Thursday, July 03, 2025

Magnolia, pagoda and station.



1. Late magnolias -- always a pleasure.

2. We like everything about the pagoda -- including the long climb to the top -- but particularly the green and gold dragons on the roofs and the automata models on the ground floor. We turn handles to bring models made from pieces of tin tea caddies to jerky tick-tock life, depicting the trip to Guangzhou that inspired the architect, and the building of the pagoda.

3. A parade of shops and cafes, shaded by London Planes, crowds around Kew Gardens Station, curious and a little deferential.


Fuss, cherry juice and fiver.

1. A woman coming down the street smiles to see us fussing over our tired and crumpled daughter as she leaves the house on the last day of t...