London landmark becomes Turfalgar Square
AFP - Thursday, May 24 05:47 pm
LONDON (AFP) - London's Trafalgar Square was given an unusual makeover Thursday, when its familiar drab, grey paving slabs were covered over with lush green grass.
Some 20,000 square metres (215,000 square feet) of turf was laid overnight in an attempt to turn the world-famous square into a village green, part of a campaign by the capital's tourism agency to promote its "village"-like areas.
The square's pigeons seemed put off by the 40 tonnes of turf, which was brought down from Yorkshire in northern England.
Visitors sat in deckchairs in the new-look square, while children ran around and adults simply enjoyed lying on the grass and reading a newspaper.
"Hopefully people coming down specifically to see it and those who are just passing by will be able to enjoy it in the sunshine," Ken Kelling of Visit London, which organised the stunt, told the Evening Standard newspaper.
"Once they have enjoyed something unusual like this they could go on to explore other green areas across the capital."
The grass will remain for two days before being relaid in Fulham, south-west London.
The square, the focus for mass gatherings such as New Year's Eve celebrations, commemorates the 1805 Battle of Trafalgar off the southern Spanish coast.
Its centrepiece is the 51.8 metre (171 feet)-high Nelson's Column, topped by a sandstone statue of Admiral Horatio Nelson, who masterminded and was killed in Britain's victory.
(http://uk.news.yahoo.com/afp/20070524/tod-britain-tourism-6058bda.html)
AFP - Thursday, May 24 05:47 pm
LONDON (AFP) - London's Trafalgar Square was given an unusual makeover Thursday, when its familiar drab, grey paving slabs were covered over with lush green grass.
Some 20,000 square metres (215,000 square feet) of turf was laid overnight in an attempt to turn the world-famous square into a village green, part of a campaign by the capital's tourism agency to promote its "village"-like areas.
The square's pigeons seemed put off by the 40 tonnes of turf, which was brought down from Yorkshire in northern England.
Visitors sat in deckchairs in the new-look square, while children ran around and adults simply enjoyed lying on the grass and reading a newspaper.
"Hopefully people coming down specifically to see it and those who are just passing by will be able to enjoy it in the sunshine," Ken Kelling of Visit London, which organised the stunt, told the Evening Standard newspaper.
"Once they have enjoyed something unusual like this they could go on to explore other green areas across the capital."
The grass will remain for two days before being relaid in Fulham, south-west London.
The square, the focus for mass gatherings such as New Year's Eve celebrations, commemorates the 1805 Battle of Trafalgar off the southern Spanish coast.
Its centrepiece is the 51.8 metre (171 feet)-high Nelson's Column, topped by a sandstone statue of Admiral Horatio Nelson, who masterminded and was killed in Britain's victory.
(http://uk.news.yahoo.com/afp/20070524/tod-britain-tourism-6058bda.html)
I like it much better this way!!
