Tuesday 21 January 2014

Take the Bike

Wordsworth was inspired to write a sonnet here, 'Upon Westminster Bridge' ..."This city does a garment wear,/the beauty of the morning, silent bare./Ships, towers, domes and temples lie/Open to the fields, and to the sky"...  There are now very different towers and no longer fields but the trees provide the greenery on the embankment.  Our couple have no eyes for the view and the bicycle rider keeps an eye on the view ahead.  She is riding one of London's hire bikes usually called 'Boris Bikes' after the city's mop headed, bike riding mayor.  At present sponsored by Barclays Bank (its logo is on the back wheel) who are now bailing out, delivering only half of the £50M it had promised to pay and the deal will end in August 2015.  Well they do have to pay those banking bonuses. 
And nearby is one of the bike hire points. Three people are trying to work out payment and release system.  I have puzzled over these payment points myself, but not in London, I don't think there is pleasure in travelling on those busy lorry laden roads.
Although a more cycle friendly city like Antwerp in Belguim would be tempting.  These two were forward planning bike hire by taking notes.  The hire bikes are on the Jordaenskaai and the metal sheds to the right were originally built c1889 for the storage of goods being landed from the River Schelde which flows past even further to the right. Today it is a car parking area and since 1981 the roofs have been a protected historic monument.

Joraenskaai
The view of the roofs also shows how the bike route running past the sheds is separated from the main road.


13 comments:

Carver said...

Wonderful shots. Looks like a great place to cycle. Carver, ABC Wed. Team

Jocee said...

Great photos and some nice history. You see a lot more from a bike.

ellen b. said...

Hi Joy, I enjoyed your "B" post and I really enjoy visiting your country.

photowannabe said...

Fascinating. I think it is great that one can rent bikes in the cities,

Roger Owen Green said...

Nice VIEW!
ROG, ABC Wednesday team

mrsnesbitt said...

I would use my bike more if the roads were safer.

aspiritofsimplicity said...

I'm not sure I would want to be bike riding through the streets of London. I would be scared to death. I love the idea of the hire bikes though and wish riding paths were bigger and more widely spread here in the US

Shailaja V said...

Husband is an avid biker. These photos will inspire him.

Leslie: said...

Great post! When in London in 2012, I took a few shots of those Boris bikes all lined up waiting for people to hire then. It was down at Canary Wharf.

leslie
abcw team

Ni de Aqui, Ni de Alla said...

Hi Joy, I enjoyed all the history. Great pictures! Have a great week!

Beverley Baird said...

Loved the photos! Those rooftops are exquisite! Great post!

Unknown said...

Great photos, the bikes do seem popular for hiring.

Linnea said...

That's a nice series of shots. Love the detail in the roof! Thanks for stopping by at my ABC...