The Mother of Parliaments Reopens

A few days after the British parliamentary election - with its rather surprising and unprecedented (and undoubtedly historic) outcomes - I am in London and strolling past the Houses of Parliament.

This also happens to be the same day that the MPs are famously turning up for the first day of the new session..

On the opposite side of the road from the House, the temporary TV studios that the BBC and other media have been using are being rapidly dismantled.

There are a few film crews still hanging around on the grass but the new and re-elected all seem to be shut away inside.

 

A couple of little studios tucked away besides Westminster Abbey

The Big BBC Studio (you can't see in through the glass)

The same from behind - showing how it fits up against the Henry Moore sculpture

Within - a new parliament is assembling

A swift visit to Luxembourg

A lizard of Luxembourg.

I was very pleased to recently have the opportunity to visit the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. This is the last Grand Duchy in the world. It is It is bordered by Germany to the east, Belgium to the west and north and, to the south, France.

Luxembourg has its own language, although its people are famously multilingual, and is a very small country
(2,586.4 km² or 998 sq miles).

What I had not expected to find was that its main city has a deep ravine running through its middle with spectacular bridges spanning it. 

Here are some views:

'Grund -level' - this is the district at the base of the ravine; known as The Grund.
Notice extensive caves in the cliff face.

A view of the same from above. The old Abby (centre left) is now a smart conference centre.

A famous landmark in the restaurant district. The
wording says something like: 'We want to stay the
way we are".

An elderly gentleman waves in front of the Palace

The widely recognised golden lady on top of
tall plinth that has become synonymous with the
country.

The Catholic Cathedral in full festival mode

And outside the cathedral - an old friend and a
genuine Luxembourger, Pierre Gallego.

The Homeless Lady who feeds the birds in Central Park in New York City

This is short video is about Lee Francis Rogers and her beloved birds in Central Park.

It features some of the birds that I previously wrote about around the bird feeders in Washington DC but above all it is a song of joy about what wildlife can bring to us... with a little encouragement. 

(Thank you Ran).

Click HERE to view video, and turn your volume on!

What's at the bird feeder in Washington DC?

There are some bird feeders and bird boxes outside the offices of the Humane Society of the United States on the outskirts of Washington DC. Here's a quick look at what comes to these feeders.

Northern Mockingbird

A wren shows off the accommodation he has to offer

White-throated sparrow

A red-winged blackbird

A familiar face - a European sparrow

A northern cardinal (male)

And again.