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| Please look at Paddington Bear's face...he is saying, "GET THIS WOMAN AWAY FROM ME!" |
While we were in England, we were able to spend a few days in London. As we were walking on the South Bank, we just happened upon these benches. I wish I had known that they were there! I can see on their website, "Books About Town" that we were very close to other ones, but just didn't know it! They were all in honor of books, designed to look like an open book and they were on display only for a short time. As of today's date, Oct. 7th, they will be auctioned off and the proceeds will go to the National Literacy Trust.
(We saw Paddington Bear, Great Expectations and Shakespeare's London.)
By the way, when you walk a good distance, benches are very welcome to see! I felt a bit guilty sitting on these, but I got over it!
Hi Kay
ReplyDeleteBlimey, I get to be the first one to comment!
You saw more in London in those 2 days than I do during fairly frequent visits.
I am slipping into the pantaloon phase although without the quality of leanness.
Take care
Henry
Yes, Henry, we really did around a good bit, didn't we?
DeleteYou will have to explain the pantaloons sentence for me...is that something to do with Shakespeare or is it from Springsteen? HA!
Good to hear from you Henry, I am thinking you would look really good in pantaloons, if that is any help to you. xx
It is the sixth age of man as senescence gathers all around. That moment when you find yourself upstairs, apparently on some sort of mission, but you have no idea why.
DeleteYou timed your trip to England perfectly. The heavens have well and truly opened. I had a ticket for a gig in London which I will not be using.
Methinks Springsteen's storytelling abilities are almost on a par with the Swan of Avon.
Beautiful Kay...I love installations like this! I remember painted elephants a few years ago, again auctioned for charity...and painted fibreglass cows in Salzburg one year too! So glad you had a great time! X
ReplyDeleteHey Rachel!
DeleteYes, I have seen other things like this, but I really like the idea of the benches looking like well known and well loved books, and the art to go with the books. Wish I could have let you known that I was there...next time, I promise!! And Salzburg is a city I really want to visit, the Waltz King's home!!
What a wonderful way to promote books ! Someone did a lot of work. Grand that you got to see them and enjoy a resting place too!
ReplyDeleteI promise I was only on the bench to take the photo....I didn't want to cover it up for anyone else! We really didn't rest anywhere for very long, our time in London was limited, so we kept on the move! xx
DeleteBut I felt guilty for even lighting on one like a butterfly!
What fun benches! What a good idea!
ReplyDeleteI know! Wish someone in the USA would copy this, I don't think the Brits would mind, do you?
DeleteSaw some of them when we were there too, I think they're great.
ReplyDeleteI wish I had known about them before hand, I would have liked to have seen them all, or at least those near the South Bank and Bloomsbury!
DeleteVery marvelous; I enjoyed reading about your visit to England.
ReplyDeleteHey Sara!
DeleteThank you! It was a wonderful visit with many fond memories.
My home town has had something similar going on some years ago. One or two of the benches are still where they were originally put, because the shop owners whose shop they were in front bought them at the auction. Most of the others, I have no idea where they went.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, Paddington Bear's face says "How nice to see someone kind sitting with me for a while!"
Ha! It's funny, I saw this same bench on someone's blog and it looks like Paddington Bear is smiling, but in this photo with me, he looks a bit bewildered! But I certainly thank you for your high opinion of me, my dear Meike, YOU are too kind! :-)
DeleteI'm sure that, as Meike said, Paddington was very happy to see you. He was, after all, quite an adventurous and sociable chap.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Graham, I will hope that I was a suitable bench-mate for Paddington Bear! And you know, he was also an extremely polite little bear, that is one of the reasons I have always liked him.
DeleteWhat a fabulous idea! They're great.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it clever and fun? I wonder if Australia will do something similar. You will have to let us know!
DeleteHow great are those benches! I love the Paddington Bear one, but the shape of the book of the Shakespeare one is wonderful too isn't it. xx
ReplyDeleteI know, aren't they wonderful? And we only happened upon them, we had no idea about them or where else they might have been! As it was, there were several more nearby these three, if I had only known!
DeleteThey were all in the shape of books, although you might not be able to see that from the angle of our photos! :-)
These are really wonderful! I can't quite chose a favorite. But I love seeing you sitting next to Paddington Bear!
ReplyDeleteI know, aren't they all great! You know, I bet not too many adults would be as happy as I was to be seated next to Paddington Bear, I am such a nutcase about children's books!
DeleteGreat benches! Wow!
ReplyDeleteAnd we just happened upon them! It was a happy discovery!
DeleteI love these -- beautiful AND practical! A good fundraiser too, I bet.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful and practical, my favorite combination. I hope they raised a lot of money for them too!
DeleteThose benches are great - love the Paddington Bear one. I wish I could visit London more often as there's so much to see there. x
ReplyDeleteHey Julie!
DeleteRichard wanted to visit some of the places in London that he remembered from working there years ago. So much to do, so much to see!
Nice benches. I always end up visiting London's parks when the mass of people in the city centre gets too much.
ReplyDeleteI really love the parks in London too. It amazes me how you can step into one and the noise of the traffic just melts away.
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