I've known London since my first heady visits in the early 1970's and have lived and worked there several times over the years. Disillusionment started setting in the mid 1990's - poor services, high prices - and I hadn't been back for 10 years. Until Tuesday that is, when I had to pay a flying visit on business. I was prepared for the worst, and so this is the first of a couple of blog posts about my reactions.

I flew into Heathrow from Zurich on Tuesday afternoon, and decided to put things to the test by going to Richmond via public transport. Being used to the Swiss system, and remembering London Transport from previous times, I didn't have great expectations. However it actually went ok. Tube to Hounslow East, and bus to Richmond. No traffic snarl up getting into Richmond even though it was rush hour (5-6pm). Maybe the rush hour has moved.

So it seems there has been a change, and my immediate impression was that it had been achieved my a massive overdose of buses - there were hundreds of them on the roads.

Now the bad news. The tube station at Heathrow resembles some kind of obstacle course with big complicated barriers all over the place. I don't know if these are to foil terrorists or over-enthusiastic travellers with baggage trolleys. In truth they aren't a big problem but they were the first sign of what I soon realised was a very "nanny state" attitude towards the public.

The tube station was full of London Underground staff, none of whom seemed enagaged in performing anything related to helping travellers. I tried the system out by approaching one such gaggle and asking a simple stupid tourist question about platforms. I got a very dismissive reply, I was obviously distracting them from their real business, although what that was still eluded me. Then I tried to get rid of some litter (my sandwich wrappings). Couldn't find a litter bin. I asked another group. Apparently litter bins are just the sort of thing terrorists like to park the odd bomb in.

London seems to have an infatuation with announcement services and I found this irritating to a high degree. The bus to Richmond announced at every stop that it was "the H73 to Richmond" despite there being an LED display with the same info. I expect that it is useful for blind people, but all it is going to do is tell a blind person they have got on the wrong bus, and blind people never do this. Most of the blind people I have met have more awareness of which bus they are on than I do. Political correctness rearing it's ugly head. Same on the trains. The tube always had the "Mind the Gap" announcements which were tolerable because they were an anomaly. Now you are bombarded by announcements at any time the PA system has fallen silent for a few seconds. "mind the gap between the train and the platform", "be careful of the big step to the platform", "remember that there is no smoking on any trains"," do notleave your luggage unattended". Add to this the profusion of notices saying things like "Our staff have the right not to be abused or attacked", and adverts with gory tales of what happend to someone who verbally abused someone. It had never occured to me that I might want to assault or abuse a member of staff, but I was coming round to the idea. Signs telling you not to put heavy items in the luggage rack. Are all Londoners stupid with attention spans of 10 seconds? They must be starting to wonder.

I liked the sign on the Picadilly line that said something like this:

"Going to Covent Garden at the Weekend? Well I shouldn't bother if I was you. Not by tube at any rate. Gets very busy. Best to get off at one of these other stations and WALK"

OH, I should add that the train from Richmond to Waterloo in the morning was actually on time and in fact rather clean. However as someone said about somnething else - these things are a duty, NOT a virtue.

More later

A couple of years ago I spent a very pleasant few days in Riga. I just "rediscovered" the photos while trying to sort out my archive, so maybe I'll post a few. This is not maybe a characteristic view, but it shows the new developments that had started to make a mark on this old baltic port. No tripod, so it's bit fuzzy.

An early, cold, grey, damp morning in Düsseldorf, with nothing to do but take photos of myself with the Rhine in the background

The Brussels metro lines have some interesting artwork. Sometimes you have to look for them, but here at the wonderfully named Houba de Strooper you can't miss them. The sequence is cunningly designed to give the impression of movement and acceleration as if the train is pulling out, but I guess you have to see it to comprehend this. I used to live near here in the early 1990's and I was pleased to see them still there

I spent the last couple of days in Stuttgart in southern Germany. I learnt some interesting things, first of which was that Stuttgart is in southern Germany. The name of the town seems to have been known to me forever, and for some reason I had placed it in a hazy geographical region of Germany somewhere near Frankfurt. It constantly surprises me how little I know but how much I take for granted.

I racked my brains for reasons I should even know of the existence of Stuttgart and came up with two. I knew that Mercedes Benz and Porsche had a Stuttgart connection, and I knew that James Stirling's Staatsgalerie from the 1970's was there (above). I studied Architecture in the early 1970's and Stirling was a bit of a hero for us young, Scottish students. His work really seemed new and his famous buildings of the time (Leicester University Engineering building and the History Faculty at Cambridge for example) were icons. The isometric drawings of the latter were poster material for us. His style has been labelled post-modern, and is often cited as the foundation of postmodernism. However I think he was more original and his style developed from real architectural solutions rather than the grand, kitsch gestures that characterise a lot of what came afterwards under the postmodernist banner.

Stirlings modern additions to the classical old building are striking even today and have worn well both materially and stylistically- I should add that the inside of the building is also fundamental to Stirlings design, but conditions prevented me taking any photos. Next time maybe.

They have to be in colour to show the architectural ideas

I discovered that Stuttgart was the home town of Friedrich Schiller. A figure I certainly knew about although my understanding is not deep. Best known as the author of "An die Freude" - the Ode to Joy of Beethovens 9th symphony and his collaboration with Goethe. Here is the great man surveying the old buildings of Schillerplatz.

In another work, "On Naive and Sentimental Poetry" he wrestles with the distinction between what is natural and instinctive and what is contrived (my simplification). This topic translates well into many different areas - John Le Carre used it in his book "The Naive and Sentimental Lover" to illuminate human relations - or was it the other way round? Although I am by no means someone who sees things in black and white (photography aside) I have an instinctive feeling that there are often clear watersheds where an idea or a topic tends to divide. I'm certain there is such a thing in what we call "photography" - maybe a "Naive and Sentimental Photography" - but I haven't yet been able to pin it down for myself.

I'm not sure what Schillers stature is today. If you are interested,The Schiller Institute website provides a good starting place.

Walking back to the railway station from Schillerplatz I passed the new Stuttgart Kunstmuseum. I almost immediately pinned this sculpture down as Alexander Calder. Calder is an artist whose works have been nudging me in the ribs recently - I seem to bump into them everywhere. I really like his quiet playfulness, and the sculptures enrich many public spaces

Back on the subject of photography, As I was wandering about the gallery complex I took this photo.

It's not an astounding photo, and wouldn't make it into my 100 greatest hits collection but it illustrates one of the subjects that catches my eye. I call it "fly in the soup" but there is a technical term which for the moment eludes me. Don't think fly-in-minestrone-soup, but more fly-in-cream-of-chicken. You see the idea - some kind of uniformity but with some object which sits on it a little incongruously while being part of the scene. Its often a simple and familiar contrast - sometimes more complex. Usually works well in black and white because it needs the simplification

There are quite a few other intersting things explore in this city, so I'll probably be back, given it's easy access from Zurich

Finally, here is the first picture converted to B+W. I like it much better as a pure photograph, but it does not serve the documentary purpose required if we want to show and discuss James Stirling's work. Two clearly different objectives.

All photos Leica M8, 28mm Elmarit.

A strike by Belgian railways kept me in Brussels for an extra day. Not too much hardship was experienced however..

World heritage site, the Grand Place doesn't need any introduction. In my view relatively unspoiled despite being such a tourist trap, and the perennial favourite cafes such as Roy d'Espagne and Cafe de Bruxelles are still worth a visit to sit and watch the world go by

I'm traveling again over the next few days. Started off with an overnight train journey to Den Haag. I was busy with business so only had time for a couple of shots on my way to catch a train onwards to Brussels. Like many cities these days the architecture seems to try and outdo the others with a combination of technical wizziness and grotesque references to traditional motifs

I haven't posted any guest photos on the blog, so this is a first. An apothecaries shop in Istanbul taken by my mate Jim Anderson.

Outside the entrance to the Musee Rodin - rain on the way by the looks of it

I never knew that there were so many "other" famous people buried in this cemetery. Must be pretty dangerous living around this area if you are an artist....

Looking a bit more like autumn than spring

Early morning - one my favourite views in Paris. Grandeur, space and beauty.

A photo of the bridges over the Rhine at Düsseldorf from my trip a few weeks ago

Leica M8 28mm Elmarit

Falling back on some Venice archive photos today. Before James Bond destroyed everything, the local boats perform a delicate ballet in the early morning on the Grand Canal

I stopped off in Köln en route back to Zürich from Düsseldorf. I didn't have time to see much, and anyway you are much better visiting April at Cologne Daily Photo. The station is a nice old fashioned affair though, the ironwork goes nicely with the giant arches of the Hohenzollern Brücke that leads into it across the Rhine

Some shiny buildings as promised. I'm in Düsseldorf to to attend the opening of the Model Lie Exhibition, but I also wanted to have a look at the Frank Gehry buildings down at the harbour. No prizes for originality in this shot, but it might interest people who haven't seen these quirky office blocks before

What I didn't realise is that the entire old harbour area of Düsseldorf has been turned into a gigantic sort of Disneyland of architectural showpieces. Worth a visit if you're interested in that sort of thing

Last look at Lugano for now - off to Düsseldorf so tomorrow expect to see some shiny buildings

I know, I should get rid of that cable...

Leica M8 28mm Elmarit

Lugano was basking in spring-like sunshine, although the lake was quiet given the season. I was overwhelmed more by the sheer amount of - well bits, stuff, in this picture

Leica M8 28mm Elmarit

I'm off to Lugano for a short business trip - and even the shortest business trip begins with Zurich Bahnhof Buffet

Leica M8 28mm Elmarit

Young lad givin it a guid blaw, with some admiring bystanders.

Leica M8 35mm Summicron

It was goodbye to Paris on Monday, so here is a parting shot of the city whose magic I'd forgotten. No other great city that I have visited has the combination of grandeur, serenity, excitement, panache and cultural engagement. No excuses for the tourist view

Leica M8 35mm Summicron

Back in Paris for a day - this is the Petit Palais. So called I suppose in comparison to the Humungous Palais across the road, but it's pretty large in it's own right

Leica M8 35mm Summicron

It seems as though I go around looking for photographs of things that haven't changed, or things that look as though they could have been taken 50 years ago. This well known view of Brussels as you walk from the Royal Palace towards the Grande Place seems to me again to have remained unchanged ever since I first saw it in the 1980's. On the other hand, what should change? You descend constantly from the Royal palace by a series of steps, and this provides interesting changes of angle. I like this photo because of the contrast between the dark hedges, and the high tone of the buildings. It's a "bulls-eye" type of composition, with everything leading to the centre, but the two girls at the bottom make a nice lead-in

You can see the angle of the shot on this google map, with the gardens bottom right, and the Grand Place with the shadow of the large spire of the Town Hall top left

Leica M8 35mm Summicron

I liked the way all three of them are posing for the photographer. (Apologies for the lack of responses/comments, but I'm busy traveling at the moment)

Leica M8 35mm Summicron

Well I guess the regular Paris photo bloggers won't feel the need to include the Arc, but as a visitor I just couldn't resist it.

Leica M8 24mm Elmarit

I'm on a little trip to Paris and Brussels, so apologies for anyone expecting Zurich images. Next few days will be more of the same. Also apologies for not visiting other blogs recently. Same excuse.

Leica M8 35mm Summicron

For a while now ZVV have been gradually replacing their old rolling stock with the new Cobra trams. Here's a comparison of old and new

Anyone who knows me will know I'm sympathetic about the old version, however the new ones have several advantages. The entry is designed at kerb level, so you can just wheel in your double buggy. Also it means that disabled access is much improved. The old trams necessitate climbing up three narrow steps. Also, and I really appreciate this in the summer, they are air conditioned, nice and cool. How they manage this with the doors opening every 200 metres I don't know, but hurrah.

This has resulted in a lot of work on the infrastructure, but I fully approve. Investment for Joe Public (transport)

Just an aside. Here in Switzerland if a young mother is waiting at a tram stop with pushchair, she will invariable come up and ask someone to help her on the tram. Other places I know, she will struggle heroically, hoping that someone will intervene. I wonder what peoples experiences are around the globe