See on! Neon! (and other light forms)

Bright lights that blaze out into the night! Always enjoy going to Picadilly Circus and seeing the dark shape of the statue of Eros  silhueted by the bright light images behind on the surrounding buildings. Now, these illuminations have become converted into large video screens, so one has to look further afield for a true neon experience.  

Picadilly Circus

Searching for  such a place, we visited Dopamine Land in nearby Old Brompton Road, South Kensington. This  establishment, although not using neon lighting, promised a full multisensory extravaganza of light  experience,

This happening was made up through visits to a series of different rooms, each with different effects of light and mirrors sufficient to put ones brain into overdrive.

Here are some of the rooms. With so many mirrors you inevitably end up taking a number of involuntary selfies.

Picture of my feet. Wow… Nice legs!!!

Picture of my head. (I am not praying…. but taking a photo with my phone!)

Picture of Paulo, my grandson x 4

And lastly…….. a picture of multi-me

An enjoyable, fun experience for both children and adults. However this next experience was more  centred on showing the real, authentic and rather sleazier side of neon lighting. 

We made our way  to “God’s Own Junkyard”, situated in Walthamstow, East London.

Thousands of neon signs! Yes ….this was what I was looking for!

I must however, point out and remind you all……   This is a museum/bar. (You don’t get the chance to see  many of these on one’s journeys!) That is to say that although the neon signs state otherwise, here, there was no porn, no sexy girls ,no live shows……….just the neon lights covering every inch of the walls and ceilings and some beers of a local brew.

Although there was hardly anyone there during our visit, the lights were accompanied by hard, wild rock music, which certainly added to the overall atmosphere of this special place.

Well….some neon advice……which you can take or leave!

Warning! Don’t try this arm movement. I did…… and spilt my beer.

Some rather more hopeful comments.

Further warning….Neon lighting, loud rock and roll (among other things) can be harmful for your health (unless you happen to be Keith Richards from the Rolling Stones…who will be 80 years old this year and is still rocking!

Well…..from the decadent neon lights  of Walthamstow, I am now back in Lima…..no more neon lights.  Just the serene lamps of the coastal cliffs looking out over the ocean and the cross on the Morro Solar shining out over the sea.

it is now feeling a bit chilly here in the evenings. I think I’ll swap the neon for the warm welcoming glow of an open wood fire and the smell of the burning eucalyptus logs as they flicker their way  through the evening.

Nice to travel…….nice to return home…….. toasting my toes…. a glass  of wine …………ahhhhhhh!