London Nights

One of the good things about going to the theatre or galleries at this time of the year is that it gives you the chance to explore London in the dark where boastful lighting transforms some of the buildings.

The building above is somewhere near Westminster and I came across it when walking to the Tube after a visit to Tate Britain. That part of London looks the most like mainland Europe with tall mansion blocks, shops and offices lined along the streets hiding the squares and courtyards behind them.

This view of the river is just slightly downstream from the Tate Modern and is made the more interesting by the use of red and pink lights playing on Southwark Bridge.

A little further downstream Tower Bridge plays to the crowds with an exuberance of lights. And the crowds do come making good use of Ken Livingstone's path along the Southbank.

This was taken from the end of More London which also has similar views of the Tower of London and of HMS Belfast. The modern office blocks there also do their bit to brighten, smarten and enliven the area.

Any view of London now has to consider the Shard. It features in most views and dominates many.

I took several pictures of it over a couple of nights including a couple that almost made the final selection taken from Borough Market where the cute Victorian buildings are completely outclassed.

I chose this one of the upper section because of the detail in the picture. That quite impressed me given how far away the top of the building is.

The white top contains the observation decks on floors 68, 69 and 72, which open to the public in February 2013.

It is a frightening prospect but I did manage the 100 floors of the Handcock Tower in Chicago and also the 300m of the Sydney Tower so I might just pluck up the courage. One day.

I have always liked walking in London, especially along the Southbank, and the night time is no obstacle to that. Far from it, the darkness gives London a chance to show a different aspect of its complex character.