Elephants and Aliens

Today I spent most of the afternoon chasing one of the most spectacular street events I've ever seen. The Sultan's Elephant was a complete joy to witness even if I didn't actually get to it until the last day. I'm still too giggly and awed to write too much so I'll let some pictures take most of the strain (although there are much clearer and better access pic on the official site gallery)

The story (for there is a story) concerns a strange space traveling giant girl and her relationship with the Sultan's time-traveling mechanical elephant. First of all I caught up with the girl who was having a snooze in St James's Park, on a deckchair - as you would do. I wonder if she had to pay the hire charge?

I then worked my way up towards Piccadilly, past the crater left by the girl's crashed wooden rocket and the cars she'd stitched to the road, to the giant elephant's water-bowl.

The elephant himself was resting along Piccadilly while the Sultan took tea, but he wouldn't stay there long. Soon the whole entourage was on the move with the elephant clearing a path by spraying the crowd with water from his trunk. There's something about getting soaked by a 40ft mechanical elephant that really puts a smile on your face there's an accompanying shriek of the crowd before everyone bursts out laughing.

I moved down following the elephant until I could duck down lower Regent Street to overtake and get a second look as he passed again.

Then it was time to catch up with the girl and get ready for the grand finale. She had finished her nap and decided to go for a ride on her scooter and look for the elephant.

Then led him back onto Horseguard's Parade to say goodbye and leave in her rocket.

Managed to find (with some direction) Messrs M and P for a much-needed coffee afterwards.

More pictures on my Flickr account should you be inclined to look.