VIEW FROM THE PIAZZA By Andy Wood Its been a good late winter season at Covent Garden with a lovely warm spell in January/February and a good spattering of bright clear days. All the performers got lots of good shows and the audiences turned up in their thousands. I remember a similar mild winter season three years ago where we had a fantastic clear spell through January and February. It's the Covent Garden El Niño effect. On the street, we know the weather. Sometimes I think we're like farmers, always outside watching the skies, praying for dry spells in the rain. We're slightly superstitious. I personally believe that higher spiritual beings can contol the weather (something I learned from the Tibetan Monks in the Himalayas when I was there). Only kidding but if I think it might rain on my show during my preparation hour before the show I will watch where the clouds are coming from. Usually the west above St Paul's Church as you look from the Punch and Judy public house, and I will "concentrate" my thoughts on holding the rain off. Next year I'll go and learn the rain dances from the North American Indians! Seriously, London is blessed with exceptionally dry weather as it is inland in a "bowl" of hills. The heat rising from the city and the bowl effect keep the clouds away and high enough to stop the rain falling. And of course if it is raining we have the North Hall undercover performance area which has saved many an impoverished street performer and drenched tourist on a rainy day. Whatever the weather here in Covent Garden performances go on 364 days a year (it's rare to see a show on Christmas Day) a record which makes Covent Garden one of London's most popular tourist destinations, a place of outdoor entertainment in all seasons. If you are interested in street entertaining and street entertainers in Covent Garden, England or anywhere else in the world you can email Andy at andy@candointernet.com Street Performers Association Streetperformers.arecool.net     PHOTO GALLERY For more photos of street entertainers in Covent Garden click here.     MORE ARTICLES Regular Covent Garden performer Andy Wood gives us his 'View from the Piazza': 1 2 3   Mr Punch arrived in Covent Garden 340 years ago. Glyn Edwards tells his story: click here   Rex Boyd, originally from Kansas, USA, has spent a lot of time at Covent Garden off and on since 1988. Click here to read his story.

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