Open House London 2014 Day 2 Part 2

After Greenwich I hopped on the DLR to Canary Wharf to go to the Crossrail construction site (THE CROSSRAIL SITE, OMG) which is due to open in 2018. It is being built in an old wharf and is six storeys high (it is massive, people), and as it is a construction site a lot of these pics feature wires/unfinished things/hoardings.

(Some interesting info and a mock-up of what the station will look like here: http://group.canarywharf.com/portfolio/canary-wharf-crossrail-station/)

The entrance to the station is suitably sci-fi (well played, architects):

The station has excellent views over Docklands which are probably even better on non-cloudy days (I will definitely be going back for a visit when it is open even if I don't need to go anywhere haha):

On the top level was the beginning of a garden, another thing that will look really good in a few years' time. 

Going further down into the station there were half-finished escalators, huge ticket halls and incomplete platforms. It was great. 

The ticket hall level: 

Platform level:

Escalator steps!  

After wandering around the platform level (platforms were blocked off so presumably not ready yet) we got to go back up to the ground floor in the service lift (which basically seemed to be a big wooden box), and then left via a slightly different route to coming in.  

This was a great walk and a really interesting site to visit - I would love to tour the other Crossrail sites as well (I did get some good views down into the TCR site after going to Centrepoint for meetings). The station should look fab when it is all finished, and it should fit right in with the weirdness that is Canary Wharf. 

One more post to come! Nearly there (and then I have other photos to post). 

London Ice Sculpting Festival

What I learned from the Ice Sculpting Festival:

a) it's pretty difficult to take decent photos of ice sculptures
b) apparently if you give ice sculptors the theme 'wonders of the universe', a fair few of them will go 'hmmm, I know, semi-naked woman'
c) it gets REALLY FRICKING COLD out at Canary Wharf
d) Balkan street food (specifically cepavi) is lush

We went on the day of the doubles competition, so sadly I don't have any pictures from the rest of the weekend. (countries that entered these pieces under the pics)

Hungary

Belgium

Bulgaria

Latvia

apparently failed to note this one so who knows?

Netherlands (I don't understand this one)

Spain (with model in the front!)

Another one I failed to note, but here's a picture of the judges looking at it

UK (this one won the competition)

USA

The website of the festival is here: http://www.londonicesculptingfestival.co.uk

There is a gallery at the site but it's not comprehensive enough for me to work out those two sculptures. I'll do a bit of searching tomorrow. 

Fabergé Easter Eggs - (Canary Wharf)

Eggs in this zone: 11
Eggs I found: 8


I merrily set off to do this zone (took the boat from Embankment to Canary Wharf - it was great), and then realised I didn't have a map, so had no idea where the eggs were supposed to be. In light of that, I think 8 out of 11 is a pretty good result...