Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Driving through London - part 1 - Peckham

OK. Here's the deal. There are 212 photos in my "London" folder from last weekend's roadtrip from hell. There is absolutely no way I can show you even a quarter of them without creating a mega photo-sharing post or a slide show, and I have an aversion to both. So I thought I'd bundle the photos according to area and show you a few out of each group instead.

To start, I give you Peckham (pronounced as Peck-uhm, not Peck-ham). Not one of the most salubrious areas of London, but I did warn you it's the London the tourists don't see. Ahem. Keep in mind that I took these pictures from the car while we were moving (admittedly at crawling speed) along the A202, so the photos aren't terribly well-framed. I guess what I'm saying is, cut me some slack, OK.

I've no idea what this is (other than a building that's been boarded up after a fire) but I like the art. I spotted it in New Cross, a run-down but very hip neighbourhoood, just before Peckham proper.


In case you're still wondering why it took us 40 minutes to drive 4.5 miles, here's the answer: roadworks!


This is a typical terrace, a row of identical or mirror-image houses sharing side walls - either Victorian or mock Victorian, I can't tell.


Did I mention the traffic? Notice the cars are perfectly stationery although the light is green.


A pub and two shops with funky names...


A typical neighbourhood mini market - sells everything and anything.


A messy picture, but I like it because you can see Manze's traditional pie and mash shop and catch a glimpse of the top of the futuristically designed Peckham Library.


A typical high street: Rye Lane and the Aylesham Shopping Centre.


I like this photo because of the scooter. You don't often see scooters on London roads. Also because the sun's shining and the sky's looking interesting.


The Harris Academy at Peckham promoting themselves.


And finally, the back of a London bus!


These are the best of my Peckham photos, plus a bonus one here. So, tell me, how closely do they match what you expected to see?

9 comments:

Margarita said...

Mm, now I want pie!

Also, the Beyonce boutique makes me laugh for some reason. Kinda like the "Caroline" cheesy puffs that were popular when "The Bold and The Beautiful" were popular in Greece during the late 80s.

Tinsie said...

It's not sweet pie, it's made with minced beef. Just so you know ;-)

I suspect Beyonce's salon is named after its owner - Beyonce isn't such an unusual name around here. I don't really remember the Caroline cheesy puffs, how funny to have a snack named after a TV character that's not a cartoon!

I do remember the Bold-and-Beautiful craziness in Greece at the time, the empty streets etc. Mental!

Anonymous said...

Only Fools and Horses - eat your heart out!?

Tinsie said...

HAHA! Sandi, is that you?

Lowell said...

Well, thank you for these...never having been in England I had no expectations per se, but I found each photo to be of interest! And you don't need much slack; they're quite good.

Slices-of-life - love 'em!

Re your comment on the Labs: You and a couple others caught on that this photo might be other than it looks...that's why I put the question mark after the post title...It's a photo of a photo I found in a home accessories store in the Ocala mall!

Margarita said...

Tina, I do not discriminate when pie eating is at hand. Sweet, savory, it's all good to me!

Margarita said...

On a side note, and because I know you enjoy retro things, look what I found:
http://www.retromaniax.gr/vb/showthread.php?s=ce84a104fea81d07bd6c90e8d4a1b74d&t=13913

DianeCA said...

A nice set of photos indeed. Its good to see a living city with all its diversity...even a very glassy Burger King. But I have to admit that what I first found most intersting was that I read Aylesham Shopping fast and in my head it came out Asylum Shoppinag...had to go back and recheck that one hehehe!

Tinsie said...

@ Jacob: Thank you, that's nice of you to say :-) Most Americans/Canadians I've met are surprised at how narrow London roads are. I think they imagine London to be a bit more modern and spaced out than it is - that's my impression anyway, I could be wrong.

@ Marg: Very sensible. As they say, pie is pie :-)

Cool link, thanks for that! I'm a bit worried as I don't recognise any of the packaging displayed apart from Fountounia and Pitsinia. Do you? Maybe I've imagined the whole growing up in Greece thing. Maybe I was never there. Ho hum.

@ DianeCA: Thank you - and LOL @ the Asylum Shopping :-D