Church; Porto, Portugal I wanted a shot of this Church all alone (and I did make one early another morning), but I like the way the people in this image come together in the square in front of the church to give some “area context” [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]IHAVE shot primarily nature, landscape and other outdoor venues for all the years I have been at this. And for many of those years, I worked hard to get people-free images. Still do some of the time. In popular places, it was not uncommon to sit patiently (or sometimes not so patiently 🙂 ) waiting for people to clear a scene. Later, the ability to “remove” things from images digitally softened some of the angst. But that doesn’t always work. I found myself still waiting for opportunities where the “offending” body was in a spot that would be easy to remove. And then, of course, that brings on all the “isn’t that cheating?” stuff.
I liked the way the yellow jacket contrasted with the mostly monochromatic image of Buckingham Palace. It pulls the gold gilded statue top too. I waited for her to walk into the frame and then made the image. [Copyright Andy Richards 2021 All Rights Reserved]
not every national park, scenic view, or iconic location was put there for me and my camera
THERE ARE, of course, still going to be times when you want a pristine landscape shot. Often the best time to do that is very early in the morning, before tourists and even workers are out. Getting up early takes a certain discipline, but every time I do so, I am rewarded. Often with complete solitude. Sometimes with just a lot fewer people around. Another way to get that kind of shot is to shoot scenes and places where there aren’t a lot of people. Places that haven’t been discovered yet. Or places that don’t have tourist appeal. I have found some of my best farm scenes to be places that haven’t been “discovered” yet. I have also learned – unfortunately – that it isn’t a good idea to identify those locations in this day and age. There are a couple now famous scenes in Vermont, for example, that used to see the occasional photographer in the road near them – usually during the fall foliage season. But today, everybody and their smartphone wants to photograph these places, and in addition to large numbers of people, many of them have zero respect for other’s property. Indeed in recent years, some of these once quiet, bucolic scenes have taken on a “carnival” atmosphere that is totally at odds with what drew us to them in the first place.
Sometimes the image is ABOUT the people. This close shot of the entranceway into the Buckingham Palace Grounds would be boring and static without the guard. I was really shooting the guard, not the palace, here. [Copyright Andy Richards 2021 All Rights Reserved]PEOPLE IN the scene can often be perceived as a negative. But I also have to remind myself sometimes that not every national park, scenic view, or iconic location was put there for me and my camera. Indeed, (at least before the advent of the smartphone), the vast majority of visitors to these locations are/were probably there just to see the place. And they certainly have every bit as much of a right to do that (even if they are standing in my photo 🙂 ). Tolerance does not seem to be a popular thing these days, but I still try to practice it.
This is one of my favorite images of London. The two gentlemen engaged in thoughtful conversation makes an otherwise “nice” image of the backside of Westminster Abbey much more interesting, in my view [Copyright Andy Richards 2021 All Rights Reserved]IN RECENT years, though, something that I have learned is – especially in my travel photography – putting people (or using the people that are there) in your photos sometimes creates added interest. In addition to scale, they can give perspective, and sometimes create questions. Like what is she looking at? What is he thinking? Or they can help express the pure joy of experiencing one of our worldwide wonders. So, for me the trick has now become how to best position the people that are inevitably there in the image. I have begun to look for those moments. I know I am probably late to the game (but suspect I am still with, or ahead of many of my fellow “nature” photographers). Street photographers often purposely seek out people in their imagery. I have never felt really comfortable engaging people, but I am slowly coming to grips with it. In the meantime, I often try to portray people in the image in a basically incognito way (looking away, or so distant as to not have recognizable face). But other times that is just not possible. And when people are in public, they have a reduced expectation of privacy, so I feel that as long as I am not portraying them in a negative way, it is probably o.k.
Porto, Portugal I made several images as this woman walked through the frame. I like the way in this one, she appears to hesitate, and you wonder, what is she looking at/for? [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]WHILE INCLUDING people in photographs can be an enhancing factor, I also believe there is a tipping point. I have had times where the venue has been so crowded with people that I have decided not to even shoot it. Sometimes crowds can detract from a shot. Unless, of course, you are trying to depict crowds.
I made this image to illustrate the packed Wine Festival in Evora, Portugal Evora, Portugal Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved
IDON’T think I have used people in images anywhere more than my recent trip to Portugal. We were in two of the most populous cities in the country and let’s face it: there were bound to be people everywhere. Even early in the season. I think this year is perhaps unusual, as people were pent up from the pandemic, and ready to get out and travel again. For whatever reason, there were a lot of people in Lisbon and Porto in late May and early June.
The line (or “qeue” as they say in Europe) for getting into Lisbon’s popular Belem Tower historical site was long. The lone person standing near the water attracted my attenion. Another one of those “wonder what she is looking at” people images. Lisbon, Portugal [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]SOMETIMES PEOPLE and their behavior make an otherwise uninteresting image worth a second look. I was walking around St. Kitt during one of our Caribbean Cruise stops and looking for color and interest. The obviously attractive young woman in this shot caught my eye. If the shot were about her, though, having her walking out of the frame is just not very good composition. As much as it may seem so, she is not the true subject of the image. I had all I could do with the fast moving action and my widest zoom to catch the entire important parts of the scene. But mine were not the only eyes she caught. Do you see it? 🙂 I couldn’t resist making this one.
Double-Take St. Kitts [Copyright Andy Richards 2014 All Rights Reserved]THE “SELFIE” has become (for better or worse) a common occurrence in these times. There are times when people compromise privacy, safety, and property in there unending quest to produce the best Instagram selfie. But sometimes it is just people trying to capture a memory It certainly speaks of behavior. The gondola scene at Piazza San Marco on Venice is iconic. Most of us shoot it trying to exclude outside elements. I was doing that one early morning – making a motion-blur image of the rocking gondolas. When I arrived, I saw this young woman who I believe was making a selfie with the piazza and St. Mark’s in her background. It gives great human interest to the image, in my opinion.
Piazza San Marco Venice, Italy [Copyright Andy Richards 2013 All Rights Reserved]IHAVE made numerous cruise ship pictures over our years of cruising. I am usually shooting either the landscape, or action on the ship. I am never the only one doing so, though most often it is folks with their smart phones (or even tablets sometimes). I love to make images of a harbor as we enter it and dock. As I was doing so in the very picturesque Cobh, Ireland, I noticed the gentleman below doing likewise. I have gotten smarter about my photography over recent years, and was glad I had the presence of mind to capture the scene, which certainly tells a better story than my “solo” images do.
Cobh, Ireland [Copyright Andy Richards 2019 All Rights Reserved]OF ALL the imagery I have made over the years, a substantial majority has been landscape – and of that, more than anything, fall foliage. Mountains, reflections, closeups, barns and farms all make wonderful context. Occasionally, people in the image add color, or interest, or even scale and perspective. I shamelessly confess that I totally “copycatted” the following silhouette image, after seeing a colleague framing it up. But what a great storytelling idea. The photo is another “ho hum” fall foliage image without them.
Hiawatha National Forest Lake Munising, Michigan [Copyright Andy Richards 2012 All Rights Reserved]SOMETIMES STAGING people in an image works. During my trip to Vermont in October, 2021, we were composing and contemplating shooting an uphill Vermont back road, framed with colorful foliage. I made the point that this one needed some interest – a person walking up the road. On of our friends offered to “model,” wearing a bright yellow raincoat I had (which was the brightest “prop” we could find). I think the photo worked well. But when I got home, and reviewed the image on my screen, it occurred to me that red would have more impact. So I made it red. I know. That “cheating” thing again. 🙂
Pudding Hill Road Burke, Vermont [Copyright Andy Richards 2021]IAM certain that I miss many opportunities to use “models” in my images. I am, by nature, not an outgoing person when around strangers. Again, sometimes, I just get lucky. I was walking in the St. Kitt Cruise port area shooting some of the colorful buildings. This young shop employee asked me out of the blue if I would like her to pose for me. I am no portrait photographer, but I thought this was a kind of fun image that would not have been the same without her in it.
St. Kitt [Copyright Andy Richards 2014 All Rights Reserved]AS OFTEN as I get “unlucky” or even annoyed with the people in a scene, sometimes I get lucky. The scene in Rome was interesting enough to capture my attention. But when the young man walked into the shot, it seemed like a case of “right time; right place” for me.
The man in the center of the street gives this image a sense of scale City Center Rome, Italy [Copyright Andy Richards 2013 All Rights Reserved]LOOKING FOR opportunities often begets opportunities. In case of the photo below, we were on a street art walking tour in Cape Town South Africa in January. While mostly shooting the street art imagery, I am always on the lookout for colorful subjects. And – lately – also for human subjects of interest. Here I found both and couldn’t help but wonder if the conversation was about our group?
Cape Town, South Africa Copyright Andy Richards 2023 All Rights Reserved
WHILE SOMETIMES, a photo leaves you wondering about the people in the photo, other times it’s just obvious what the person is doing in the photo – and yet still adds interest. This young woman was one of another couple that joined us on the street art walk recently in Cape Town. The focus of the day, of course was the street art itself. Usually in context. But this opportunity presented itself and I liked the symmetry (physical and figurative). There is little doubt in my mind that the inclusion of the photographer adds interest to the already visually compelling subject.
Cape Town, South Africa Copyright Andy Richards 2023 All Rights Reserved
O
VERALL, I think there is always going to be room in my portfolio and shooting style for both. I will always want to at least try to make “clean” images. Sometimes that means waiting. Sometimes using content-aware processing. But what I have learned is to look for both opportunities. I think both views, for example, of the Pink Street below are interesting. I had to go very early in the morning to get the empty street. But the people in the second image are always there, beginning in the early evening, and by nighttime, the place is packed. That’s reality and if you are going to portray reality, you are going to have people in the picture. 🙂
The Pink Street Lisbon, Portugal [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved][Tomorrow, I head to Ft. Lauderdale to board a cruise ship bound for the Caribbean for a few days. When I return, I am going to take the blog in a slightly different direction – temporarily. See you in a couple weeks]
Buckingham Palace Westminster, England [Copyright Andy Richards 2021]I MENTIONED the Free Tours by Foot website in the first day blog. But I want to mention them again here, partly because we started our day out with them, but also because they do a great job. And they grow and live by word of mouth. We have done a few of these kinds of tours over the years and my wife and I have become a fan of them. The tour guides are always entertaining, very knowledgeable, and make our tours very worth our time. The only “cost,” is that they ask you to pay (or tip) the guide according to the value you think he or she has imparted. We have never been disappointed and very highly recommend these services!
Horse Guards; Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace Westminster, England [Copyright Andy Richards 2021]I ALSO mentioned that we would visit Buckingham Palace (and parts of Westminster) at least 3 times during our visit. This was the third. There were some long days and some short days during our visit. This was one of the long ones. We met our guide at Green Park Underground stop, which we learned was about the same distance from Buckingham Palace on foot as the St. James station was. This time we approached the palace from the north through Green Park, flanking the palace to the north. We arrived on a clearing morning for a day that would turn mostly sunny. While it was nice to see the blue sky, we noted that all the flower beds were being re-done and all the pretty flowers were gone!
Horseguards Buckingham Palace Westminster, England [Copyright Andy Richards 2021]HORSES, BRIGHT red uniforms, a bull brass band, and ceremony are a big part of the London culture, and especially when it involves the Royal Family. As we were to see later, there is a mammoth facility designed just to house, train and stage up the hundreds of horses and guards who daily police Buckingham Palace.
Royal Band Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace Westminster, England [Copyright Andy Richards 2021]Horse Guards Buckingham Palace Westminster, England [Copyright Andy Richards 2021]THE PROCESSION and recession for the Changing of the Guard is one of the most impressive events I have ever seen (we were on the walking tour, and our timing did not have us in the right place for the actual changing of the guard at the palace – we will have to catch that another time). We were a distance away from the Palace, near where the procession turns onto the Mall, when things began to happen. As you can see, the early morning light and nice skies enhanced the colorful scenery.
Changing of the Guard Buckingham Palace Westminster, England [Copyright Andy Richards 2021]
WE WALKED by St. James Palace again, after leaving the Mall, where we saw the outdoor court of the Palace; a popular place for meeting ceremonies and other events during the years prior to Buckingham Palace becoming the property of the Royal Family. I got a much nicer image this time, in the nicer light.
St. James Palace Westminster, London [Copyright Andy Richards 2021]T
HE OLD front of the Palace is still impressive and we were able to get a “British” glimpse as we headed up St. James Street.
St. James Palace Westminster, England [Copyright Andy Richards 2021]TURNING ONTO Pall Mall, from St. James, we passed St. James Square, and an area which houses (and has since the 18th Century) some of the worlds finest – and first Gentlemen’s Social Clubs. Many of England’s wealthiest aristocrats were members. These traditional English gentlemen’s clubs were often designed like a second home, with private guest quarters for members to stay in. Classic Chesterfield leather couches and overstuffed chairs, dark mahogany wood, heavy gold-plated chandeliers and expensive hand-knitted Persian carpets are the typical decor. Around the world, these clubs became popular among men of wealth and status. An American example would be The Detroit Athletic Club.
The Athenaeum Gentlemen’s Social Club: Pall Mall Westminster, England [Copyright Andy Richards 2021]OUR GUIDE – as would be expected – had a couple humorous stories about these clubs. The clubs were, of course, as “gentlemen’s clubs,” men-only establishments (something that only very recently has begun to change). It was customary for many of the clubs in London, to invite former Prime Ministers for membership. But when the “iron lady” Margaret Thatcher left Downing Street in 1990, it caused the tradition to face a first-of-a kind problem. At least one club resolved the problem by naming the female former prime minister “honorary male” and welcoming her to their exclusive club. Humorous to me how we cling to our- sometimes silly – ways. The second story is also kind of humorous. One of Britain’s more famous characters, was the aristocrat and soldier (he defeated Napolean in two famous battles), The Duke of Wellington. His equestrian statue, and an arch, among other monuments, are found in London. It appears that for all his glory, the Duke was – shall we say – height-challenged. So much so, that he was unable to mount and dismount his horse without either assistance or a platform, and as such, The Athenaeum Club (where he was a regular and active member) built a platform just for that purpose. Of course, I had to record it for my archives (I think, in fairness, after some additional research, it should be noted that others used mounting stones and that they could be found in other areas of London. It may be that it was more a matter of advanced age than height that necessitated the convenience of these mounting stones).
Duke of Wellington’s mounting platform – Pall Mall Clubs Westminster, England [Copyright Andy Richards 2021]AS WE walked the Westminster streets, we noted the distinct “W” markings on most of the ornate street lamp posts. There are a number of things the “W” could stand for, but our guide assured us that it stands for “Westminster,” and is one way you know when you are in the City of Westminster.
City of Westminster Street Lamp Westminster, England [Copyright Andy Richards 2021]FROM THE ritzy St. James area, we walked back across The Mall to Horse Guards Road, where we crossed through The Horse Guards facility. The building is, in my view, spectacular and although challenging to shoot, makes a nice photographic subject.
Horse Guards Facility Westminster, England [Copyright Andy Richards 2021]THE MAMMOTH facility forms a very large, dirt courtyard which provides the staging area and practice parade ground for the Horse Guards. As we walked through the facility, we had ample opportunity to see these magnificent horses and the colorful guards.
Horse Guards Facility Westminster, England [Copyright Andy Richards 2021]AND WHILE we missed the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, we did get the chance to observe it at the entrance to the Horse Guards Facility.
Horse Guards Westminster, England [Copyright Andy Richards 2021]BACK TO the Mall, we headed up to the circus where the Mall and several other streets meet, in an area of Westminster known as Charing Cross, to Trafalgar Square. Named after the Battle of Trafalgar, in which Admiral Lord Nelson famously vanquished the French Navy in 1805, thwarting Napoleon’s final effort to invade Britain, and successfully keeping the homeland from becoming a battleground during the Napoleonic Wars, the square is – from a long perspective, visually impressive. Some of its parts are also very photographically interesting.
The National Gallery Trafalgar Square Westminster, England [Copyright Andy Richards 2021]THERE IS a beautiful fountain in the middle of the square, fronting the National Gallery, many bust statues along the perimeter, and the Nelson Column.
The Nelson Column Trafalgar Square Westminster, England [Copyright Andy Richards 2021]AND ALSO some whimsy in the form of an ice cream cone with a cherry on top sculpture. 🙂 I am not sure whether that is a bug, or a helicopter on the cherry. Maybe the artist doesn’t want us to know which it is.
Trafalgar Square Westminster, England [Copyright Andy Richards 2021]THE AREA around the square – Charing Cross – is also visually impressive. I found some nice “street view” images, as well as the Greek Revival style, Canada House, I believe today functions as The Canadian embassy.
Trafalgar Street Westminster, England [Copyrght Andy Richards 2021]Canada House Westminster, England [Copyright Andy Richards 2021]FROM TRAFALGAR Square, we worked our way back to the Parliament Area, where we would also see Westminster Abbey. The exterior of the building, mainly Gothic style, is pretty impressive. Again, with a small camera (handheld) shooting such architecture is a challenge. But it is not difficult to appreciate the grandeur and immensity of this old building, which is also the centerpiece of so much of the history of England.
Westminster Abbey Westminster, England [Copyright Andy Richards 2021]Westminster Abbey Westminster, England [Copyright Andy Richards 2021]AS IMPRESSIVE as the exterior is, the interior may be even more so. We stood in line (or as they say in England, on queue) for a short period to gain admission. Again, our London Pass helped us out here. Once inside, it was worth the wait. Rather than try to come up with witty narrative between images, I’ll simply post a series of images below:
Westminster Abbey Westminster, England [Copyright Andy Richards 2021]Westminster Abbey Westminster, England [Copyright Andy Richards 2021]Westminster Abbey Westminster, England [Copyright Andy Richards 2021]Westminster Abbey Westminster, England [Copyright Andy Richards 2021]Westminster Abbey Westminster, England [Copyright Andy Richards 2021]Westminster Abbey Westminster, England [Copyright Andy Richards 2021]Westminster Abbey Westminster, England [Copyright Andy Richards 2021]THE BIG BEN Clock Tower is one of those buildings that can be photographed from multiple angles, and thus, can be shot at different times of the day. I found the best view from the South of the building, Note that I referred to it as the clock tower. Big Ben is not the clock. Nor is it the tower. Originally, St. Stephen”s Tower, the tower is today known as Elizabeth Tower. Originally installed in 1859, Big Ben is actually the 15.1 ton bell that tolls on the hour, as well as quarter bells every 15 minutes. The clock which runs on a gravity-based pendulum system, which requires winding (taking a full hour) 3 times a week. It has been historically accurate to within seconds. In 2017, the clock (having had a number of technical issues over the years) was stopped and a complete renovation begun. When we were there in 2019, unfortunately, the clock tower was largely covered and blocked with scaffolding, and there was no ringing of the bell. Sadly, this time was no better. My research indicates that Parliament has confirmed that the tower will re-open and the bell re-commence sometime in the second quarter of 2022.
Victoria Tower Home of Big Ben Westminster, England [Copyright Andy Richards 2021]B
Y THE time we finished in Westminster Abbey and headed toward the subway stop, it was mid-afternoon. As you can see – if you have made it this far – it was another very long, and fruitful day. But we still had more to come. I’ll follow up with a much shorter account of our London Gin tour that this evening, next week. For now, we were headed for the subway.
Westminster Underground Entrance Westminster, England [Copyright Andy Richards 2021]
Buckingham Palace Westminster, England [Copyright Andy Richards 2021]TITLING THIS blog “Westminster” might be a bit of a misnomer. But it is where I started my second day, so Westminster it is. I would ultimately visit and photograph Buckingham Palace several times during our week in London. I usually am an early riser, and when on vacation, often use that time as my time to myself; to wander, to go to pre-planned sunrise locations, or just to use the early morning light to my advantage. Having done some research prior to the trip, I watched a YouTube video of a walking tour of this area (our own Westminster tour was not scheduled until Wednesday, and I did not want to wait until nearly the end of the week to explore this area). That the first opportunity happened to be Sunday was another advantage, as it was likely to be less crowded during the early morning hours. I wanted to shoot Buckingham Palace in the morning light. When I visit places like London, I do my homework prior to the trip. Before we left the U.S., I learned the meaning of Westminster. Interesting. On our last major trip, while in Barcelona, we visited an abbey and – separately – a monastery. It prompted me to wonder (and look up when I got home) what is the difference between an abbey and a monastery?An abbey is more of a full community with a monastery central to it. Monasteries all over the world exist all by themselves. But with an integral community added, it becomes an abbey.The word “minster” comes from the same Latin root as monastery; hence, “minster = monastery,” designated in British Charters as a place where clergy gather to commune and pray.
Queen Anne’s Gate Westminster, England [Copyright Andy Richards 2021]BEING SOMEWHAT familiar now with the route, I again rode the Underground from Paddington to St. James Station. It is a short walk down Queen Anne’s Gate to the park entrance, followed by a nice morning walk through the middle of St. James Park, across the blue bridge, and on to The Mall.
Buckingham Palace Westminster, England [Copyright Andy Richards 2021]WESTMINSTER ABBEY is famous among abbeys, minsters and monasteries, as the place of – more or less – the beginning of the dynasty of Great Britain, beginning with the Normans. England was already settled (that dates back to the Roman Ruins beneath the city of London – the Romans named this ancient settlement, now mostly buried, Londinium), and the abbey was already in place by this time. But there were tribal divisions and no cohesive single nation state. The period, known as “The High Middle Ages,” was a time of emergence of all of Europe from the Middle Ages (or The Medieval Period). The 1066 Norman Invasion changed all that, and on Christmas Day, 1066, William the Conqueror rode into Westminster Abbey and there, declared himself “the King of all of England.” It is said that since that day, all but two of Britain’s reigning monarchs have been coronated at Westminster Abbey. The next some 200 years brought significant change, as William established a strong central government of England. His government was the foundation for both the British, and our forms of representative government today. His “Great Council,” and “King’s Council” were the forerunners of the two separate Houses of Parliament in Britain’s modern-day government. And of course, our U.S. government, with its dual (bicameral) legislatures was patterned largely after the British format. Likewise, with William’s grandson, Henry II, and his emphasis on the Royal Justice System, was perhaps laid the foundation for our shared “common law” principles. Lots of history there. But my primary destination that morning was Buckingham Palace, and I ultimately would not see or shoot Westminster Abbey until later in the week.
The Canada Gate Buckingham Palace Westminster, England
BUCKINGHAM PALACE was for me, the main photographic attraction here. Originally known as Buckingham House, it was originally a large townhouse built for the Duke of Buckingham in 1703. It was acquired by King George III in 1761, as a resident for his wife, Queen Charlotte. I pMy research told me that the morning sun would light the palace nicely and I pre-scouted (Google Maps and The Photographers Ephemeris) a couple of spots from which to shoot it. Fortunately, our hotel was near the Paddington Underground Stop, and there are 2 stops that were convenient to my needs in Westminster; St. James and Westminster (it turns out, as I found out later, there are a couple other stops that were also about the same distance from the palace – all easy walks). I had a couple goals in mind that morning. First, I was hoping for some more clear shots early, before people got moving about. I was reasonably successful. I also wanted to try to get early morning light. I was reasonably successful there, also. I also wanted to make an image or two from The Mall (a wide avenue that approaches Buckingham Palace from the northeast, and provides access from the Parliament area, and more importantly, from the Horse Guards Parade staging area (more on this in a later blog). This is where most VIP visits approach from, as well as some of the major “changing of the guards.” It is a beautiful, wide, tree-lined avenue that has a fair amount of traffic, except when events like above are happening and the Mall is closed off. I wanted to try to show the expanse of The Mall in the approach to the Palace. I didn’t really get that right this particular morning, which is why I am using – though it is out of order – the vertical image above, made later in the week. Ironically, I think the view below – looking away from the palace – may better depict its grandeur.
The Mall, looking back toward the Admiralty Arch [Copyright Andy Richards 2021]Spur Road Gates (Alternative Entrance for Changing of The Guard and other events) Buckingham Palace Westminster, England [Copyright Andy Richards 2021]THE ROUND plaza and statue in front of the palace is the Victoria Memorial. There is a pool around it also. I couldn’t get a good perspective of the monument from up close (it needs a view from above). As you approach the palace, off to the right is an ornate gate, similar to the design of the fence and gates surrounding the palace. A first look would suggest that it is part of the palace and an entrance to the grounds. Further research, however, disclosed that The Canada Gate, as it is called, is actually a Canadian dedication to the Victoria Memorial, and is actually a gate to the entrance to Green Park, one of the many large natural parks (green spaces) in London.
Entrance to Clarence House Westminster, England [Copyright Andy Richards 2021]FROM THERE, I walked back up The Mall. Situated along the north side of The Mall are a number of other Royal residences, including Clarence House, which is the current residence of Prince Charles and Lady Camilla. It is, of course, a private residence, and not accessible to the public. The closest we are able to get is the gate, through which you can see the Royal Guards always on post. As you can see, though, all of these residences are rather massive buildings, by today’s standards. Of perhaps more historic importance, is St. James Palace, which is situated on the corner of The Mall and Marlborough Road, which cuts north from The Mall and connects to St. James Street. The front of the palace is on St. James. Along the way, on Marlborough, there are a few government facilities, and the St. James Palace ceremonial court.
Governmental Building Westminster, England [Copyright Andy Richards 2021] St. James Palace Courtyard Westminster, England [Copyright Andy Richards 2021]ONE OF the things I wanted to see was the wealthy gentlemen’s shops along St. James, Pall Mall, and Jermyn Streets; especially the cigar shops and the shaving shops. Being both a cigar smoker, and an old school “wet” (brush, soap and razor) shaver, I had purchased numerous products in those lines. This was particularly true of Taylor of Old Bond Street shaving accoutrements, and I wanted to visit the store in person. I knew I was only a few blocks away, so I headed up St. James Street. It was, of course, too early for any of them to be open, but I wanted to see them. My wife and I walked up there later in the week, after our walking tour of Westminster, so I did ultimately get to walk into a couple of the shops.
St. James Palace Westminster, England [Copyright Andy Richards 2021]ST. JAMES Palace dates back well before Buckingham Palace was built. Originally commissioned by Henry VII in the mid-1500’s, it was, in addition to a sometime residence of royalty, the base of the Court of St. James, which was the royal court. It was mostly a secondary palace for the Tudor and Stuart monarchies. It was completely displaced as a primary royal residence in the late 1800s when Queen Victoria acquired Buckingham Palace and made it the primary (and current) residence of the monarchy in London.
Governmental Building Westminster, England [Copyright Andy Richards 2021]ALONG THE way, I saw some pretty interesting architecture.
Building housing offices and high-end retail stores; St. James Street Westminster, England [Copyright Andy Richards 2021]FOR YEARS, I thought Picadilly Circus was an actual place, like a mall, or even a real circus. Equally ignorantly, I thought Pall Mall was a cigarette brand. It only took a little research (“Googling” in today’s world) to disabuse myself of those notions. Pall Mall, it turns out, is an early form of the game of croquet, popular with the gentry in the 17th century. It is also the name of a street in the St. James area of London (presumably named after the game). Pall Mall runs (parallel to and a couple blocks from, The Mall) from St. James Street, all the way to Trafalagar Square. The cigarette was named after the street – an attempt to give it some of the ritzy area’s cache‘.
Shops in St. James area of Westminster [Copyright Andy Richards 2021]DURING THE 10-year reign of King Charles II, the St. James area was built up with fashionable London residences, particularly on Pall Mall. The area also became known for high-class shopping in the 18th century, and gentlemen’s clubs in the 19th century, a number of which still exist today. I should really note, here that the term “gentlemen’s club” has (at least here in the U.S.) taken on a far different meaning than what was meant in London at the time they became popular. These clubs were/are much more like some of our exclusive (men-only) social clubs, like the Philadelphia Club, or the Detroit Athletic Club. The area, including St. James, Jermyn, and parts of Picadilly Street, remains a high-dollar residential and retail conclave in Westminster. Some of the shops are lavish (and apparently, expensive).
Shops on Piccadilly Street Westminster, England [Copyright Andy Richards 2021]A CIRCUS, by Merriam-Webster’s definition, is primarily a collection of entertainers. A secondary (and seldom-used) definition is a circular, or rounded area with seats (presumably for performances). Giving a nod to the British, however, third definition (apparently used more or less exclusively by the British) is a circular area where several streets converge. I learned that Picadilly is a (somewhat famous) street in Westminster, which runs from the Duke of Wellington Arch behind Buckingham Palace, all the way to Picadilly Circus. It is also roughly parallel to The Mall and forms a part of the high-end retail area I have been referring to as the St. James area. One of the more popular shopping sites is The Burlington Arcade. But shopping opportunities abound along the street.
St. James Park Westminster, England [Copyright Andy Richards 2021]AS MY early morning session came to an end (my wife and I had agreed to meet, have breakfast, and visit the Tower of London later that morning), I found a cup of coffee, and wandered back toward a known location for me: St. James Underground Station. On the way, I cut through St. James Park once more. I thoroughly impressed with the way London handles all of its large and well-kept green spaces.
St. James Park Underground Station Westminster, England [Copyright Andy Richards 2021][We will be traveling for the next week or so, and whether I am able to post the next in the series will depend largely upon my access (or lack of) to the internet. But there are many more upcoming blogs in the series, so stay tuned, and I will surely post the remaining instalments as soon as possible]
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