Fishmonger

Another photo taken during yesterday's ramble in London. This is a fishmonger in Leadenhall Market, a really picturesque and little-known corner of the City, next to the Lloyds building, between Bishopsgate and Fenchurch Street. The City is a very strange place: visitors tend to go to St Paul's and the Tower, ignoring the rest and staying rather in the West End. I don't entirely blame them: the City isn't superficially very attractive, nor even very interesting (unless you have a thing for streetnames). Despite being the oldest part of London, and its historic heart, the City is largely made up of modern office blocks. The mediaeval city was destroyed by the Fire in 1666; Wren's and Boyle's city was destroyed by bombing in World War 2. Compared to Westminster, there's not that much to see, if it weren't for the odd asymmetrical layout of the streets, and the classical churches liberally scattered throughout, you could almost be in North America. Which is why Leadenhall Market is such a treasure.

Details: Nikon D70, 18-200mm @ 38mm, f/7.1, 1/10s, VR, ISO 200. Leadenhall Market, London, 28 December 2006. Placemark.