cc licensed flickr photo shared by cogdogblog
I was told London was rainy and gray, but so far (apply jinx here), the weather has been stunning. This is just a brief bit to say, “Yo London”– this is my first visit to the UK and the first few days have gone by in a blur. A growing photo set is at http://www.flickr.com/photos/cogdog/sets/72157624634053489/
There was not too much of a jet lag blur arriving early Sunday, getting the train from Heathrow to Paddington Station, and then to the hotel we used on Southbank. The next day it was on the move again, riding the train to Bristol, where Monday was an NMC meeting day with the folks at futurelab, where we found a lot of collaboration points, and a mind opening view to a wide array of creative projects that have come out of that old warehouse by the waterfront.
Then Tuesday it was back to London, and mid day grays gave way to some stunning evening light for some photos of the London Tower Bridge (above) and then a nice nighttime boat ride to Greenwich and back.
Yesterday I had time to pay a visit to the Museum of London, and filled my head with more than i knew before of city history, and I played around as well with their nifty iPhone augmented reality app (“Street Museum”) which provides geolocated historic photos that overlay on the present view– a fab way to marry the past to the present. I got my taste of riding the Tube (very well organized and easy) and have had my sampling of English breakfasts and warm ale.
We also got a stop at the London Science Museum, where we took in the history of computing exhibit, where i was surprised/amused to see Charles Babbage’s brain sitting in a jar atop one of the examples of his Difference Machines that had been built from his designs.
cc licensed flickr photo shared by cogdogblog
it was also neat to see in an exhibit on plastics (might there be an industry supporter? oops) – an example of RepRap– a 3D printer technology we’ve featured before in NMC horizon Reports
cc licensed flickr photo shared by cogdogblog
Today is one more move to a different hotel over the river- the NMC part of the trip is done, and I have three more days to explore and gawk like a tourist.
I’m open to more ideas (they have been super helpful so far) — shared via my wiki http://cogdoghouse.wikispaces.com/LondonCalling
If you are in London and want to say hi, there is a meetup at Slug and Lettuce on 5 Lisle Street tonight at 6pm organized by @GianninaRossini.
This is a quick one cause I still see blue skies out there! Time to go bark around town.
cc licensed flickr photo shared by cogdogblog
Glad to hear the weather has stayed good for your first visit …. I hope you get to Neil’s Yard Bakery .. (a small set of restaurants plus the Terry Gilliam’s studio used to be there and may still be) … a nice lunch spotabout 10 mins walk from Covent Garden.
Sorry should be Neal’s Yard … added to you London Calling at the top.