With apologies to ABC, but for some reason each time I've looked at these photos I can't get their 1982 hit out of my mind. I'm not sure why, as lasers as aren't arrows but even so I've enjoyed it running through my head. And have surprised myself with how many lyrics I seem to have remembered. The lasers that prompted the song's revival were the grand finale of our recent visit to the Enchanted Woodland.
But before the lasers I'm sharing some shots of the house lit up, that too went through a colour sequence which highlighted some of its architectural detail and turned it into what was probably the funkiest house in Brentford. Probably.
I'm sure these arches look great in the daytime in natural light but for me the coloured lights really enhance them. I think the number of pictures I took is testament to that, and here I'm only sharing a few. Having prised me away from the arches - it took MOH several attempts - we headed to the exit, or so we thought...
As we turned the corner we stumbled upon the Great Conservatory, which is... well pretty great. And it was lit up too - it looked fantastic, and this is one of the reasons I want to come back here during the day.
The architect - Charles Fowler - specialised in large industrial buildings and at Syon he's used metalwork to create a delicate structure using the new technologies of the 1830s - this was the first to be built of metal and glass on such a scale. It housed exotic plants from all over the world and by the 1880s the palms and giant bamboos reached the top of the Dome. Then like many of the great houses there was a period of decline after the First World War. It was restored though in 1986/7 and is an important historic structure.
We saw people entering a door on the right, so being ever inquisitive and wanting to get a look inside this fabulous structure, we followed them. And we weren't disappointed.
The Dome was hosting a full on laser show, and had a great party atmosphere. You know the sort of party where kids are dancing in front of the disco and the adults are hanging back around the edges and at the bar. Except there was no bar, but the lasers made up for that.
And then looking up you saw the structure of the Dome. Wow. Just wow.
Ok. And wow.
But the lasers weren't done yet. On they went shooting away accompanied by music - I've no idea what, maybe there really was some ABC, but perhaps not.
It was about now that MOH nudged me, reminded me of the time and that we had at least one, maybe two train journeys between us and dinner and a bottle of wine. Having made his point well this time we really did head for the exit and retrace our steps back to the station and catch our train to Waterloo.
The lasers were a really great ending to a fab evening and I'm totally smitten by the Great Conservatory. So who's coming back with me in the daylight sometime next year? ...In the meantime I've found the CD I was looking for and I'm about to spend some time dancing around my kitchen...!
