London as I've never seen it before

I've been fortunate enough to visit London and a few beautiful spots in the Cotswolds this year, alongside a few other great trips around the UK during a break in shelter in place periods during 2020.

I like to think I'm observant, noticing gradual changes to the city skyline or the growth of a forest, for example.

However, there have been a few really easy to identify changes which may have a distinct appeal to visitors in the near future.

I passed Madame Tussauds London not long ago, which for some number of years had been the most visited attraction in all of London - boasting several million visitors each year!

But it was a ghost town outside, normally a line up around the block but on this occasion, I suppose they'd moved to scheduled entry times and with fewer international travelers there was no wait.

Scaffolding is up. While the historic buildings need maintenance and refurbishment is unsightly, many scaffolding companies drape the exteriors with a false image to further hide the construction mess.

During 2020 while no individual or business could have the work done, it was all apparently bumped into 2021 and the existing demand for work for two years of construction has been squeezed into one summer, it seems!

Scaffolding is still uncommon, but I do feel there's a bit more of it this year. Hopefully in a few months most of the industry will have caught up to its refurbishments and the volume will again return to a level most people would barely notice.

Some sights and landmarks certainly enjoyed respite from visitor numbers, a trend which continues today despite the return of more normal guidelines from government in the UK.

I've never EVER seen Carnaby Street so empty! It's normally a bustling hub of shopping, a veritable Mecca for those seeking fashions and fashionable foods.

But in this new era, I strolled the entire length of the street having encountered only two other human beings.

It's rare to see such a busy capital like this, a sort of hidden benefit to the requirement of sheltering in place. I won't miss it too much, it's the people that often make the place. But it was certainly an interesting experience.

Today, many landmarks and attractions continue to grow in terms of capacity and the return of full staffing. It won't be much longer before these scenes are a distant memory.