kimbofo

A dancing flock of starlings

This is rather spectacular footage of starlings "dancing" in the skies over Loch Ree in Ireland as they prepare to roost for the evening. The hundreds of birds appear to move as one, expanding and contracting, in a dynamic, hypnotising and rather magical display.

It's a long film but it's worth watching in its entirety — the action and the film-maker's language heats up at around the 5.10min mark.

(Via Irish Central)

The phenomenon is known as murmuration. The Danes call it sort sol, which means black sun.

A very British icon: the red telephone kiosk

Place: Red telephone box on Whitehall, London.
Date: November 21, 2011.
Camera: Panasonic TZ3.

This is not just a red telephone box.

It's a K6 telephone box.

The K6 (which stands for Kiosk number 6) was designed by Giles Gilbert-Scott in 1935. It has become a British icon.

Despite the prevalance of mobile phones, these kiosks are particularly popular with tourists — for photograph opportunities! I lost count of the number of people I saw today striking poses — holding the doors open and smiling at the camera — as I wandered along Whitehall.

Just to prove my point, here's a set of photographs, dedicated to tourists posing in front of London phone boxes, hosted on Flickr!

Long lunch Sunday

Place: The Bridge Hotel, Barnes.
Date: November 20, 2011.
Camera: BlackBerry Curve.

We took the VIPs out for a leisurely four-course lunch today.  I don't think I've eaten so much food in one sitting — ever. But I enjoyed every. single. delicious. mouthful.

Catvertising: the funniest spoof I've seen in a long time

Giant Christmas baubles at Covent Garden

All pictures taken: Covent Garden, London.
Date: November 18, 2011.
Camera: Panasonic TZ3.

Covent Garden is all a-twinkle at the moment. Giant cherry-red and silver Christmas baubles are suspended from the class ceiling of the Market Building. They look beautiful just as they are, but every half-hour they go into a bit of a frenzy and create a dazzling light show: the mirror balls throw sparkles around the room. Gorgeous — and perfectly festive in a rather understated way.

A year ago today...

... I packed my suitcase, kissed the spouse goodbye for a bit and headed off on a three-month solo jaunt to the UAE, China and Australia.

I returned to London in mid-February a different person — happier, healthier, more relaxed (to the point of being Zen like) and motivated about life!

So much has happened since then. I've been to Ireland (twice) — for St Patrick's Day, DublinSwell and Bloomsday — and visited the UAE again (to avoid the Royal wedding). Closer to home, I spent a weekend in Deal, Kent, for a 60th birthday celebration,  a week in Camber Sands, Sussex, for some R&R, a day trip to Warwick (to visit a disappointing castle) and a day trip to Manchester (to see a friend).

I've cycled more than 1,000 miles — in China, Oz and the UK — bought two new bikes (one of which is still in Australia) and sold one on!

I regained my fitness, lost 9kg in weight and dropped a dress size. I changed my diet to include more fruit (and less junk food) and in the process, somewhere along the line, my psioratic arthritis went into remission. (There's a six-month supply of medication, bought before I went to China, still sitting in the cupboard relatively untouched.)

My book blog went from strength to strength, and I started getting invited to all kinds of book events, including Vintage Publishing's 21st birthday, Jonathan Cape's Booker Prize night party and Faber's crime fiction party. I've met a bunch of authors — and interviewed some of them too. And I had a blast being a member of KevinfromCanada's Shadow Giller Prize jury!

I've read about 100 books (no exaggeration), including James Joyce's masterpiece Ulysses (I loved it), and acquired at least 100 more — and then some.

I've seen a bunch of films at the cinema (The Guard, Senna, Animal Kingdom, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Closer to the Edge 3D) and gone to several live music gigs (Neil Finn, Christy Moore, Mary Coughlan, Peter Gabriel, Pierce Turner).

Without looking for work, work came looking for me — and in June I accepted a contract to work on a magazine where I had previously been a staff member (2002-05). The planned six-week stint as acting chief sub editor and production editor ended up lasting for four months — and I loved it. I'm now freelancing (writing, subbing, production) — and am available for hire if you need someone reliable, accurate, quick and thorough.

Finally, I've caught up with my parents on three separate occasions on three separate continents (don't say we are not a well travelled family) — and have been playing tour guide this past week, taking them to all kinds of places, including Hampton Court Palace, Abbey Road and Temple Church.

What will the next year hold? Who knows. But if it is as anywhere as eventful, interesting and fun as the past year, then I really can't wait...

[Please note, this is the positive spin version — shitty stuff has happened too, but I'm not about to share it here.]

The Temple Church

All pictures taken: Temple Church, London.
Date: November 10, 2011.
Camera: Panasonic TZ3.

Temple is one of those mysterious and intriguing parts of London with a rich history. It's primarily a legal enclave: the area is home to two of London's four Inns of Court — Inner and Middle Temple — which are ancient societies of barristers.

Barristers have been based on the site ever since James I granted them tenure in 1608, although there's been a legal presence since the 14th century.

Walking around the traffic-free streets, gardens and courtyards is a bit like stepping back in time.

But the key focus of the area is Temple Church, built by the Knights Templar in the 12th century, which serves the Inns' staff. 

 

The interior is particularly stunning, with its high vaulted roof and beautiful stained glass windows. But what makes this church unusual is its architecture, which comprises a "normal" rectangular building (above) with a round building attached at one end.

According to a leaflet I picked up in the church, the round church (as it is known) was consecrated in 1185 and is modelled on the circular church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, the site of Christ's death, burial and resurrection.

The ceiling of the round church is impressive.

As is the floor, where effigies of the Knights Templar lay (above left) — if you've ever read Dan Brown's best-selling novel The Da Vinci Code then you will know this church, and the effigies, play a starring role. (You can found out more about the links between the book and the church in this fascinating article.)

The church is open to the public but there is a £3 fee to enter. Note that times may vary, so it pays to check in advance via the official website. I've wandered past this church on numerous occasions over the past decade, but when I made a spontaneous visit on Friday, with two VIP Australian guests in tow, it was the first time I had been able to enter. It was worth the wait.

Sunset over Westminster

Place: View of the London Eye, Waterloo Bridge and Westminster Palace from Victoria Embankment, London.
Date: November 10, 2011.
Camera: Panasonic TZ3.

The nights might be drawing in as winter approaches, but I don't mind if the sun goes down at 16.19 if it looks like this every day.

Henry VIII spotted in Hampton Court Palace

Place: Hampton Court Palace, Surrey.
Date: November 9, 2011.
Camera: Panasonic TZ3.

We have some VIP guests from Australia staying with us at the moment, so today I escorted them to Hampton Court Palace for a look around.

I've been to the palace on numerous occasions, but this is the first time I've ever spotted the main resident: Henry VIII. The school kids loved him!

Grow-your-own-skeleton

Place: Tenterden Station, Kent.
Date: October 30, 2011.
Camera: BlackBerry Curve.

We recently spent a week's holiday in East Sussex, where we rented a cottage on the beach at Camber Sands, near Rye. On our first day we journeyed to nearby Tenterden, just across the border in Kent, to take a train ride on the Kent & East Sussex Railway (K&ESR). I was amazed at the station's Halloween decorations: there was ghost-adorned bunting flying overhead, carved pumpkins dotted all over the place and skeletons "growing" in the garden beds. Imagine my disappointment when I realised the K&ESR had hosted a special evening ghost ride the night before — take all the kids out of the equation and I would have loved to have gone on a spooky train trip through the countryside.