Journeys›Photograph

A Wet December Weekend by the Thames in London

·Greater London, England, United Kingdom·#winter#travel#urban photography#architecture#london#england
A tall, pointed glass skyscraper, other buildings, and red cranes are seen over a red rooftop under an overcast sky.

Arrived in London in early December. The first clear view I had was of The Shard as dusk settled, its spire lit up against the dimming sky. Cranes nearby suggested the city is, as always, still building.

The next day was relentlessly overcast and wet, quintessential London weather. I spent my time walking along the Thames, mostly around the Tower Bridge area. The roads were slick with rain, reflecting the gray sky and the lights of passing traffic. From street level, the bridge loomed through the drizzle.

I walked along the river's edge, getting different perspectives of the bridge against the cloudy backdrop. The water itself was a murky brown. Looking across to the City, the modern skyline was hazy in the fog, a collection of glass towers framed by the bare branches of winter trees.

The entire walk was a study in architectural contrasts. You have the historic HMS Belfast docked permanently, and right behind it rise the ultra-modern shapes of the Gherkin and its neighbors. The Shard, too, would reappear from different angles, a glass peak towering over everything else. It was a short trip, shaped by the weather and the skyline.

Tower Bridge is seen down a wet city street with buildings, vehicles, and people on a rainy day.A rainy London street with a cartoon guard sign, Tower Bridge, a red bus, and buildings.Tower Bridge is seen on a wet road under an overcast sky, with people walking and a red bus visible.Foggy city skyline with several skyscrapers, construction cranes, bare trees, and a body of water in the foreground.Tower Bridge, with its stone towers and blue ironwork, spans the River Thames on a cloudy day.Tower Bridge spans a wide, muddy river under a cloudy sky, with distant buildings along the banks.Tall Shard building framed by modern glass skyscrapers, a bright street light, and a colorful tree below an overcast sky.A large warship's side and crane in the foreground, with distinct modern skyscrapers dominating the city skyline.

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