Surbiton is about a mile away in the opposite direction to the one you would take if you wanted to go to the office. It is on the main railway line into London and is a fairly good sized town. It is also where I go to do my marketing. One of the cool architectural features is the clock tower in the town square. It is a lovely, Edwardian building that does not really fit-in with the more modern buildings around it.
Speaking of modern buildings, the train station in Surbiton is perhaps the ugliest I have seen in the United Kingdom. It is an attempt at post-modernism. It is just plain ugly. All straight lines, not a bit of embellishment.
It is in stark contrast to the clock tower. The clock tower is covered with carved stone gargoyles, filigree, faces, and all manner of interesting things to look at. There is even an entire angel orchestra surrounding the top of the tower, one angel playing the harp, another with a pair of cymbals, s
till others playing drums, pipes and horns. It is really a cool tower!
There are also stone faces surrounded by wreathes. I spent about an hour circling the tower and getting shots from every angle I thought interesting. I wish I could have gotten the modern buildings out of the background, though.
I am sure that I gave the locals a bit of a chuckle, as in the entire time I was there nobody so much as glanced at the tower (except to wonder, I suppose) what the crazy tourist was taking pictures of.
I hope that your day will bring you something of interest, wherever you are!
Don Bergquist - 29-January-2006 - Surbiton, Surrey, United Kingdom
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