Google Sightseeing takes you on tour of the world as seen from satellite, using the free Google Earth program, or Google Maps in your web browser. Each weekday your guides James and Alex present new weird and wonderful sights as suggested by readers.

The editors: James & Alex

Trafalgar Square Crowd

Wednesday, 4th October 2006 by Alex

Man, there’s a whole heap of people in Trafalgar Square since the latest image update. Does anyone know what they’re all doing?

Update: dda worked it out - this is the 29th of January 2006, and we’re seeing several thousand Chinese celebrating the first day of the Year of the Dog. See my comment for photo links.

Thanks to Patryk.

17 Responses to 'Trafalgar Square Crowd'

  1. 1. jf says:

    judging by the lack of leaves on the trees, this looks as if it might be early spring this year. could well be one of the Muslim protests against the Danish “mohammed” cartoons.

  2. 2. Pete Ashton says:

    Looks like a stage there and it’s early evening judging by the shadows. Could be a concert?

  3. 3. dda says:

    Chinese new year 2006 ?

    http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor/chinese_ny/slideshow06/sld014.jsp

  4. 4. Malcolm says:

    The position of the stage at the north side of Nelson’s column is the giveaway.
    What you’re seeing is a concert celebrating South American music.
    Usually the stage is on the other side of the fountains when concerts take place here.

    Hope this answers your query, nice site btw!

  5. 5. dda says:

    january 29, 2006. Look at the 3 white parasols…

  6. 6. Tim says:

    Jeez, these shadows are annoying. It hurts my eyes just to look at London.

  7. 7. sirflow says:

    it has to be about midday, since the shadows are pointing Northbound; definitely winter judging by their length

  8. Google Sightseeing Admin
    8. Alex says:

    dda, you’re absolutely right. Look at the pointed tent things and the long shadows in this photo. There’s others too, showing the stage in the right position. Good work!

  9. 9. Ted says:

    sirflow Says:
    “it has to be about midday, since the shadows are pointing Northbound; definitely winter judging by their length”

    Ehhh? There would be no shadow if it was midday, this is early evening.

  10. 10. Steve says:

    This is the Chinese New Year celebrations on 29 January 2006. Look further north to Gerrrad Street (the main street in Londons Chinatown) , which runs east/west just south of Shaftesbury Avenue. You will see the large crowds at each end of the street. That gives it away.

  11. Google Sightseeing Admin
    11. Alex says:

    Steve means here, and there certainly are a whole heap of people here too. Also you can clearly see the lanterns strung across the streets.

  12. 12. m4rcus says:

    “Ted Says:

    sirflow Says:
    “it has to be about midday, since the shadows are pointing Northbound; definitely winter judging by their length”

    Ehhh? There would be no shadow if it was midday, this is early evening. ”

    The shadows are long as the sun does not get that high in the sky at that time of the month in England. So sirflow is correct :)

  13. 13. mankill says:

    football

  14. 14. Conor says:

    They found out when the picture was being taken and decided to stand in the way
    x)

  15. 15. Tom Elders says:

    Take a walk towards parliment square and half way down Whitehall you’ll see a ghost bus.

  16. 16. Jel says:

    That’s not a ghost bus, it’s a bendy-bus: they’ve replaced the old Routemasters (you can’t get on board in a wheelchair) with single-decker articulated buses (you still can’t get on board with a wheelchair ‘cos you board at the front so the driver can check your ticket, and a wheelchair won’t go through the gap). Plus they had a good half-dozen spontaneously combust when first introduced. P’raps it’s one of those…

  17. 17. Jamie says:

    its chinese new year 2006 and to the right of the stage is the big screen that i work on :D

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