It took a few hours, but my laptop is fixed, thanks to the wonders of technology and the Geek Squad taking control over my computer from across the Atlantic. I can't even begin to understand how that works, and I guess I don't have to.

Gord was in Oxford all day with the students, and I headed over to Spitalfields Market for a bit before meeting up with Jo and Mark who were down from Manchester for the weekend. I had forgotten how nice Spitalfields was--lots of young designers selling their wares, and lots of food trucks. I think my daughters would like it when they come to visit in November.

This weekend is the culmination of London's Burning, a festival produced by the creative arts company Artichoke, which commemorates the 350th anniversary of the Great Fire of London that destroyed most of the city. It is part of a whole season of events called Great Fire 350. Just as it started to rain, I met Jo and Mark at one of the events, Holoscenes. This underwater performance piece took place in an aquarium over a space of six hours. Different performers each spent about 30 minutes in the tank (we saw three of them), attempting to go about their daily lives but struggling as the water level changed. I believe that the point of the piece was that instead of the fire that destroyed the city in the past, today we have to worry about flooding due to climate change.

We then walked over to see the dominoes--23,000 of them were set up over a 6 km. route, with three different paths threading through the streets and buildings of the old City. The paths represented the spread of the fire. Gord joined us just before they fell. Despite the rain, it was very exciting. Watch here.

And it came tumbling down.

We walked through Leadenhall Market

and then stopped for a nice meal at the Cannick Tapps, followed by another stop at the Sugar Loaf, before heading across the Thames and to the Tate Modern to see the Fire Garden. French fire artists Compagnie Carabosse put this together. There was supposed to be live music, but I think the rain, although no longer heavy, made it impossible. The atmosphere was great anyway, you could wander at your leisure looking at the different structures that were lit with oil, charcoal and/or candles.

Such a fun afternoon and evening!