Sunday, January 15, 2006

Life on a barge




One of my very favorite films is l'Atalante, by Jean Vigo, who died pitifully early. The film is about a bargees life in 1930's France - part of it is the sadness of a provincial girl who longs for the unatainable glamour of Paris. Moreover, each frame in the black and white film can be framed as a photograph. Today's photo is not of Little Venice, the glamourous part of London canal life, but of a stretch in on the River Lea - near Bow - where people live their alternative lifestyles in the shadow of council high rise blocks.

posted by Ham at 00:01 -- Comments here: 6

Comments on "Life on a barge"

 

Blogger Michael Salone said ... (08:57) : 

When I first saw this Ham I thought it WAS Paris. I still don't know how people do this. I have a hard enough time keeping up with my house that's fixed on the ground, let alone having to wash my house!

 

Blogger Anne said ... (10:43) : 

Agree with your Michael! Can't imagine living on anything not fixed on the ground. Don't they get dizzy or something? What happens when there's a storm?

 

Blogger Ham said ... (17:20) : 

Here's a special London thing: you may remember my post about the Thames and how the levels vary up to 30 foot - the River Lea is also tidal here. At low tide, these barges are on dry (OK, wet) land.

There is a big 24 hour supermarket around the corner in Three Mills, but apart from that this is an astonishingly dead corner of London. Perhaps that's part of the attraction. I may go and chat to someone there and let you know.

 

Blogger Anne said ... (02:40) : 

Hi Ham! Thanks for the info...might be interesting to stay there for a while...but maybe not actually live there. The supermarket will help but....you know!

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (10:06) : 

Nice picture! I'd like to know what the owners thought are about living there!
Speaking of Little Venice, where is it exactly? I've been told that it's somewhere around Camden town, but I couldn't find it this week end :(

 

Blogger Ham said ... (17:21) : 

Little Venice is in Maida Vale Here is the link to the map coordinates.

 

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Name: Ham Location: London, United Kingdom View my complete profile