Pictures

Wedding Prep…

Moli

It would be wrong for me not to mention the royal wedding on Friday, after all, everyone else has.

Walking around the route today, I can understand why over 2 billion people worldwide will be watching the big day. The media are everywhere. Covering every angle, with Lights, Cables, Cameras, Reporters, Satellite trucks and Photographers.

PRESS AREA - WESTMINSTER ABBEY

To make everything look great there are Jet washers, Gravel movers, Bin removers, Tree planters, Road sweepers and Union flags everywhere.

THE MALL

To make things safe there are Police, More Police, Helicopters, Soldiers and I’m guessing MI5.

The amount of foreign media was amazing. America leads the way with a reporter on every street asking every passing family why are they there and what does the royal wedding mean to them and their children, especially the ones eating an ice cream. Japan did well too but the language barrier was clearly making things difficult for them. Woyal Redding!!! Oh goodness.

TV JAPAN

Right outside the Abbey the loyal royalist have already parked themselves outside with tents and camping chairs.

ROYAL FAN

Ladbrokes were taking bets on what colour hat the Queen will wear and if Kate will be late.

ROYAL WEDDING BETTING

A man that walks the streets of London drinking his life away with Special Brew told me that normally when he starts to lie on the floor in Westminster he either gets arrested or moved along. Now he can pump up an airbed outside Westminster abbey, surrounds himself with beer and cigarettes and he gets left alone and subsequently interviewed by Sky News on his thoughts.

THE DRUNK

“ I’m just here for the booze darlin”

I noticed Terri Seymour, Simon Cowels ex girlfriend doing some presenting and interviewing for NBC. Mostly talking drivel about Kate Middleton’s style and fashion and how long the kiss will be.

Terri Seymour

I then came across Marco Pierre White lost in his Range Rover around Buckingham Palace and then getting in trouble with the police for parking in the wrong place.

Marco Pierre White

I’m planning on taking pictures on Friday but I’m actually worried that I won’t be able to get anywhere close to the carriages for a decent shot. The crowds of people were already uncomfortable two days before.

So, watch this space and see how I get on.

Nice day for a squirrel…

Moli

I’ve just got back from sitting in the sun at Regents Park with Fleur. It is such a big park and easy to get lost but one thing is for sure. It’s very well kept and managed. The open air theater is such a different and amazing way to watch Shakespeare. The lawns are kept in tip top condition and the flowers are dazzling…

Regents Park Flowers

While Fleur was reading her book in the glorious sunshine she had a visitor say hello…

Fox and Basil

Go take a visit. It’s a great, free and a relaxing day out.

M

Invasion Scum…

Moli

Greetings,

The east end of London has been my home since birth. It has seen many changes with its identity and outlook and the changes have come in some very small ways and some very big ones. The big changes can be seen in the London Docklands area, which was once a centre of commerce bringing fruit, tobacco and alcohol into the capital. The docks and the river Thames also had a reputation for bad smells. However, the transportation of cargo into docklands came to an end when Tilbury docks opened and adopted the newly invented container system of cargo transportation. This ultimately caused the docks to die in the late 70’s and early 80’s leaving an empty wasteland that has was resurrected in the 90’s into a place for international finance and a great place for me to live. However, the smaller changes are the more concerning. I’m not talking about immigration, as this has always been a founding element of the east end and Throughout history, the area has absorbed waves of immigrants who have each added a new dimension to the culture and history of the area without destroying the existing culture around it. However this has started to change recently. Robins Pie mash shop in East Ham has closed down after trading since 1890.

Robins

This is not the first pie mash shop to close as Goddard’s in Greenwich closed down after trading for nearly 150 years being replaced with a burger chain. However, where Goddard’s closure was as a result of a greedy landlord and a cracking rental offer from Gourmet Burger, Robins was due to it’s location being infested with what can only be described as scum. The shops are indicative of this scum being populated with pound shops, stalls selling corn in a pot, international calling cards, Dixie fried chicken shops, pizza by the slice and several Kebabish kebab emporiums. It’s no surprise that Marks and Spencer pulled out years earlier and I doubt that these institutions will return to the area any time soon. Subsequently a traditional east end pub called ‘The Hammers’ has now closed down.

Hammers

This however maybe more due to the economic crisis but I’m sure the changes in the area did nothing to aid business and is yet another nail in the coffin for the traditional east end.

I’ve decided now to never go back to East Ham. It’s a disgusting place and I like many others surrender it to the hordes of scum that have taken over. I wonder where the line will be drawn?

On a lighter note, Today I noticed a Tate and Lyle truck with a spill kit attached to the side…. What does it contain? Tea and a dash of milk?

Until next time,

M

Dead Christmas Trees…

Moli

Dead Christmas Tree, originally uploaded by MOLIBLOG.

Hello reader,

Sorry it’s been ages since I last uploaded a blog. Like all good New Year’s resolutions this one didn’t last very long. I wanted to write at the end of January but things just got so silly that I never had the time.

As January came to an end, I started to have chest pains and felt weak. I decided to go along to the doctors and get it checked out. With Fleur away in Australia I had nobody to discuss my condition with and all manner of things came to mind. A Heart Attack was the first of the many terrible conditions that I could be torn apart with and I began thinking about my legacy and all the lovely things I’d never get to do again or for the first time. While waiting in the doctor’s reception the electronic sign beeped and displayed the next patient to be called in. Now, some things are unavoidable, such as spontaneous laughter or having an uncle bill. While staring at the board, a name beeped into life. “Next Patient, Mr CockHead.” I burst out into childish laughter and the man sitting right in front of me was not looking too impressed. Anyway. My time finally came. Not in the death sense but to be examined for the chest pains. After a short explanation from me, she immediately grabbed her phone and started to call for an ambulance. I asked her, “why?” She said I was having a heart attack and I needed to go to the hospital. Now my heart was really beating fast. My first thought was Holy Fuck… My second was a little more controlled. Really? I refused to go to the hospital in an ambulance but I did promise to drive myself there. I booked into A&E and was given a name tag with the words, Mark Oliver, NUTS. This I’m glad to say refers to my allergy and not my mental state. At least I hope so!!! Anyway, after various tests, x-rays, screaming children throwing up everywhere and an ECG it turns out that I wasn’t having a heart attack after all. I can’t tell you what a relief that is. Not dying is such a joy. Needless to say I decided to go back to the doctor and ask for a second opinion which fortunately meant seeing a better doctor who was able to realise that not every chest pain is a heart attack. It turns out that after having a year of shit in 2010, a busy Christmas and not much fun I was suffering from stress. It all sounds so simple when you think about it. It has been a tough year and I need to learn to switch off and relax. Something I’m told I really need to do or I’ll end up having a heart attack and be deader than all those brown Christmas trees in the basement.

You would imagine then that I needed to avoid stress. Well I do, but the universe has other ideas. While driving back my car decided to do what I fortunately didn’t. Die… The most expensive part of a Super Charged Mini to go wrong is the bloody Super Charger and that’s what happened. The man from Green Flag was very good and said he would arrange for it to be taken to a garage for a quote. He said that I should normally wait with him but I he felt I didn’t look too well and should just get myself home. Everyone’s a critic!!! Well, the repair bill came in at £2000 and I’m still stressed. However, the car drives like a treat.

Not long after I got the car back but my HTC HD Desire phone decided to join the choir invisible. I paid £500 for it and while it’s away for repair I have a phone from the 1980’s that barely sends a text message. Deep joy. Will I ever catch a break? I already hate 2011 and it’s only February. All in all, I could do without all the stress.

One thing I’ve done to help me relax is learn how to make a website for all my favourite pictures. Check it out and tell me what you think.

www.mark-oliver.co.uk

Before I sign off, here is a little insight into my working day.

A man comes up to me while I’m standing next to the SatNav counter. “Can you tell me where the SatNav’s are?” I said, “Turn around when possible. You have reached your destination”

Take care,

Moli