Notting Hill Carnival - 1 Calm before the storm

The Notting Hill Carnival goes off every year in this area. While it has been marred by riots in the past, it is altogether too jolly an affair these days. Still, you can't be too careful...

Remembering the Library Riots of 1967 - paper cuts all round - the local authorities are taking no chances.
As is this buider's merchants. A lot of the shops boarded up their windows as a precaution - and then got in some grafitti artists to do their stuff. I never knew you could do this sort of thing so quickly.
Rolf Harris, look out.
As usual, the time warp brought in some strange creatures. Looks like the Triassic wormhole was cooking on gas. They even help out by eating a few street-people while in town.
I always wanted to photograph this row - because of the colours - but there were always cars and vans in the way. Good opportunity now that the cops have cleared the streets.