Matter of trust

ATM in London support cash withdrawal only with no way of replenishment, and you have to visit bank's branch for cashiers. Another way available is to use so-called "quick deposit envelopes":



Having an envelope, you can write your account or card number on the flap, put your cash in and drop it to a special box in the branch. Sometimes holes of those boxes are placed even outside, on a bank's building wall, so you can do that when the branch is closed.

Saturday

Maybe you remember my struggle with banks while trying to open an account. Finally, next week I'll have even two of them. Yay for me! It was no so easy to pay three visits to different branches in two hours to manage into short weekend open hours, but that was the only problem - nothing like that hell I had experienced with HSBC in autumn. Should have tried earlier, actually, but I was really frightened off that time.

Also I wanted to show you this 50x-film-poster-style sign inviting to St Pancras old church, England's one of the oldest. So rad, I really loved it:

All you need is love, and condoms are provided for free

Speaking of stereotypes, another one debunked: finally, a proof that British people do really have sex.

Also note the outstanding number of serious and useful comments. That's amazing indeed.

No country for old women

Walking down the street last week I've noticed posters on local shops fronts offering reward for the information about elderly woman murder in the area (more details about that case).

Later this week I've stumbled upon another two brief articles (1, 2).

That's not a stereotypical picture of the European capital, is it?

Chinese New Year

For some reason Chinatown of London celebrates New Year a week later than other Chinese people do. Nothing strange for a Russian person in that, though.

Route 73 commuter

Every bus to London's centre available from our block goes through Stamford Hill, which is said to be the largest Hasidic community in Europe.

An abandoned chapel

Abney park cemetery, former last shelter of dissenters and sectarians, Europe's first non-denominational one:

Memory patterns

Yesterday on our way to the park we've met a demo waving flags that I wasn't able to recognize.



Still, I've got an annoying feeling immediately that one experiences when seeing something familiar enough to catch attention but not enough to remember what is it.



And only today it finally dawned upon me. Ah, that's really simple for almost every Russian person:

Beauty demands sacrifice

An Englishman's home is his castle

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An interesting story I was told today about this small white house disrespectfully breaking a big store apart. When that store was about to be built, one of the those owned houses at the future building site refused to sell his property to be demolished. Nevertheless, the store was built, but with a jag at front, which is still there.

East End scene

A plate on this painted bicycle's rear wheel reads that it is a memorial to a person hit by a car while cycling here:



White colour and abundance of small parts make this installation so defenceless and fragile, as well as piercingly sad. Really love the idea.

Still, can't help mentioning that this also a great idea for everybody who doesn't want his or her bicycle stolen or stripped of everything detachable.



Fasten a plate and a flower, paint it white, and you'll be able to park it in any area.

A proper way to answer a recruiter

Guilty pleasure: