July
This year, July had an odd habit of switching from grey clouds to blue skies, seemingly on a whim. Admittedly this month wasn't particularly exciting, either, so here's a bullet point condensed version:
Remember when I went from Waterloo to Vauxhall? I didn't actually stop there, instead I carried on to Battersea. I have admittedly blogged plenty about Battersea in the past, but I could have added this to what was already quite a lengthy writeup:
On to Battersea
Brief roadworks meant I had to walk occasionally away from the Thames Path, though it did at least let me see a more unique perspective. From here, the bank became more residential than anything, brick flats occupying the embankment with many development efforts too. I finally entered Wandsworth too, and I could see the impending Battersea Power Station up ahead. The US Embassy is on the main road, and having been inside, it's not worth a snoop around.
Nine Elms Pavilion has a nice clay artwork, and it's nice that the nearby marina with boats and female statue has been preserved - it's not just all gentrified marketing around here. Then there's the Cats and Dogs Centre, as well as the power station itself and the chic development itself, which I've blogged about before.
As you can see, it wasn't particularly a fascinating trip.
- I did a few chemistry practicals, which all focused on the rates of reactions. One measured the decomposition of H2O2 using MnO2; you can measure the rate of decomposition by filling a burette underwater and seeing how its volume changed as oxygen gas was produced. This was a PAG, or in other words an experiment which could help me pass my practical endorsement, which I so desperately need. The test tube below illustrates how a wonderful dark colour was produced amidst a milky white.
- This ULEZ sign was chopped down.
But otherwise, it was quite an uneventful month, trip to Cornwall aside.
August
I went on holiday to Portugal, but I didn't discuss it because I didn't want to. So here's a miniblog of sorts about Sagres:
The end of the European peninsula is here at Sagres. The longest possible journey on land in a straight line ends here, and the longest possible drive ends here too. It's not particularly large, home to about 2,000 people, but it's historically curious too.
Here's the Fortress of Sagres, which was the starting point of Portuguese voyages in the 15th century, as well as keeping out raiders from North Africa. There's a wonderful lighthouse and historic church within its grounds, and a stunning view of the Atlantic Ocean from the cliffedge is worth the admission fee too.
There were also other places in Portugal which I visited, such as the Royal Palace of Sintra, as well as the cities of Lisbon and Porto which were quite lovely. I also managed to sleep through an earthquake at one point, and it had a magnitude of 5.4 - which is moderate on the Richter scale. I'm fine, thanks, especially as if anything happened I wouldn't have been aware of it.
I did blog about this aspect on -b, however, when I wrote about my Unblogged August. It's not too exciting, but some random events are listed here.
I also visited the Honeywood Museum but never got round to writing about it, so I may as well mention their display of old train signs, their iconic billiards table and main hall, and how curious the museum itself is. For those who aren't aware, Honeywood is situated in a house with various rooms from different time periods, and the preservation of each aspect is stunning. It's worth a visit for sure. I can't say the same thing about the Sewing Machine Museum in Tooting, however, because it was closed when I got there.
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