London views

Two different views of the London skyline, taken about 12 hours apart - looking downstream at dusk from the National Theatre, on arrival at THE leaving-do of the century, in terms of the BMJ at least -

The view of "downtown" includes St Pauls, the Gherkin, and closer to hand, the Oxo Tower. The gaggle of revellers are my former colleagues ... it was great to see them again, and I was amazed to realise that it's nearly four years since my own farewell.

The next morning found me&camera at Greenwich Park, looking upstream in the morning light -

"Downtown" is way off to the left; the tall buildings are Canary Wharf/Docklands.

Two things intrigue me about city skylines - the familiarity and reassurance of the skyline of the city one calls home (hence, another layer of distress for New Yorkers when the twin towers disappeared); and the relation of the buildings from changing viewpoints. Cities seem to have their "official" skyline diagrams, showing off iconic buildings.

This view of the London skyline during the Blitz comes printed on a teeshirt -

This next is pretty much the usual 21st century version, with the Millennium Wheel, Big Ben, St Pauls, NatWest Tower, BT Tower, Gherkin, Tower of London, and London Bridge (no Shard yet) -

This version has clarity and wit -