London in August..

A visit to the South Bank, Tate Modern, Science and Natural History Museums...

Preceded by a morning at 31 degrees c in Hampton Court gardens. That's about 86 degrees f!


The odd mix of formality and Tudor approximation of geometry.. opulence and painted windows alternating with the glazed frames even royals paid their taxes for..


This garden has been remodelled more lately with needles of Juniper trees contrasting with the lopsided cones that now reflect earlier topiarists attempts at uniformity.



These obelisks reminded me of much later surrealists forms. It's easy to turn this hot weather garden into something much more Mediterranean. The fountains and classical statues reminiscent of Yves Tanguy

...and

Giorgio De Chirico

In an attempt to salvage some comfortable memories for later, we headed for the waterworks that frame the palace and the grounds. Even the locals were gasping!



Herons stood still over the water, teeming with stickleback and frogs apparently without interest.

At least they weren't at the mercy of Ice cream sellers who nodded that 'Yes, I have bottles of water.. £1.60'











The water lilies, dragonflies and weed performed just as expected in the heat...


I wondered what Claude Monet would have made of Photoshop..

So went to the Tate to see..

...and spent much longer with his version than I had with mine.