London Eye Spy

One of the many great things about London is that it has so many moods.  Like so many of us, the city itself is influenced by the time of day and year, and, of course, being thoroughly British, by the weather.  Yesterday, bathed in sunshine and covered by a blue sky, London seemed playful to me.  So, I played one of my favourite games with it: London Eye Spy.  It was 11 years ago that this 135 metre high wheel took up residence on the south bank of the Thames.  Ever since then it's been provoking me to smile by appearing between buildings in any number of unexpected places.



Yesterday, I knew just which view of it I wanted to see.  It's one that I first found when heading south on a bus over Waterloo Bridge one night.  I looked back over my shoulder, across the Southbank Centre, and saw the Clock Tower of the Palace of Westminster (aka Big Ben) framed by the ring of the wheel.  The daylight view lacks the drama of the night sky as a background but I still find it pleasing.

At the top left of the Eye, one of the 32 capsules is missing, due to the one by one revamp of the pods that has been on-going since mid-2009.  Like so many things in London, it's due to be completed by 2012.

At the top right of the Eye is the controversial orange capsule that appeared earlier this year when the Eye's sponsor changed.  Lambeth Council has refused permission for the orange colour to remain and, although the London Eye is appealing the decision, this feature might well not last as long as the sponsorship. 

Which might not be such a bad thing: I'm not convinced it's in the sponsors' best interests.  I certainly didn't guess an energy firm.  I'd have gone for a mobile phone company, followed by an airline and then a supemarket; at a push, perhaps a fizzy drink.  Perhaps I've been seeing too many films if an orange pod on the Eye makes me think of an animated macaw that's undergone an enforced colour change?  Anyway, aren't energy companies supposed to be green?  Probably wouldn't go down any better with the council, but might provide a wry smile for a singular MP across the river.