Early morning London views

I seem to have caught some sort of bug and have not been 100% this week. I did think my sore throat had been caused by traffic fumes in Mumbai, or perhaps from being in air-conditioned locations pretty much 24x7 for a whole week, but whatever I have caught has now moved down on to my chest and I am feeling very sorry for myself. I managed to work from home a couple of days this week to avoid spreading my germs but did have to go into the office on Thursday/Friday. I stayed over so didn't have to suffer the train journey too many times, and just as well as work is crazy at the moment as we near the end of the financial year.

Hazy dawn view from my Kensington hotel window, looking South towards the Albert Hall

Morning walk through Hyde Park to the office

I also managed to find a few minutes to stop off at Notting Hill Gate to visit the records shops there. I didn't find anything massively inspiring but was pleased to pick up a copy of Boards of Canada - Music Has the Right to Children. This is on the periphery of my top-10 albums but I sold my original copy a while back so was glad to have been able to replace it.

The weather this weekend looks fantastic. Not sure I'm up to doing a bike ride though as I still feel a bit weak, so perhaps just some gentle digging over of the vegetable patch, a trip to Marlborough in the afternoon, and a barbecue later.

    

Sunset over docklands, and a bit of India

Having had to work at Canary Wharf yesterday, I had planned to leave at a reasonable time so my trip back to West Berkshire wouldn't mean that I got back too late. Unfortunately though I did end up leaving later thna planned, but my reward was a fantastic sunset, which thre an incredible light over docklands.

Clifford Chance Building, Canary Wharf, London Docklands

Since my last update I've also been to India. This was a much better trip than the last time I visited back in 2007 during monsoon season. Although the majority of the trip was business, and involved taking an air-conditioned taxi from one air-conditioned building to another, I did get out and about a bit, and had some fantastic food. I don't have any pictures of the food, but do have some of the air conditioned buildings.

View from the Westin Hotel, Pune

Artwoek in the Westin Hotel lobby, Pune

Stonewater Grill, Pune

    

London mews, SW7

I managed to get some "space" time again this week in London. Travelling back from a meeting at Canary Wharf, I got off the tube early and walked from Westminster to Kensington. It's a route that I've done most of before, but as luck would have it there were construction works forcing me to take a detour through Knightsbridge backstreets, and you guessed it, some more London mews. I caught these ones just as the sun was setting. A beautiful area, very quiet, away from all the hustle and bustle of the main roads.

Ennismore Gardens Mews, London SW7

Ennismore Gardens Mews, London SW7

Unnamed mews, London SW7

Princes Gate Mews, London SW7

Holy Trinity, Brompton

    

More London Mews

For the handful of people who read this regularly, or whenever I manage to get around to posting, you'll know that I have a slight penchant for mews. The picture below is of Elnathan Mews, just off Warwick Avenue, not far from where I work when I'm in the London office. I thought it looked pretty spectacular on this sunny day and, unusually, no cars in view at all.

Elnathan Mews, London W9

The more time I spend in London, the more I like it. The great thing is that the possibilities for finding new places are almost endless. I've also started looking back at lost London, finding out about long lost railways, rivers and buildings. There are hundreds of books on the subject, a few of which are below.