Go Modern...
We started off with a bit of cultural learnings today by visiting Tate Modern. Tube to the Blackfriars station and when we got above ground, one of the first things we saw was this quirky looking building, complete with a Blackfriar...
Around the corner is that modern urban "religious" institution, Church of Scientology. Even they had their London premises in a classy building.
Opposite St Paul's Cathedral, we cross the Thames via the Millenium Bridge, and here with the Modern Tate building in the background, a former power station designed by no other than our newly encountered "friend" when we were in Liverpool, Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, who designed that mighty Liverpool Cathedral, the red telephone boxes and a whole array of other things.
Here we have crossed the Thames and are looking back towards St Paul's Cathedral (which we haven't yet been inside..., we will get to it).
Yes, today started off grey, or to paraphrase that sometimes used meteorological description in Britain; dull.
Modern Tate upfront, complete with its chimney from the power station days. The cranes behind it are due to massive expansion work. It appeared that exhibition may be almost doubled once the work is finished.
A bit of timber art / kids playground in the forecourt.
Entrance to Modern Tate is free, that fantastic price the traveller likes so much, and we started off by taking the lift to the top floor, which turned out to be a members only area. Great views over the Thames and we shot a few photos before the closed to punters fact was pointed out to us.
On the 3rd floor, where the punters are welcome, you could go out onto a balcony.
Back to the inside and Di got interactive...
... Although she was a lone figure there just after opening time at 10am. Her contribution - a statement on the debate of whether the architecture of a gallery is important to our enjoyment of the art. Her view - yes!
We said it before and we say it again, the British, and visitors to the UK too it seems, are not morning people.
Onto the exhibitons... Non flash photography was allowed, and we took advantage of that. There were a couple of exhibitons that cost to see, but there was plenty for free. Although, we are really not modern art fans as we just didn't get a lot of the exhibits. This light display looked good though...
This looked like storage for air condition vents and Di looked a bit confused as to whether perhaps workmen had left them there. Nope - art...
This art piece consisted of broken glass and mirrors from Venice, when shipped to the Middle East in the past many times arrived broken and shattered. Somebody took the broken pieces and put them together in the formation that you see here. Hans was a fractured reflection...
Strong colours when they are present in abstract art, but a lot of white walls...
Slasher art. According to the spiel, the cut was applied with the uttermost precision by the artist...
... Or alternatively you can make a few burn marks and leave it like that.
Respect for each other...and in the background a trap made of steel wool...
We liked this feminist art, done by a woman and exhibiting mostly feminine articles.
The thin black Duke perhaps... (Apologies to David Bowie)
This painting was done by an American artist in protest to the Vietnam War, and in that era. The artwork was huge, very powerful and drew a fair bit of attention from the visitors.
Then suddenly, a bit of Australiana. A typical Sidney Nolan painting featured among all the other modern art... Would we call him a "modern" artist?
These two were literally performers in a freak show. He as the "pigeon chested man", she just as a "black woman". Times were different then...
One room was filled with USSR propaganda posters, lots and lots of them.
Trotsky in the center... Morbidly fascinating. Of course, the images on the posters and the realities of the times were light years away...
Location shot from one of exhibiton rooms...
Art of a different kind... Looking down the escalators which was creating interesting reflections from the metal plates.
Around noon Di needed a break and decided to go back to our "Stay at Chelsea" guesthouse for a rest (which did not happen due to grocery shopping and 3 visits from our host accompanied by a building inspector) before she was going to see her mum's friend Carolyn in Battersea at 3pm. We had decided at she would go alone this time, we also saw her when we were in London two months ago, as Carolyn has some health issues.
Hans hung around the Modern Tate for a bit longer, in fact some of the pics above were taken after Di left, before he called it quits at around 12.30pm. Runkeeper got switched on and this is how Hans pottered all the way back to base...
But first, and not long after leaving Tate Modern and along the a Thames, Hans stumbled onto a Mexican food truck which was very popular. Smoky chicken burrito was clearly the punters' favourite so that's what Hans had. Delicious...
Next stop on Hans tour was Waterloo Station.
Of course, apart from being a magnificent building where Hans had not been before, the building also featured in the 3rd Bourne movie called "The Bourne Ultimatum". Another good reason for visiting it. Yep, it looked familiar...
Some location shots...
Hans seems to remember that the assassin in the movie was hiding behind one of the windows on the top floor to the right, but don't quote him on that...
Bicycle storage outside Waterloo Station. There was as much again immediately to the left of the picture.
Back towards the Thames and following it westwards.
A picture from roughly this angle must have been taken... a trillion times. Hans shot another one...
The Thames Path on the other, western side of Westminster Bridge was significantly quieter with a lot less people. It was also a lot more beautiful and looked a bit like the river Seine in Paris.
The London key attractions from a greater distance.
Squeezed in between construction sites from some tall apartment buildings was this small area with houseboats, temporarily accessible only through a very narrow passageway. Hans seemed to recall that it was referred to as Towbridge.
This was interesting. A tree had taken root inside an old piece of timber sticking out of the water.
Hans suddenly passed Battersea Power Station. Looks familiar...? Yes, it was used as the cover of Pink Floyd's Animals album. Now, it will see a new life as... Yes, of course, apartments.
Hans continued his walk through Battersea Park and onto Albert Bridge which he crossed.
From Albert Bridge, our guesthouse is pretty much straight north. You cross the Chelsea Embankment, Kings Road, Fulham Road before reaching Old Brampton Road not far from Gloucester Road. All looked glamorous and expensive, with yummy mummies, or nannies, picking up their, or others, offsprings from school. Lots of expensive German cars.
Hans was back around 4pm and after a cup of tea, he had a little snooze.
Di turned up around 6.30pm after her visit to Carolyn in Battersea and then challenged the kitchenette equipment to play ball, to see if she could produce a Bega Pasta for us with 1 tired, tiny, old saucepan.
Yep, another winner as it was very yummy. But she said hard work. But easy for Di, a master chef.
Lazy evening, with some online admin and we were ready for bed. Good night.
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