA/s400/DSC01786.JPG", "formatted_filename": "DSC"}, null, {"document_url": "http://life-and-vincent.blogspot.com/2010/08/thames.html", "unformatted_src": "http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_emVVxD0jGRk/TFca-x2sTcI/AAAAAAAAEa4/1JV8N2ZPjro/s400/DSC01782.JPG", "src": "http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_emVVxD0jGRk/TFca-x2sTcI/AAAAAAAAEa4/1JV8N2ZPjro/s400/DSC01782.JPG", "formatted_filename": "DSC"}, null, {"document_url": "http://life-and-vincent.blogspot.com/2010/08/thames.html", "unformatted_src": "http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_emVVxD0jGRk/TFcaoqb3iuI/AAAAAAAAEaw/hbPWR8fc3ow/s400/DSC01788.JPG", "src": "http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_emVVxD0jGRk/TFcaoqb3iuI/AAAAAAAAEaw/hbPWR8fc3ow/s400/DSC01788.JPG", "formatted_filename": "DSC"}, null, {"document_url": "http://life-and-vincent.blogspot.com/2010/08/thames.html", "unformatted_src": "http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_emVVxD0jGRk/TFcaoW1wHgI/AAAAAAAAEao/IYTYH6ogygI/s400/DSC01789.JPG", "src": "http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_emVVxD0jGRk/TFcaoW1wHgI/AAAAAAAAEao/IYTYH6ogygI/s400/DSC01789.JPG", "formatted_filename": "DSC"}, null, {"document_url": "http://life-and-vincent.blogspot.com/2010/08/thames.html", "unformatted_src": "http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_emVVxD0jGRk/TFcaRNSjjVI/AAAAAAAAEag/9mYanOabr84/s400/DSC01790.JPG", "src": "http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_emVVxD0jGRk/TFcaRNSjjVI/AAAAAAAAEag/9mYanOabr84/s400/DSC01790.JPG", "formatted_filename": "DSC"}, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, null, {"document_url": "http://life-and-vincent.blogspot.com/2010/08/thames.html", "unformatted_src": "//3.bp.blogspot.com/-mg_WSgjZwGI/Tpqfv55P_jI/AAAAAAAAFaA/GL0UFzmhF04/s80/President%2BVincent.png", "src": "http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mg_WSgjZwGI/Tpqfv55P_jI/AAAAAAAAFaA/GL0UFzmhF04/s80/President%2BVincent.png", "formatted_filename": "President BVincent", "alt_text": "My photo", "rendered_width": 56, "rendered_height": 80}, null]
Life and Vincent 
The Thames

A place to work

This crew was trying to film some kind of pop group.
Wish it had been Vincent... The river is wide and probably has a one-way system,
but I don't know which way.
On the far bank is a Royal National Lifeboat Institution station.
There used to be dedicated River Police,
but as far as I know they are long gone. The vessel on the right is old and rusty.
Can't have been used for years, so why is it still there?
If you click on the picture, it should come up bigger. A place to play
The river is tidal, and this sandy stretch often attracts sand sculptors.
In places they actually add a sandy beach in summer. Mudlarks have dug for treasure on the banks for centuries.
The metal detector is the modern twist to this. These fish-faced lamps stretch the length of the Embankment. One place you will never get me to go! London Mayor Boris Johnson's latest idea -
bikes for rent for quick half-hour sprints,
sponsored by Barclays Bank.
Apparently they are really heavy.
Think I'll pass. I had to go into town today for an occupational health appointment. All they needed was a blood sample to see if I was immune to measles and rubella. TB and hepatitis didn't bother them. WTF?
Posted by val at 8:18 pm 
I remember when the Thames was so polluted that nothing could survive. I'm glad to see that it's been cleaned up a good bit! Have you ever taken a river cruise on it?

I was thinking how much I'd love to search the banks and mud flats for ancient treasures.
 Music Wench said...

Thanks for sharing those photos! I've always been enamored of London. Spent a week there all the way back in 1980. If they had that huge Ferris wheel contraption back when I was there I'd have definitely gone up. I was too young and stupid to be afraid of heights like I am now. lol
 
You won't ever get me on that stupid Wheel either :-)

5:05 am beatlelady said...

For some reason your blog is the only thing that my computer will load today, so...hi.
 potzina said...

What a wonderful post! Thanks for those pix and your explanations.
 
JoJo, I've been on the river a good few times over the years. When I was little the River Police used to come to the school to show us the dangers of playing on the shore. I think today the best pickings are near the Tower of London, but it's probably quite tightly controlled.

For those who haven't had the privilege to be indoctrinated with it, the big wheel is know as The London Eye.
 Nantz said...

I've heard of "The London Eye" and you couldn't pay me enough to go on it. Once I was on a ferris wheel with my brother when we were younger and he started rocking the seat to the point I thought I'd fall out. No, thank you! Great photos, Val, just really nice to see for someone who's never been there, thank you!
 
Val, I would LOVE to take a ride on the London Eye!! The photos of the beach remind me a bit of Siren Call. Thank you for sharing.
 
i can't believe i've never done the eye - but i would love to, so when you're here jazzy i'll go up with you :>)

i love strolling the south bank, looking over the thames admiring the meld of old and new

are these your pics val? they're fantastic
 Starsign - Aries Chinese Year - Snake
