Architecture.

One of my favourite things in the world, is to go for a long bike ride, especially at night. The sense of freedom I get from being out and about, (relatively) far from home, when most people are asleep, is sublime. One of my favourite destinations is the "Golden Mile", a stretch of road in Brentford, West London. And the main reason I go there is for the buildings. One of the most famous buildings there, and one I remember from my childhood, was the "firestone" building, which was destroyed (by the owners) in 1980, because it was about to be listed..Go figure! I am trying to track down some photos of the old building, but some of the others there are still incredible. I particularly like the older ones, which were art deco, like the Firestone building. But I also like the new ones there too (mostly). It`s called the Golden Mile, because of the amount of Blue-Chip companies that are based there, it`s a very prestigious place to have an office. And that`s part of the reason I like the place, AND why I like the art deco buildings; It all suggests a glamorous lifestyle, an affluent lifestyle. And for someone who comes from a working class background, it`s like looking into another world. It`s all suggestion, of course, I`m sure the people who work in the offices are very bored of their mundane, routine jobs! But from the outside, the buildings infer a world of Ferraris', exotic lifestyles, millionaires etc. These photos could NEVER do the buildings justice, and I couldn`t possibly use words to explain what it is I get from being there at 1 or 2 in the morning, but I can try to express it all, so here it goes...

See, this could be the doors to a `30`s New York Hotel!
(It`s not!)*Carillion, Brentford*

See!! This is such a local landmark. I grew up in Isleworth, Middlesex, and this clock tower, er, towers over everything. Anytime we moved away, or went away, seeing this clock tower meant we were back home again.