The dark river and the sparkling city
Spent a few hours this evening on a small river boat floating through the centre of London on the Thames with a bunch of clients from a utility company. It is a beautiful city when seen from this perspective, floating down from Putney past all the landmarks such as the Battersea Power Station, The Houses of Parliament, The London Eye, Tate Modern, Tower Bridge and so on all the way down to Greenwich. Drifting past trees draped in lights, and the pretty brightly-lit bridges. Just lovely, although quite nippy on the top deck with the cool wind off the river.
An art director called Si started talking about the bit in Heart of Darkness where Conrad talks about the Thames. This is the bit from that book which always sticks in my mind too. The idea that the Thames and England was once a wild place, full of unknown dangers.
The client is not one I have dealt with much, but had been asked along to schmooze a bit. Spent a couple of hours appearing gripped, off and on, by the minutiae of life in a utility company, and sipping the free wine and scooping up finger food. Imagine my surprise when there were sandwiches and not just fish fingers and ladies' fingers.
Disembarked at Embankment and headed home, pausing only to buy a magazine and a bar of chocolate which was being sold half price with the mag. I can't remember the last time I bought chocolate for myself -- not for years -- and I gorged on it, but felt dirty and sick afterwards.
Otherwise not much to report. Started work on yet another new pitch, the last one of the year, and went for a swim.
Spent a few hours this evening on a small river boat floating through the centre of London on the Thames with a bunch of clients from a utility company. It is a beautiful city when seen from this perspective, floating down from Putney past all the landmarks such as the Battersea Power Station, The Houses of Parliament, The London Eye, Tate Modern, Tower Bridge and so on all the way down to Greenwich. Drifting past trees draped in lights, and the pretty brightly-lit bridges. Just lovely, although quite nippy on the top deck with the cool wind off the river.
An art director called Si started talking about the bit in Heart of Darkness where Conrad talks about the Thames. This is the bit from that book which always sticks in my mind too. The idea that the Thames and England was once a wild place, full of unknown dangers.
The client is not one I have dealt with much, but had been asked along to schmooze a bit. Spent a couple of hours appearing gripped, off and on, by the minutiae of life in a utility company, and sipping the free wine and scooping up finger food. Imagine my surprise when there were sandwiches and not just fish fingers and ladies' fingers.
Disembarked at Embankment and headed home, pausing only to buy a magazine and a bar of chocolate which was being sold half price with the mag. I can't remember the last time I bought chocolate for myself -- not for years -- and I gorged on it, but felt dirty and sick afterwards.
Otherwise not much to report. Started work on yet another new pitch, the last one of the year, and went for a swim.
A few snaps -- the London Eye and the Houses of Parliament.
Comments