Last night I went to the British Film Institute to see an on stage interview with Ralph Fiennes. He was receiving the Variety UK Achievement in Film Award as part of the London Film Festival celebrations.

I’ve been a big fan of Ralph since I was much younger, since I saw him in the movie Wuthering Heights playing Heathcliff, one of my favourite novel characters.

“I pray one prayer, I repeat it till my tongue stiffens. Catherine Earnshaw, may you not rest as long as I am living! You said I killed you, haunt me, then!… Be with me always, take any form, drive me mad, only do not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you!… I cannot live without my life. I cannot live without my soul.”
Heathcliff’s quote for Wuthering Heights

If I could resume why I like him so much, I would say: I love his intensity and he is the finest gentlemen in every situation - LOL at least, in my fantasy he is.

Back to yesterday’s celebration, Ralph said one of the most delightful person he has ever worked with was Juliette Binoche because of the intensity of her performance - they worked together in the movie Wuthering Heights and in The English Patient.

He mentioned István Szabó several times, as Sunshine was definitely one of his favourite works ever.

And me… well, I felt a huge connection with him yesterday, because Sunshine is one of my favourite movie as well, I would say it is on my Top 5 list. I think it is divine being able to feel how good the movie is when the actor is really in love with the character and enthusiastic about the work in general.

If wasn’t for Ralph mentioning them, nobody would, as they were talking about his most known movies such as Harry Potter, The Constant Gardener, Schindler’s List and The English Patient. I like those movies as well, but not as much as I love Sunshine, Wuthering Heights and Onegin.

Ralph Fiennes (right) being interviewed at the NFT during the LFF. I shoot this picture!

In the end of the celebration we could watch a special trailer (15′) that is from one of the last Ralph Fiennes’ movies, The Reader. The film is from 2008 and it is in post-production stage.

I don’t need to say I am looking forward to see it in the big screen!

Last Friday I went to the Head conference with Gui. It’s a web conference and I really had fun!

I loved Simon Wardley’s presentation and his LOL cats slides! By the way, he loves ducks.

I also enjoined Tim O’Reilly, it’s incredible how I felt inspired by him, even if I am an Economist!

I took this quote from Chris Heilmann’s presentation, another great one!

The mediocre teacher tells.
The good teacher explains.
The superior teacher demonstrates.
The great teacher inspires.

Unfortunatelly I don’t have many pictures of new places I visited in the City during my lunchtime so I am not posting every day.

Yesterday I went to a small green area in Aldermanbury. I thought it was just a little green square but indeed it is the St Mary Aldermanbury church, better saying the footprint of the church that no longer exists.

The church was destroyed in the Great Fire, then rebuilt and destroyed again during the Blitz, leaving only the walls, that were transported away and the church was not rebuilt again.

The footprint of the church remains in the City, planted with bushes and trees and I had lunch in this place yesterday.

The gardens house a monument to Henry Condell and John Heminges, key figures in the production of the First Folio of Shakespeare’s plays and co-partners with him in the Globe Theatre.

They lived in the St. Mary Aldermanbury parish and were buried in its churchyard. This monument is topped with a bust of Shakespeare.

The First Folio, Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories. & Tragedies is the first published collection of William Shakespeare’s plays. It was prepared in 1623, about seven years after Shakespeare’s death.

“We have but collected
them, and done an
office to the dead…
without ambition either
of felfe-profit, or fame:
onely to keepe the
memory of fo worthy
a Friend, & Fellow alive,
as was our Shakespeare”

John Heminges
Henry Condell

The footprint of the church remains in the City, planted with bushes and trees.

Henry Condell and John Heminges were buried in its churchyard.

I was having my lunch near to the Royal Exchange in London on Monday when a reporter came to me and asked for an interview as I work in the City.

Here is the final video.

Today I went to a little charming garden near St. Paul’s Cathedral and had lunch there.

The cathedral is very imponent and was a target during the Blitz.

A time-delayed bomb that had struck the cathedral was successfully defused and removed by a Bomb Disposal detachment of Royal Engineers. Had this bomb detonated, it would have totally destroyed the Cathedral, as it left a 100-foot (30 m) crater when it was later remotely detonated in a secure location.

Impressive, isn’t it?

The little green garden is hidden among Cannon St., Watling St., and New Change.

The Cathedral was a target during the Blitz.

Today I had lunch in Finsbury Circus Garden.

London’s first public park is Finsbury Circus Garden. Unlike many other squares in London this one is elliptical, and in the centre is a bowling green.

There is plenty of seating area around the bowling green so I made use of it.

You will see marvelous buildings around Finsbury Circus, surround the oval square.

The bowling green was laid in 1904.

There are marvelous buildings around Finsbury Circus.

Graceful curved terraces.

It’s been quite a long time I decided cycling to work…. and I am doing great!

Doesn’t matter if it’s sunny, rainy, windy or cold - I cycle to work on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Just the beginning, 3 time per week, to start getting in shape. Then, I hope I will be able to cycle to work every day.

Let’s see when the winter comes, if I don’t change my mind…

Me and my bike Josephine, cycling to work on Monday.