A THAMES MENAGERIE

On returning from Los Angeles, I took a walk down the Thames - to re-aquaint myself as it were with home.  Passing the Houses of Parliament where there has recently been so much upheaval, and heading towards EC1, there is a strip of embankment once called Alsatia which I have been finding of interest of late.

This is because it is populated by a veritable bestiary of fabulous and strange creatures (and not just the politicians).  Here you can find camels, sphinxes, dragons, strange sea creatures, a golden phoenix, psychedelic elephants and of course their head zoo keeper - Father Thames.  

Oh, and politicians too.