Southwark Bridge by night

As day turns to night,
The city changes her clothes,
And wears her jewels




A very lovely, if very full day.  Went up to London to meet Miranda and go to the Howard Hodgkin exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery, also an exhibition by Gillian Wearing and Claude Cahun.  Both exhibitions proved to be very interesting.  I think I actually preferred the second as I felt Hodgkin was really just having an in depth conversation with himself.  But maybe that just says something about me.

Anyway after a late and long lunch we wandered back to Waterloo where I said goodbye to Miranda and then went to join a photography meet up group to practise long-exposures of water.

I love London in the early evening, as the sky darkens and the lights come on. Magical.

Couldn't decide if I preferred this in colour or mono, so have posted the mono version in extras, also one other from the evening.

On the train on the way back I got talking to a lady who had been up to London for the day and was supposed to have been home by 5, but who had rushed to catch the 10 o'clock train!  It was one of those weird times when you make a brief connection with someone.  Our conversation ranged from why it's important to have days out out, to how corrupt politics can be, to the side effects of the menopause ... and all between London Bridge and Oxted.  I've no idea who she is, nor she me, but it brightened us both. At her station we hugged and said goodbye.

A day of friendship and fun - what could be better?