Friday 7 August 2009

IN WHICH I TRY TO WORK OUT WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE FREAKING WEATHER














Anyone remember this?
















Or this? 

Yes my friends, it's summer. Just in case you had forgotten. 

In fact here are the sum total of my photos of a recent garden visit I organised to the Thames Barrier Park at Woolwich, as recommended recently by this blog's sacred deity, Joe Swift. 

We met initially at Canary Wharf. Now admittedly, the skies already looked somewhat dark and threatening. 















But we made it to the park okay, walked to the dramatic view of the river, and began taking a few snaps. At which point we felt a few drops of rain. And then a few more. 

















And then the skies caved in. I have honestly never got caught in rain quite that wet. The lady taking the photo, Izaura, is from Brazil, and even she said she'd never seen rain like it. And she is from the rain forest. 
















Here are some youths sheltering under the bandstand. We weren't so lucky. We made a run for the tube station which I can fairly unexaggeratedly compare to being a contestant on Tizwas we got so much water chucked on us. 
















At which point, the sun came back out. We, however, in our linen/summery outfits, were soaked. Even on the inside of my raincoat. And we had to wait 9 soggy minutes for the next DLR. Sigh. 



For those who can't remember what 'summer' is, here's what the garden is meant to look like. From, needless to say, last summer: 







7 comments:

Victoria Summerley said...

I've always wanted to go there! It looks terrific, despite the stormclouds. What I don't understand about the weather forecasting at the moment is that they never seem to look out of the window...

Bay Area Tendrils said...

Would love to visit this park, thanks for the tip!
Now.... if I can ever figure out how to afford another trip to London :~(( Alice

Julia said...

The weather has been atrocious hasn't it? Although I shouldn't complain too much because all my ferns and tropical plants are looking GORGEOUS as a result.

It looks like a great park to visit - well done making the epic journey there, and on public transport too!!

VP said...

Not your lovely red coat that you have to discuss outfits with Jane Perrone over?

My rain guage says we've had nearly 2 inches of rain this week with over an inch on Tuesday alone. No wonder you were soaked.

emmat said...

Victoria, you are such a fund of practical know how. Looking out the window would be a valuable addition to meteorological training. i understand that the problem is BBC cuts, they cannot afford to give the weather forecasting people offices with windows as then everyone would want one.

Only Julia can really know quite what an epic journey it is on the Piccadilly line from our lowly Heathrow branch, too. I reckon it takes about an hour and twenty to Canary Wharf, and then it's about another half an hour. But worth it, just to see the river having travelling through the whole of London. I've been there three times now and it was definitely worth it. (I DID drive once though, on a sunday morning)

Alice, it is SO worth it, my photos really haven't done it justice and the mud flats and post-industrial landscape around just add to the sense of the area's history while this quietly beautiful place goes on serenely.

VP, yes my red coat, but it turns out expensive Italian raincoats ARE a good investment after all, whatever my doubts at the time....

colleen said...

Love Barrier Park. You should have taken a detour to Bow Church and popped in here to get dry and have a cup of tea.

colleen said...

PS I have actually been enjoying the rain - no need to water the plot, lovely sound of water dripping on the leaves in the garden, and a lovely September to look forward to.