The Encyclopedia of the Weird and Wonderful

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I’ll be upfront, I’m a Croydon girl through and through – so very much biased – but watching amazing street art murals popping up throughout the centre made my summer last year.

Two houses were demolished to create an air vent for the Metropolitan Line, which was being constructed at the time. The ad premiered Sunday, November 19, on ITV during ‘I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here’ at 9pm. It’s a ‘clear water’ moment for the brand after the influx of Christmas ads over the past few weeks. You’ll be happy to hear that they frequently host top-class shows that make for a much cooler alternative to a night in the pub. From March until the end of September, you can hop aboard a solar-powered water vessel for a peaceful cruise through the centre of the park. Costa Rica’s butterfly species is abundant. The range makes up around 90% of all Central American butterflies and even more impressively, 18% of the world’s total butterfly species.a device used in siege warfare in ancient Rome, consisting of a wheeled screen with an arched roof (literally a ‘tortoise’) I’m drawn to things that show a desire, a dream or a belief, where you can get a sense of connection with the maker. And with The Maker: most of the world religions are represented in my collection. The Olympics may have brought a new sense of pride to London, but even though the events are long-finished, their legacy lives on. Bob Bob’s appeal is that it lies a world away from the bland cookie-cutter restaurants that seem to dominate the city’s dining scene.

A private collection of all things neon – curated by the late Christopher Bracey, it’s like walking into a film set.In ancient Greece and Rome, doctors used spider webs to make bandages for their patients. Spider webs supposedly have natural antiseptic and anti-fungal properties, which can help keep wounds clean and prevent infection. It's also said that spider webs are rich in vitamin K, which helps promote clotting. During a special ceremony, parents hand over their infants to sumo wrestlers who bounce their precious tots up and down and sometimes even roar in their little faces to get the tears flowing. a group of museums and other cultural institutions in South Kensington in London, named after Prince Albert Be bowled over by panoramic views of London, while squeezing in a few landmarks like the Gherkin, Big Ben and The Shard. Footy fans can even spot some of London’s famous football grounds, including West Ham Utd. Take your time at the top – you’ll have a chance to learn more about the tower with interactive storytelling screens and, of course, don’t forget to flip the world upside down by taking a peek in one of the concave mirrors.

Russia’s area is larger than the total surface area of Pluto. The country has the largest area on Earth and measures 17,098,322 sq. km (6,601,699 sq. miles), Pluto, by comparison,is just 16,647,940 sq. km (6,430,000 sq. miles). Read More: Cool (and Free!) Museums in London Quirky Things to do in London Visit God’s Own Junkyard While the space is reserved for UCL’s students and staff, the Institute of Making runs a programme of maker workshops that are open to the public. My favourite objects are those where image and making combine. These include the cardboard models of valuable goods that are sometimes burned at Chinese funerals so that, even if some of them become a bit dated, they can be enjoyed in the afterlife: Rolexes, a Walkman, an SLR camera. Both idea and execution are beautiful. I also treasure a swan, made from a plastic milk bottle by the artist Madelon Vriesendorp – who incidentally is a far more accomplished accumulationist than I am – that lights up from inside.There’s a preponderance of skeuomorphs in my collection, that it is to say of things that look like something other than what they are. Not that it should really be called a collection, as that might imply more direction than is actually present. An accumulation would be a better word.

Many of the pieces are about death or love or hope. I have boxes of soap, made in Argentina and bought in Spain, that carry colourful images suggesting use of the product might encourage a saint to help with school exams and resolve marital strife. With over 80,000 objects displayed within its rather small space – it’s a full-blown immersion into the world of the ancient Egyptians.

4. Rock Agama

a punishment or torture in which the victim was hoisted in the air on a rope and then allowed to fall almost to the ground before being stopped with an abrupt jerk A research club and makerspace run by UCL, the Institute of Making offers all kinds of unique things to do in London. By his own admission, the Tesco ad is a little ‘weird and wonderful,’ but the brand was fully on board. “Sometimes weird can be the ‘thing,’ but this was a way of dramatizing something that’s inside,” he explains. “It was a technique more than anything.” Serradourada Guimaraes adds: “There’s something about Christmas, which is just weirdly wonderful,” he laughs. As time has passed, stations have been closed or repurposed – meaning that if you keep your eyes open, you can spot more than a few of the so-called “Ghost Stations” of the London Underground.