At the weekend I set myself the challenge to photograph the Columbia Road flower market in Bethnal Green and maybe have a drink and some food at The Royal Oak. However, when the time came and the weather turned to lovely and hot which is a rare and amazing sight I decided that I should make the most of the sunlight. Walking towards the DLR station I noticed that my local boating club was hosting the London Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival. The dragon boats are long and low in the water with teams all rowing together.
The various teams came from all backgrounds and skill levels but there was a big contingent from the city banks that battled to the finish line in their Dragon Boats, which looked amazing. Clearly fitness is essential but a good paddle technique made the difference between the winners and the loser’s with some big gaps between them.
The festival also included live music, food and the constant playing of the Hawaii Five-O theme tune which after several hours made my nose bleed. However, I really enjoyed the atmosphere and seeing a fairly large crowd come together and have fun in the London Docklands.
M