Canaling

Ran north from Smithfield and joined the Regents Canal near Kings Cross. We are always excited by the views along the canal ...







We found the image below tucked away under one of the bridges - is it a real Banksy or not ? - just like the question posed by the film " Exit through the gift shop " - worth a view if you are interested in contemporary art.



Then, high drama by London Zoo's Snowdon Aviary - a family intent on looking at the exotic birds forget about one of the boys' scooters which rolls into the canal - we see this from afar but arrive too late to stop it.



But do not worry - jogroglog is here to help ...



This shot is taken just as Mark says "Roger, you'll have to jump in " - the husband, who amazingly is also called Roger, is surprised and somewhat confused by Mark's order ...



But despite our best efforts the scooter obstinately remained at the bottom.

Finished off the run with a short cycle and photo shoot in front of some of our favourite places.

Visual communication rant

No running this weekend - Mark sailing in Mousehole and me , along with thousands of other parents, taking one of our babies to University. Much emotion and reminiscing about our own University memories.

Meanwhile back at art college, I finished a two week introduction into visual communications and got carried away on a project on how to communicate to the head of SW trains that their quiet zones were anything but - thanks in main to the numerous inane public service announcements made on even the shortest of journeys.



Firstly a hint about our desired destination




Followed by a new emergency kit should the noise become unbearable




And a update on the emergency alarm sign.





Finally, a game for all the family - designed to be hidden in the fold away tables and for use when you really want to tell the man in charge what you think.


Rant over.

Viscomm round up

Favourite images from this two weeks rotation were from the final project -my communications piece was to the head of Southwest Trains about the number of unnecessary public announcements made in the quiet zones on their trains.

Images from an old tram sign with imaginary quiet stops

The new Noyster card - money back from train operators for every unnecessary announcement made.

Emergency glass box for dealing with noise in a quiet zone - along with CD of quiet songs to be sent to Brain Souter - head of Southwest Trains.

A game for all of the family - inspired by one of Dominic Wilcox's 30 projects in 30 days.

Lesssons learnt

1 Lots of opportunities to use humour

2 Communication can be subtle as well as blunt

3 Work at same fast pace on other areas

Boris biking

New addition to the London skyline is "The Shard" near London Bridge

Ran to the Tate Britain for another look at the hanging sea harrier

And took part in a spontaneous 'run through the art gallery' performance piece.

Meanwhile on the Mall, we saw a team of barrier labourers taking a well earned rest.

But by then we were on our Boris bikes and were having our own well deserved break from running.

Predictably, Mark found various other road users to chat to - below he's challenging the motorbike rider to a race ..

There was always only going to be one winner...

Finished off in Smithfield amongst lots of beautiful, vintage fire engines.

Bouys, boats, blades and birds

Had a strenuous run around Scadbury Nature Reserve on Saturday morning and other than getting lost in the middle of a giant stinging nettle field , there was little to report.

In the evening, we were invited on an exciting boat trip up the Thames by some friends who have recently become boat owners after waiting, inpatiently, for 15 years for a mooring on the Thames at Chiswick.

We set off from Chiswick Pier and headed downstream toward the City.

Buoy of the day.



View from the front of the boat .



Exciting close up view of a landing at the Battersea heliport.



I was rather taken with this beautiful church set against the some of the many newly built blocks of flats along this stretch of the river.
St Mary's Church, Battersea is the local Church of England parish church in Battersea and stands on one of the earliest known consecrated sites on the south bank of the River Thames .
The original church was built as early as 800 AD by the Saxons and the present building was completed in 1777.
The church has strong connections with art and literature through William Blake, who was married here, and Turner, who painted the river from the vestry window. Benedict Arnold and his family are buried in the crypt, and the church has links with the explorer "Scott of the Antarctic".



Starlings starting to amass before their group roost under Wandsworth bridge - all the surrounding buildings were covered with starlings wainting for dusk - it felt like being on the set of a Hitchcock film.



Would highly recommend the new Hitchcock homage film - Double Take.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1386926/

Any film about Hitchcock and that has a tagline "If you meet your double, you should kill him." must be worth a look.