Icicles

A great day today.  For my birthday my wife and I went into London.  The poor weather seems to have frightened everyone away. The train was quiet and I don't think I have ever before seen Charing Cross Road without traffic!

The fountains at Trafalgar Square were still running, but there were large icicles hanging from them and there were large blocks of ice in the water (see extra for a more general, if uninspiring, shot). 

The battery in my camera soon expired (I knew there wasn't much charge left in it) so I put in a new fully charged battery (I charged it only yesterday), but after half a dozen shots the camera stopped focussing and, shortly afterwards, it told me to change the battery pack again. I have never before experienced such a rapid and extreme effect of the cold on a battery.  (It recovered later when we were back in the warm.)

We didn't stay long outside, but retreated to the cafe in the basement of the National Portrait Gallery for a pot of tea and a cake. Then we spent some time at the newly opened exhibition Victorian Giants: The Birth of Art Photography which looks at the "relationship between four ground-breaking Victorian artists: Julia Margaret Cameron (1815–79), Lewis Carroll (1832–98), Lady Clementina Hawarden (1822–65) and Oscar Rejlander (1813–75)" (to quote the NPG website). An excellent and well presented exhibition which I really enjoyed. 

After another pot of tea (and another slice of cake - well it is my birthday!) we then went to a related lecture by Lindsay Smith, Professor of English at the University of Sussex, examining the photography of Lewis Carroll in the context of his life and literary work.  Also very interesting.

Finally we went up to the "Portrait Restaurant" at the top of the gallery and enjoyed a fine meal served by very friendly and attentive staff. 

A reasonable journey home finished  a great birthday.  Despite the cold, I think it was a good day to be in London - without the crowds!