As I mentioned on my "stampingbyh" blog on Wednesday for WOYWW, I wanted to go to the Imperial War Museum in London to see the Tower Poppies "Weeping Window" . the forecast wasn't meant to be good all day, but I woke to fine weather (after a lot of rain overnight) so...
as I walked down the road to the station I saw some pretty clouds (you know me, I love my clouds!)
I had to go to a cash machine on the way to get some money out. I passed the building that is nearly finished now... nice reflections from the flats the other side of the road...
perhaps it would be a nice day after all!
Eventually I got to London and found my way to the Imperial War Museum (been a while since I went, so couldn't quite remember where I was going, luckily there are maps dotted around )
Peeking over a fence into a park
the poppies - the London version of the Imperial War Museum has the part of the exhibit called Weeping Window - are falling out of a window in the top of the museum.
You probably remember that when they featured at the Tower in 2014 (commemorating the 100 anniversary of the start of WW1) there was one poppy for each of the war personnel who lost their life.
Weeping Window is just stunning. like a shower of blood falling from the window.
there was a huge crowd of people viewing them, and waiting to enter the museum at 10
somehow, the poppies scattering across the grass with fallen leaves from the trees were even more poignant.
it was hard, no matter which lens I used, to get all the poppies in!
they look as good as ever, despite having been on tour round the UK for 4 years!
two large guns flank the path at the front of the museum
finally the doors opened and we piled in...
I didn't take many pictures inside, or indeed, stay long
However I made a point of seeing the new 100th centenary exhibit
Moments of Silence
the first room is pitch black and you listen to the guns finally falling silent at 11am on the 11th hour of the 11th month.... (tomorrow)
This is from the next room - the link may help explain it
I did wander around a little. these cards reminded me of
Kyla (a WOYWWer)'s "man bites dog cards.
from one of the landings you can see a fab glass roof
I was struck by some photos from one of the sections about after the war, especially this one....(the big one)
there was also a small area dedicated to the Poppies and their tour round the UK
(you weren't meant to photograph them, so don't tell anyone!)
as I wound my way back downstairs, some
things just spoke to me
(London figures)
on theground floor (I think) this V2 bomber - couldn't believe how big it was.
there was also an information board in front of it (which I couldn't get a picture of) - I didn't know that the man responsible for the V2 bomber was also behind the rocket that powered Man going to the moon some 25 years later.....
I was tempted by one of these scarves commemorating the Tower Poppies - the design is from a photograph of the Poppies in the Tower moat 4 years ago.
the price put me off (I bought a different one)
as you leave you get to see a different view of the bottom of the cascade from the back
hopefully you can enlarge it to read a bit more about the poppies
still lots of people - the display ends next week, before it takes up it's permanent position somewhere at the IWM London - will be interesting to see where.
love the park behind too.
had to take lots more pics!
the sun was really bright now, and interfering with my composition!
I walked down the path a way...
I meant to go and see if I could see what this statue is about but I forgot.
couldn't tear myself away...
close up
finally walked back to the station ....
which is called Elephant and Castle.
I anticipated Elizabeth wanting to know why it was... and I didn't know ... so
here is Wiki's answer!
I jumped on an underground train....
to the Tower. for the week running up to tomorrow's Remembrance Day, the Tower of London are putting on (well, strictly, it's put on by the people who did the poppies)
Beyond the Deepening Shadow.
sadly I wouldn't be there at night to see the torches lit... you may have seen on the news (well you will have for sure if you're British, you may have anyway
the moat is filled with 10,000 torches that are lit each night
here is a link to the
official website which tells you about it
and the
BBC pictures
I don't envy them tonight though, as by 5pm it was pouring with rain!
crowd control ready for later!
couldn't resist a photo of the Shard in the sunshine, across the river..
I took a quick trip inside, would be rude not to (as a Member I can go in for free)
love the shadows on the castle wall
it was busy inside...
one of the fabulous Yeoman Warder tours was in progress. They attract a huge crowd and as you know I've tagged along several times. They present the history of the Tower in a very informative and a times very funny, manner.
not today, though
one of the street lights
sky still blue and sun still shining..
forecast was very wrong for this morning!
gargoyles round the top of one turret
looking down an alleyway
a Raven singing away
look at the time! I must away...
but what are all those clouds suddenly doing
headed back to the station.
walking round the lower walk above the moat
oh hello, where are we now then..
bet you can't guess...
beautiful red trees outside....
well it wouldn't be Saturday if I didn't find time to go to Kew!
I arrived about 2.20 or so, having got more trains from London
they close at 4.15 in winter after the clocks go back, so I wouldn't have long....
and also, the clouds were getting more ominous now!
they've emptied your urns, Elizabeth!
a new bench has been installed this week,
as part of Kew's WW1 commemoration (another
link for you if you want to read more about the bench)
basically, it was made from a tree that grew at Kew for nearly 100 years from an acorn that was collected after the Battle of Verdun in 1919, but had to be felled in 2013 after a violent storm
I'll share some close ups in a bit..
the Palm House planting is settling in
belatedly get to my "first view" shot!
it was starting to rain now, the clouds yonder telling the story...
so I went to have a look at the bench.
It's called Remembrance and Hope
it's two sided, the Remembrance side sits facing Kew's war memorial plaque in it's little temple
and the Hope side, this side, faces the Palm House
it's beautiful!
but I didn't want to sit and get wet, so will save that for another visit.
the Smoke Tree is stunning now, looks so different to last week, the colour has totally transformed
just beautiful!
this is one I took on my phone
the Berberis (by the new bench) is stunning too
even with grey (full of rain) clouds behind, the trees look stunning
I went into the Princess of Wales glasshouse to look for water dragons, it was really dark with the grey clouds overhead...
no wonder they close an hour before the gardens do in winter! no sign of dragons either.
I went for a coffee whilst a really heavy shower passed overhead...
and when I'd finished so had the rain... well, almost...
a glimpse of blue behind the branches...
time to go, I think!
this was the view as I walked back across Kew Bridge on my (final) way home...
definitely time to go home!
so, a three-fer - hope you've enjoyed.
which is called Elephant and Castle.
