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I think the last time I was in Niagara Falls, like 10 years ago, I took this elevator, so this time I just took the picture of it =D
Sylon Tower (opened in 1965), is an observation tower that overlooks both, the american and the canadian Niagara Falls. It was built using the slipform method, in which concrete is continually poured into a form moving slowly up the tower, the same way they built CN Tower in Toronto. It has 3 outside mounted "Yellow Bug" elevators. It only takes them 52 seconds to reach the top of the tower. You can see this tower in the movie superman II.
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Hace como 10 anios que estuve aqui, creo que me sube a este elevador, asi que ahora solo le tome la foto.
Esta torre es un observatorio que te permite ver tanto el lado canadiense como el americano de las cataratas del Niagara. Afuera de ella, suben 3 elevadores, los cuales son conocidos como los "bichos amarillos". Solo le toma 52 segundos subir a la torre, la cual mide 160 mts, o 236 mts si se toma como base el fondo de las cascadas. La torre aparece en la pelicula de Superman II
I think this combo is a great fallback: florals with cream + tan accessories. I'd probably wear this cream vintage lace top with anything + tan accessories are a serious addiction of mine, I think both will be fabulous for summer as well, so I'm set!
Seriously though, I am so sick of the cold. I'm over not being able to feel my fingers or my nose. I'm over having to make that little extra effort with my outfits to ensure that it's cute, comfortable + warm. I can't wait til I get a break and just have to deal with cute + comfortable! I know there's a whole bunch of people in the middle of summer elsewhere in the world that are longing for winter, but I think you should enjoy the lovely warm weather while you can! I miss the beach, the warm sunshine, afternoon bbqs, picnics, cocktail parties, summer music festivals.. I could go on!
Anyway, I've only got another month left + then we're in Spring so I might as well wear my cute coats while I can - so yesterday's coat is making another appearance today! I think this is going to be one of my favourites!
I'm so excited for the weekend (even though it will probably be muddy, rainy + freezing) and I am wondering how I am going to sit still at work for the next two days! C'mon Splendour!!
Coat, Top, Belt, Jewellery + Bag: Vintage
Dress (worn as skirt): Four Chord Wonder
Shoes: Pierre Fontaine
I think it will be a while before I go out to this spot again. It's a great spot, every time I've gone, 2-3x, there's always been other "Train people" there. That's not the issue. The way the tracks are laid out, if I want to be able to flick graff on all of the tracks, not facing the sun, it's going to be a lot of running.
I don't know how many of you follow me and also bench, but if you do, you'll understand that there's great spots, there's good spots, and then there's difficult spots. All of them can have lots of action, but some spots are WAY better than others for getting flicks. This is one of those spots where it's super chill, other train people there, but getting flicks of graff is difficult for me. We get a lot of stackers, and if shooting with the sun, the tracks are progressively lower.... Hard to explain, but this is a great spot, just not easy. I'll visit again in the coming months and see if I can get it to work for me, but as it is right now, I like to go there, I don't like to get flicks there.
Fun Story: I drove down in-between the tracks today for the first time. Everything was fine. Most people stop to watch the trains from the access road above. Probably 25ft. higher and 50ft. from the closest track. Whatever.
I'm there for maybe an hour at this point, lots of cars and trucks coming and going. One stops, some small SUV thing. Father/Son. Son about 12-14yrs. I'm about 40 yards away, but down the hill from them, and I can clearly hear everything they are talking about. Father seems very supportive of the son's interest in trains. Cool ! First train (for them) starts down the tracks and I hear a train whistle, but it's not from a train, it's from the kid. He's got one of those wooden train whistles and he starts blowing it when he sees the train.
Gave me a smile. I could clearly her the kid talking about the UP, and then the BNSF, etc etc.. Kid seemed to know his stuff. We had one NS train come through and he spotted it from a mile away. The kid filmed every train that came through while they were there, and the father was telling him something about his intro's on YouTube, so I'm sure he's a YouTuber. I really wanted to go up and talk to them before they left and see if they were from around here or not. If not, I have some fun spots they might want to check, but they left before I could.
Getting ready to leave after only a couple hours and I can see there's some graff on one of the small train bridges. Decided to check it out before leaving. F-ing cool spot. Lots of writer's monikers, and quite a few larger pieces. Had a lot of fun trudging through the weeds, and the small stream to catch some flicks of all the goodies under and around the bridges. If I go back there, it will be to check out the bridge graff.
As always, Had fun, and saw some cool pieces.
Thanks to all of the writers. Stay safe out there, both writers, and fellow benchers.
To see my freight graffiti videos click here: www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOdGrtyTsyWVhLVHkwY0_-iu8P...
There aren't enough words to describe how much i LOATHE this.
But i guess i'm going to have learn to deal with that if (1) i need to take a self portrait every day and (2) i'm usually drunk by the time i get around to it. Ha.
ANYway--i was trying to do a copycattish take on this shot by Abe, who just finished the very journey i am beginning. I thought i'd do the earth as my eye instead of the American flag because...well...i guess i love the planet more than i love the country. But then as i was editing i started to get freaked out by my giant eyeball, and i had to zoom out a little bit just to save my sanity. So there you have it. Failed tribute, failed photo. Day 3.
Still, i'm using it for my Alpha Challenge for E because E is for eyeball. And Earth. And sometimes elephant, although not in this case.
3/365
Think of me, think of me fondly,
when we've said goodbye.
Remember me once in awhile -
please promise me you'll try.
When you find, that, once again,
you long to take your heart back and be free -
If you ever find a moment,
spare a thought for me...
We never said our love
was evergreen,
or as unchanging as the sea -
but if you can still remember, stop and think of me...
Think of all the things
we've shared and seen -
don't think about the things which might have been...
Think of me, think of me waking,
silent and resigned.
Imagine me,
trying too hard to put you from my mind.
Recall those days
look back on all those times,
think of the things we'll never do -
there will never be a day,
when I won't think of you...
We never said our love was evergreen,
or as unchanging as the sea -
but please promise me,
that sometimes you will think of me!
Phantom of the Opera
Lyrics By: Charles Hart
Music By : Andrew Lloyd Weber
Additional Lyrics By: Richard Stilgoe
Tribute band to Pink Floyd. Seen at The Light's Andover Hants. Absolutely brilliant tribute band in being the best one ive ever seen.If you get a chance and you love pink floyd you must go and see. Nick Mason of PF fame raves about them himself, so must be good. Tracks from all the years that they were going so something for everybody
I think the hand printed letters on here say 1st grade, and I cannot read for sure if it says 1923 or 1928. Is there someone who knows for sure, and could identify some of the people in this class? And was it a Catholic School? I'm placing a note over the face area of the one little girl that I am pretty sure about her identity. I'm sending this to Found Photos and to ID Please group pools and will explain more in a minute about that.
Can someone tell me who some of these little children are? Oh, one other hint. This picture came in a whole box of genealogy stuff for the Masterson and Surber family.
I would say that this photo found me, more than I found it. I do genealogy, and I have MASTERSON in my surnames.
Someone contacted me after finding my name on USGenWeb or Ancestry.com or one of those kinds of places. They had come across a whole box of genealogical information on Margaret "Margie, Marjie, or Margey" Masterson who had married Earl Surber. They were no known living heirs, and they wanted to send the box of stuff to someone who put in writing the best reasons why they should be chosen. They liked my reply; so I got the box. Using information from the rest of the pictures in the box, is how I decided on the clues above.
NOTE: On October 29, 2011, I got Margie's birthday of March 31, 1914; so I don't think this was clear into 1928. I think 1923 or even 1920 would fit a routine kindergarten and first grade schedule. I'm thinking that since I can't read the number very well anyway, that this would be about 1920 for a child born in 1914 to be in kindergarten or first grade. I changed the date to 1920, making this photo over 100 years old.
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I hope this is OK for the Saturday for Stairs group, as these kids are definitely standing on steps/stairs that don't show much, but are there for sure. The kids aren't just floating in stair/step fashion. (grin)
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Tenuous Link: metal stair railing
Regardless if your considering your 1st Tattoo , luvin' your latest or sportin' a seasoned piece , post healing sun protection is a must in order to keep your Tattoo looking its best for life... its almost never too late to start good protective habits!
All, and I mean ALL Tattoo pigments (ink) WILL fade due to sun exposure! (tanning beds are just as brutal on a Tattoo!!) , Color , B&G or BlackWork are all subject to the ravages of sun exposure , and if a potential Artist tells you His or Her ink won't fade my best advice to you is find the nearest exit & be on your way , I can't stand a damn liar & refuse to let such a sack-o-crapp do my Tatt !
Pigments , the base of any color or tone ,will fade from exposure to UV Rays and in a Tattoo fading is a real kick in the butt , no matter how well its applied ,the skill or talent of the Artist after healing its up-to YOU to protect it FOR LIFE ...many clients have a problem with placing the blame for a dull or weak looking Tattoo on the Artist & often enough (not always! ,but more often than not) it's the client that was a slacker in His or Her duty's to maintain the piece , it only takes a few trips into the sun or tanning bed to begin the fading & the only fix for that is to go under the needle again & I would rather take such adventures in an Artist's chair to get another Tattoo rather than redo whats already been done... but that's just me.
~As in any piece of Art , be it a painting , fresco , tapestry and so on safeguarding the work from damage is a ongoing task ..Tattoos are no different~
AFTER proper healing ,protecting your Tattoo(s) will be necessary for as long as you desire it to look the best , not a big deal, but its a ongoing need & by simply applying a good sunblock ANY & ALL times sun exposure is possible you can protect your ink... a Tattoo is yours for the rest of your life & protecting it is a life long responsibility.
*** FOR THE RECORD ***
Sunscreen is not sunblock , anything less than a SPF of 45 is an utter waste of time & will only -slightly- offer protection ,the smaller the SPF number the less it helps.
The absolute best protection I have found is a total sunblock & a product called "Zinc Oxide" (available at your local pharmacy or other shopping centers) ,yea yea I know its a diaper rash medication but its usefulness for protection is outstanding and is my best suggestion & ought be applied to the Tattooed area of the skin 15+ minutes prior to venturing out into the sun or cookin your hyde in a tanning bed ,its a ointment ,generally white in color but an assortment of similar products in assorted colors are available if you prefer. (doubtful your pharmacy will carry that but often surf-shops & other specialty stores have such pretty products)
...I will use "Panama Jack's SURF 'N SPORT SPF 75 Sunblock Lotion" or a similar product if Zinc Oxide is not available.
{for those with sensitive skin Baby or Infant Sunscreen or Sunblock products are available & are generally hypoallergenic ,water resistant & moisturizing to the skin , but keep a minimum SPF of 45 in mind ..the higher the SPF the better!}
!! -if you time in the sun exceeds 4+ hour's I would suggest a booster like a spray-on sunscreen is rather useful & a quick fix , I personally use "Coppertone's ultraGUARD SPF 50" ,but a similar product is acceptable- !!
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Many clients &/or fellow Artist have told me they never heard &/or thought of such protective measures but I assure you its worth it I personally have Tattoos that were done 10 , 15 & 20 years ago & guarantee they look bolder & brighter now due to my consistent use of "Zinc Oxide" than they would if I had not.
Weather riden' ,doing yardwork ,poolside ,at the beach on vacation or out -N- about protecting my Tatt's is worth it & when asked I gladly enplane ~or~ for fun I have often looked at people that just gawk & in a stern & miffed tone say;
"WHAT !! ..I'm a fuhhkin leper! , they don't exile us to islands or ban us from the general public anymore , keep staren' & I'll toss a finger at ya!!!" (as I grab my finger)
HaHaaHaaaah ! ..then smile & explane (LOL!)
;-D
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It's your Tattoo & upto you to take the simple steps to preserve the efforts of your Artist & keep your Epidermal Art looking its best...
I tell all my Clients;
THINK ZINC - PROTECT YOUR INK !!!!!!!
~SERGIO~
St Ethelbert, Hessett, Suffolk
Hessett is a fairly ordinary kind of village to the east of Bury St Edmunds, but its church is one of the most important in East Anglia for a number of reasons, which will become obvious. Consider for one moment, if you will, the extent to which the beliefs and practices of a religious community affect the architecture of its buildings. Think of a mosque, for instance. Often square, expressing the democracy of Islam, but without any imagery of the human figure, for such things are proscribed. Think of a synagogue, focused towards the Holy Scriptures in the Ark, but designed to enable the proclaiming of the Word, and the way that early non-conformist chapels echo this architecture of Judaism - indeed, those who built the first free churches, like Ipswich's Unitarian Chapel, actually called them synagogues.
The shape of a church, then, is no accident. A typical Suffolk perpendicular church of the 15th century has wide aisles, to enable liturgical processions, a chancel for the celebration of Mass, places for other altars, niches for devotional statues, a focus towards the Blessed Sacrament in the east, a roof of angels to proclaim a hymn of praise, a large nave for devotional and social activities, and wall paintings of the Gospels and hagiographies of Saints, of the catechism and teachings of the Catholic Church. As Le Corbusier might have said if he'd been around at the time, a medieval church is a machine for making Catholicism happen.
No longer, of course. The radical and violent fracture in popular religion in the middle years of the 16th century gave birth to the Church of England, and the new church inherited buildings that were quite unsuitable for the new congregational protestant theology, a problem that the Church of England has never entirely solved.
Over the centuries, the problem has been addressed in different ways. The early reformers celebrated communion at a table in the nave, for example, and blocked off the chancel for other uses. Although this was challenged by the Laudian party in the early part of the 17th century, it was the way that many parishes reinvented their buildings, and most were to stay like that until the middle years of the 19th century. Some went further. A pulpit placed halfway down the nave, or even at the back of the church, meant that the seating could be arranged so that it no longer focused towards the east, thus breaking the link with Catholic (and Laudian) sacramentalism. For several centuries, Anglican churches focused on the pulpit rather than the altar.
With the coming to influence of the 19th century Oxford Movement, all this underwent another dramatic change, with the great majority of our medieval parish churches having their interiors restored to their medieval integrity, reinventing themselves as sacramental spaces. This is the condition in which we find most of them today, and some Anglican theologians are asking the question that the Catholic Church asked itself at Vatican II in the 1960s - is a 19th century liturgical space really appropriate for the Church of the 21st century?
So, let us hasten at once to Hessett. The church sits like a glowing jewel in its wide churchyard, right on the main road through the village. It is pretty well perfect if you are looking for a fine Suffolk exterior. An extensive 15th century rebuilding enwraps the earlier tower, which was crowned by the donor of the rebuilding, John Bacon.The nave and aisles are deliciously decorated, reminding one rather of the church at neighbouring Rougham, although this is a smaller church, and the aisles make it almost square. A dedicatory inscription on the two storey vestry in the north east corner bids us pray for the souls of John and Katherine Hoo, who donated the chancel and paid for the trimmings to the aisles. Their inscription has been damaged by protestant reformers, who obviously did not believe in the efficacy of prayers for the dead.
Although not comparable with that at Woolpit, the dressed stone porch is a grand affair, and a bold statement. You may find the south door locked, but if this is the case then the priest's door into the chancel is usually open. And in a way it is a good church to enter via the chancel, because in this way St Ethelbert unfolds its treasures slowly.You step into relative darkness - or, at least, it seems so in comparison with the nave beyond the rood screen. This is partly a result of the abundance of dark wood, and in truth the chancel seems rather overcrowded. The most striking objects in view are the return stalls, which fill the two westerly corners of the chancel. These are in the style of a college or school of priests, with their backs to the rood screen, but then 'returning' around the walls to the east. They are fine, and are certainly 15th or 16th century. But one of the stalls, that to the north, is different to the others, and seems slightly out of place. It is elaborately carved with faces, birds and foliage.
Mortlock thought that it might have been intended for a private house. The stall in front of it has heads on it that appear to be wearing 18th century wigs. The sanctuary is largely Victorianised, with a great east window depicting Saints. The south windows of the chancel depict a lovely Adoration scene by the O'Connors. The chancel is separated from the nave by the 15th century rood screen, which is elegantly painted and gilt on the west side, the beautifully tracery intricately carved above. The rood screen has been fitted with attractive iron gates, presumably evidence of Anglo-catholic enthusiasm here in the early 20th century, and you step down through them into the light. A first impression is that you are entering a much older space than the one you have left. There is an 18th century mustiness, enhanced by the box pews that line the aisles. And, beyond, on walls and in windows, are wonderful things.
The number of surviving wall paintings in England is a tiny fraction of those which existed before the 15th and 16th centuries. All churches had them, and in profusion. It isn't enough to say that they were a 'teaching aid' of a church of illiterate peasants. In the main, they were devotional, and that is why they were destroyed. However, it is more complicated than that. Research in recent years has indicated that many wall paintings were destroyed before the Reformation, perhaps a century before. In some churches, they have been punched through with Perpendicular windows, which are clearly pre-Reformation. In the decades after the Black Death, there seems to have been a sea change in the liturgical use of these buildings, a move away from an individualistic, devotional usage to a corporate liturgical one. There is a change of emphasis towards more education and exegesis. This is the time that pulpits and benches appear, long before protestantism was on the agenda. What seems to happen is that many buildings were intended now to be full of light, and devotional wall paintings were either whitewashed, or replaced with catechetical ones.
The decoration of the nave was the responsibility of the people of the parish, not of the Priest. The wall paintings of England can be divided into roughly three groups. Roughly speaking, the development of wall paintings over the later medieval period is in terms of these three overlapping emphases.
Firstly, the hagiographies - stories of the Saints. These might have had a local devotion, although some saints were popular over a wide area, and most churches seem to have supported a devotion to St Christopher right up until the Reformation.
Secondly came those which illustrate incidents in the life of Christ and his mother, the Blessed Virgin. Although partly pedagogical, they were also enabling tools, since private devotions often involved a contemplation upon them, and at Mass the larger part of those present would have been involved in private devotions. These scriptural stories were as likely to have been derived from apocryphal texts like the Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew as from the actual Gospels themselves.
Lastly, there are catechetical wall paintings, illustrating the teachings of the Catholic church. It should not be assumed that these are dogmatic. Many are simply artistic representations of stories, and others are simplifications of theological ideas, as with the seven deadly sins and the seven cardinal virtues. Some warn against occasions of sin (gossiping, for example) and generally wall paintings provided a local site for discussion and exemplification.
To an extent, all the above is largely true of stained glass, as well, with the caveat that stained glass was more expensive, relied on local patronage, and often has this patronage as a subtext, hence the large number of heraldic devices and images of local worthies. But it was also devotional, and so it was also destroyed.
So - what survives at Hessett? The wall paintings first.
Starting in the south east corner of the nave, we have Suffolk's finest representation of St Barbara, presenting a tower. St Barbara was very popular in medieval times, because she was invoked against strikes by lightning and sudden fires. This resulted from her legend, for her father, on finding her to be a Christian, walled her up in a tower until she repented. As a result, he was struck by lightning, and reduced to ashes. She was also the patron saint of the powerful building trade, and as such her image graced their guild altars - perhaps that was the case here.
Above the south door is another figure, often identified as St Christopher, but I do not think that this can be the case. St Christopher is found nowhere else in Suffolk above a south door. The traditional iconography of this mythical saint is not in place here, and it is hard to see how this figure could ever have been interpreted as such. I suspect it is a result of an early account confusing the two images over the north and south doors, and the mistake being repeated in later accounts.
In fact, digital enhancement seems to suggest that there are two figures above the south door, overlapping each other slightly. The figure on the right is barefoot, that on the left is wearing a white gown. There appears to be water under their feet, and so I think this is an image of the Baptism of Christ. Perhaps it was once part of a sequence.
The wall painting opposite, above the north door, is St Christopher. Although it isn't as clear as himself at, say, nearby Bradfield Combust, he bestrides the river in the customary manner, staff in hand. The Christ child is difficult to discern, but you can see the fish in the water. Also in the water, and rather unusual, are two figures. They are rendered rather crudely, almost like gingerbread men. Could they be the donors of the north aisle, John and Katherine Hoo in person?
Moving along the north aisle, we come to the set of paintings for which Hessett is justifiably famous. They are set one above the other between two windows, at the point where might expect the now-vanished screen to a chapel to have been. The upper section was here first. It shows the seven deadly sins (described wrongly in some text books as a tree of Jesse, or ancestry of Christ). Two devils look on as, from the mouth of hell, a great tree sprouts, ending in seven images. Pride is at the top, and in pairs beneath are Gluttony and Anger, Vanity and Envy, Avarice and Lust. Mortlock suggests that some attempt has been made to erase the image for Lust, which may simply be mid-16th century puritan prurience on the part of some reformer here. This would suggest that this catechetical tool was here right up until the Reformation.
The idea of 'Seven Deadly Sins' was anathema to the reformers, because it is entirely unscriptural. Rather, as a catechetical tool, it is a way of drawing together a multitude of sins into a simplistic aide memoire. This could then be used in confession, taking each of them one at a time and examining ones conscience accordingly. It should not be seen simply as a 'warning' to ignorant peasants, for the evidence is that the ordinary rural people of late medieval England were theologically very articulate. Rather, it was a tool for use, in contemplation and preparation for the sacrament of reconciliation, which may well have ordinarily taken place in the chapel here.
The wall painting beneath the Sins is even more interesting. This is a very rare 'Christ of the Trades', and dates from the early 15th century, about a hundred years after the painting above. It is rather faded, and takes a while to discern, and not all of it is decodable. However, enough is there to be fascinating. The image of the 'Christ of the Trades' is known throughout Christendom, and contemporary versions with this can be found in other parts of Europe. It shows the risen Christ in the centre, and around him a vast array of the tools and symbols of various trades. One theory is that it depicts activities that should not take place on a Sunday, a holy day of obligation to refrain from work, and that these activities are wounding Christ anew.
Perhaps the most fascinating symbol, and the one that everyone notices, is the playing card. It shows the six of diamonds. Does it represent the makers of playing cards? If so, it might suggest a Flemish influence. Or could it be intended to represent something else? Whatever, it is one of the earliest representations of a playing card in England. Why is this here? It may very well be that there was a trades gild chantry chapel at the east end of the north aisle, and this painting was at its entrance.
At the east end of the north aisle now is the church's set of royal arms. Cautley saw it in the vestry in the 1930s, and identified it as a Queen Anne set. Now, with additions stripped away, it is revealed as a Charles II set from the 1660s, and a very fine one. It is fascinating to see it at such close range. Usually, they are set above the south door now, although they would originally have been placed above the chancel arch, in full view of the congregation, a gentle reminder of who was in charge.
And so to the glass, which on its own would be worth coming to Hessett to see. Few Suffolk churches have such an expanse, none have such a variety, or glass of such quality and interest. It consists essentially of two ranges, the life and Passion of Christ in the north aisle (although some glass has been reset across the church), and images and hagiographies of Saints in the south aisle.
In the north aisle, the scourging of Christ stands out, the wicked grins of the persecutors contrasting with the pained nobility of the Christ figure. In the next window, Christ rises from the dead, coming out of his tomb like the corpses in the doom paintings at Stanningfield, North Cove and Wenhaston. The Roman centurion sleeps soundly in the foreground.
The most famous image is in the east window of the south aisle. Apparently, it shows a bishop holding the chain to a bag, with four children playing at his feet. I say apparently, because there is rather more going on here than meets the eye. The reason that this image is so famous is that the small child in the foreground is holding what appears to be a golf club or hockey stick, and this would be the earliest representation of such an object in all Europe. The whole image has been said to represent St Nicholas, who was a Bishop, and whose legends include a bag of gold and a group of children.
Unfortunately, this is not the case. St Nicholas is never symbolised by a bag of gold, and there are three children in the St Nicholas legend, not four. In any case, the hand in the picture is not holding the chain to a bag at all, but a rosary, and the hockey stick is actually a fuller's club, used for dyeing clothes, and the symbol of St James the Less.
What has happened here is that the head of a Bishop has been grafted on to the body of a figure which is probably still in its original location. The three lights of this window contained a set of the Holy Kinship. The light to the north of the 'Bishop' contains two children playing with what ae apparently toys, but when you look closely you can see that one is holding a golden shell, and the other a poisoned chalice. They are the infant St James and St John, and the lost figure above them was their mother, Mary Salome.
This means that the figure with the Bishop's head is actually Mary Cleophas, mother of four children including St James the Less. The third light to the south, of course, would have depicted the Blessed Virgin and child, but she is lost to us.
Not only this, but Hessett has some very good 19th Century glass which complements and does not overly intrude. The best is beneath the tower, the west window in a fully 15th Century style of scenes by Clayton & Bell. The east window, depicting saints, is by William Warrington, and the chancel also has the O'Connor glass already mentioned.
If the windows and wall paintings were all there was, then Hessett would be remarkable enough. But there is something else, two things, actually, that elevate it above all other Suffolk churches, and all the churches of England. For St Ethelbert is the proud owner of two unique survivals. At the back of the church is a chest, no different from those you'll find in many a parish church. In common with those, it has three separate locks, the idea being that the Rector and two Churchwardens would have a key each, and it would be necessary for all three of them to be present for the chest to be opened. It was used for storing parish records and valuables.
At some point, one of the keys was lost. There is an old story about the iconoclast William Dowsing turning up here and demanding the chest be opened, but on account of the missing key it couldn't be. Unfortunately, this story isn't true, for Dowsing never recorded a visit Hessett. The chest was eventually opened in the 19th century. Inside were found two extraordinary pre-Reformation survivals. These are a pyx cloth and a burse. The pyx cloth was draped over the wooden canopy that enclosed the blessed sacrament (one of England's four surviving medieval pyxes is also in Suffolk, at Dennington) before it was raised above the high altar. The burse was used to contain the host before consecration at the Mass. They are England's only surviving examples, and they're both here. Or, more precisely they aren't, for both have been purloined by the British Museum, the kind of theft that no locked church can prevent.
But there are life-size photos of both either side of the tower arch. The burse is basically an envelope, and features the Veronica face of Christ on one side with the four evangelistic symbols in each corner. On the other is an Agnus Dei, the Lamb of God. The survival of both is extraordinary. It is one thing to explore the furnishings of lost Catholic England, quite another to come face to face with articles that were actually used in the liturgy.
In front of the pictures stands the font, a relatively good one of the early 15th century, though rather less exciting than everything going on around it. The dedicatory inscription survives, to a pair of Hoos of an earlier generation than the ones on the vestry.Turning east again, the ranks of simple 15th century benches are all of a piece with their church. They have survived the violent transitions of the centuries, and have seated generation after generation of Hessett people. They were new here when this church was alive with coloured light, with the hundreds of candles flickering on the rood beam, the processions, the festivals, and the people's lives totally integrated with the liturgy of the seasons. For the people of Catholic England, their religion was as much a part of them as the air they breathed. They little knew how soon it would all come to an end.
And so, there it is - one of the most fascinating and satisfactory of all East Anglia's churches. And yet, not many people know about it. We are only three miles from the brown-signed honeypot of Woolpit, where a constant stream of visitors come and go. I've visited Hessett many times, and never once encountered another visitor. Still, there you are, I suppose. Perhaps some places are better kept secret. But come here if you can, for here is a medieval worship space with much surviving evidence of what it was actually meant to be, and meant to do.
Professor Noreena Hertz of the Duisenberg School of Finance, Rotterdam - think differently: In an inspiring speech on decision-making by one of the most influential economists in the world, Professor Hertz asks people to ''think differently'' and kick-start independent decision-making. She also gave advice on how to adapt and develop new skills during these difficult economic times. Noreena Hertz is a Professor at the Duisenberg School of Finance, the Rotterdam School of Management at Erasmus University and fellow at Judge Business School, Cambridge University. Her speech is brought to you in full length by Euranet's Anastasia-Areti Gavrili. (In English)
www.euranet.eu/gre/Dossiers/Antimetophizontas-ten-krhise-...
Photo by Euranet / Anastasia-Areti Gavrili
www.euranet.eu/gre/Dossiers/Antimetophizontas-ten-krhise-...
2017 Think Outside Photo Contest entry
Park info: www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/pocahontas#general_infor...
Painting and markings:
As mentioned above, the livery is based on an official profile which I deem authentic and canonical. My aircraft depicts a different machine from VFT-127, though, since I could not (and did not really want to) 100% replicate the profile's machine from the Macross PLUS source book, "13 Red". Especially the squadron’s emblem on the fin would create massive problems.
For the two-tone wrap-around scheme I used Humbrol 72 (Khaki Drill) and 98 (Chocolate Brown), based on the printed colors in the source book where I found the scheme. The pattern is kept close to the benchmark profile, and, lacking an underside view, I just mirrored the upper scheme. The starboard side pattern was guesstimated.
As a second-line aggressor aircraft, I weathered the VF-4 with a black ink wash, some post-shading with various lighter tones (including Humbrol 160, 168, 170 and 187) and did some wet-sanding treatment for an uneven and worn look.
Interior surfaces were painted according to visual references from various sources: the landing gear and the air intakes became white, while the cockpit was painted in RAF Dark Sea Grey.
In order to add some color to the overall brown aircraft I decided to paint the missiles all around the hull in white with tan tips – in the profile, the appear to be integrated into the camouflage, what I found dubious.
Most stencils come from the OOB sheet, but I added some more from the scrap box. The grey "kite" roundels come from an 1:72 Hasegawa Macross F-14 Tomcat kit sheet, which I acquired separately for a reasonable price. Even though it took four weeks to be delivered from Asia, the investment was worthwhile, since the sheet also provided some useful low-viz stencils.
The VAT-127 “Zentraedi Busters” unique tail insignia was more complicated, because these had to be printed at home. As a side note, concerning the fin marking, I recently found a translation of the benchmark profile's text on mahq.net, which is interesting: "The Regult within the targeting reticle on the tail met with disapproval from micronized Zentraedi pilots, and so was only used for a short time." The comment also reveals that the original aircraft's modex is "713", not just "13" as depicted, so I tried to reflect these details on my build, too.
I eventually settled for a solution that was partly inspired by the kit’s OOB fin marking and the wish for more contrast for the motif: I scanned the original Regult pod illustration from the source book and printed it on white decal sheet. This was sealed with two layers of glossy acrylic varnish (applied with a rattle can) and then cut into a white field that fills the fixed part of the fin (using the WAVE kit’s OOB fin markings as reference). Once in place and dry, two black outlines were added separately (generic decal material) which help blend the decal and the surroundings. Finally, thin strips of silver decal sheet were used for the fins’ leading edges.
This design variation, compared with the original “13 Red” illustration, led to the idea of a flight leader’s machine with slightly more prominent markings. In order to take this concept further I also gave the aircraft a white stripe around the front fuselage, placed under the kite roundel and again with black outlines for a consistent look. It’s not much different from “13 Red”, but I think that it looks conclusive and, together with the white fin markings and the missiles, livens up the VF-4’s look.
The appropriate flight leader tactical code “01 Red” was puzzled together from single digits from a Begemot Su-27 sheet, the rest of the bort numbers were taken from the OOB sheet (which incidentally feature a “01” code, too).
Concerning the OOB decal sheet, there’s much light but also some deep shadow. While the register is excellent and the carrier film flexible enough to lay down smoothly, the instructions lack information where to place the zillion of stencils (“No step” and “Beware of Blast” stuff) are to be placed! You only get references for the major markings – the rest has either to be guessed, OR you are in possession of the VF-4 source book from Softbank Publishing which was (incidentally?) released in parallel with the WAVE kit. This mecha porn offers an overview of all(!) relevant stencils on the VF-4A’s hull, and ONLY with this information the exhaustive decal sheet makes some sense…
As final steps, the VF-4 received some dry-brushing with light grey around the leading edges, some chipped paint was simulated with dry-brushed aluminum and, finally, light soot stains around the vectoring nozzles all around the hull and the weapon bays were created with graphite. Then the kit was sealed with matt acrylic varnish (Italeri).
My friend, Aidan, described Westminster Abbey as English history written in stone, which as good as a description as I could think of. And English, as the Kings and Queens of that country, later of Great Britain are buried here.
Anyway, I had a fabulous time at the Abbey, and already planning a return for the details I missed.
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Of all the churches and cathedrals in London, the one I wanted to visit and photograph was Westminster Abbey. But, the Abbey didn't allow photography didn't go. And then a few weeks back, my friend, Aidan, started to post shots from inside, and as it turns out, photography, in most areas of the Abbey, is now allowed. So it was a case of when we would visit, not "if", and once we had a free weekend, I began to plan and book.
£25 to go in, each. £10 each for the new museum. And £15 each for a hidden highlights tour. It wasn't cheap, but then if you're going to do it, do it well!
All chores were done Friday, including shopping, so we were free to catch the quarter to eight train from Dover. On the way we called into the garage to pick up some stuff to eat on the train, so we were set.
Saturday was also the last day of British Summer Time (BST), as the clocks would go back early on Sunday morning, then five long winter months would begin.
So, better make most of the daylight.
We were early for the train, so we ate breakfast on the platform, then once the train pulled in, I picked my favourite seats and we settled down for the hour run into London. THe one thing I hadn't planned well was the weather, and some rain was expected during the morning.
The train wasn't busy, and most people wore masks, though enough didn't to make one wonder if the message about COVID really hadn't got through. But then with Johnson as PM, we shouldn't be surprised.
We get off at Statford, and the rain was falling heavily even before we left the Essex marshes behind and entered the long tunnel. But at Stratford, day had become night and the rain fell in what is called stair-rods. I hoped that if we walked slowly through the shopping centre it might have eased by the time we needed to cross over the bridge to the regional station, but the rain was falling just as hard.
And there was no way to avoid it, so we just pulled our collars up and walked as quickly as possible.
Which is why, by the time we arrived at the other side, we were wet little hobbitses.
A quick walk to the Jubilee Line platforms, catching the next train out, we took seats and sat there, gently steaming.
Twenty minutes later, we arrived in Westminster, no dryer, really, taking the four flights of escalators to the surface, where outside it had, atleast, stopped raining for now.
Demonstrations are now outlawed in Parliament Square, so it was quiet, once you got to the other side of the road, its a five minute walk past the Palace of Westminster (Houses of Parliament), and round to the entrance of the Abbey.
Amazingly, there was no queue, and once inside the doorway I show my e tickets, they were scanned and we were allowed in. There was a one way system round the Abbey, so I began the first circuit with the 50mm lens, thinking I would go round again with the wide angle, and a third time with the big lens to snap detail.
That was the plan.
Westminster Abbey is where the Kings and Queens of England and Britain have been crowned. Also, where until Henry V11 thought otherwise, they were buried too, so the chancel is jammed with tombs of many famous and infamous figures from history, from Edward the Confessor to William and Mary, most tombs are grand, some less so. As well as Kings and Queens, minor royals and members of the nobility also were either buried here, or had monument erected. As have military figures, and famousnames from the arts.
It really is quite remarkable.
That and the Abbey itself, in parts dating from just before the Norman COnquest, to a rebuilding just after to the 13th Century when Henry III pulled the old Abbey down and started to rebuild it, until he ran out of money.
But it was completed, and since then had filled up with monuments, so many, I lost count and gave up trying to record them all. Instead, marvelling at their range and beauty.
I walked down the nave, through the arch into the Quire, and it was as breathtaking as expected, then round the Chancel looking and photographing the tombs of the Kings and Queens, round Henry VII's chapel.
And then repeating it with the wide angle lens, taking shots of the various chapels and tombs, all the while keeping an eye on the time as we were to go to visit the new gallery musuem at 11, and then a guided tour of some normally off limit places at half past.
Neither of these allowed photography, which is a great shame as the views from the gallery were stunning down the length of the Nave and then the ancinent chain library and the sanctuary of Henry VII's chapel where we could reach out and touch the shrine of St Edward the Confessor.
The museum had dozens of funeral effigies of the Kings and Queens, some made I'm sure to look better than they did in real life, but others had a degree of realism about them. The one of Queen Mary seemed pregnant, while the one for Queen Elizabeth Ist had a tight corset, so she would have appeared in death as she had as a young woman.
There were carvings, ceremonial cloaks, replicas of the Crown Jewels, and so much more, but we had run out of time, as we had to get to the other side of the church for the hidden secrets tour.
Us and three other couples joined our guide as he showed us the latest escavations revealing the area where monks used to prepare for services. This is hidden behind screens now, and will soon become the site of a new visitor's centre. The trenches were filled with uncvered skeletons and bones, all human of course, and these will all either be rebuuried here or some other Christian place.
Next we went to the Dean's quarters where we saw where he prepared for services, and were allowed into, but not allowed to photograph the Jerico Room, before being allowed outside for a while, then walking around the cloisters, back into the chancel and into Henry's chapel to see the tombs and shrine. Envious looks rained down on us as we climbed the wooden steps into the usually closed area, and then only the people in the gallery above could see us.
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Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is a large, mainly Gothic abbey church in the City of Westminster, London, England, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the United Kingdom's most notable religious buildings and the traditional place of coronation and a burial site for English and, later, British monarchs.
The building itself was originally a Catholic Benedictine monastic church until the monastery was dissolved in 1539. Between 1540 and 1556, the abbey had the status of a cathedral and seat of the catholic bishop. After 1560 the building was no longer an abbey or a cathedral, after the Catholics had been driven out by King Henry VIII, having instead was granted the status of a Church of England "Royal Peculiar"—a church responsible directly to the sovereign—by Queen Elizabeth I.
According to a tradition first reported by Sulcard in about 1080, a church was founded at the site (then known as Thorn Ey (Thorn Island)) in the seventh century at the time of Mellitus, a Bishop of London. Construction of the present church began in 1245 on the orders of King Henry III.[4]
Since the coronation of William the Conqueror in 1066, all coronations of English and British monarchs have occurred in Westminster Abbey.[4][5] Sixteen royal weddings have occurred at the Abbey since 1100.[6]
The Abbey is the burial site of more than 3300 persons, usually of prominence in British history: at least 16 monarchs, 8 Prime Ministers, poets laureate, actors, scientists, military leaders, and the Unknown Warrior. As such, Westminster Abbey is sometimes described as "Britain's Valhalla", after the iconic hall of the chosen heroes in Norse mythology.
Between 1042 and 1052, King Edward the Confessor began rebuilding St Peter's Abbey to provide himself with a royal burial church. It was the first church in England built in the Romanesque style. The building was completed around 1060 and was consecrated on 28 December 1065, only a week before Edward's death on 5 January 1066.[9] A week later, he was buried in the church; and, nine years later, his wife Edith was buried alongside him.[10] His successor, Harold II, was probably crowned in the abbey, although the first documented coronation is that of William the Conqueror later the same year.[11]
The only extant depiction of Edward's abbey, together with the adjacent Palace of Westminster, is in the Bayeux Tapestry. Some of the lower parts of the monastic dormitory, an extension of the South Transept, survive in the Norman Undercroft of the Great School, including a door said to come from the previous Saxon abbey. Increased endowments supported a community that increased from a dozen monks in Dunstan's original foundation, up to a maximum of about eighty monks.
The abbot and monks, in proximity to the royal Palace of Westminster, the seat of government from the later 13th century, became a powerful force in the centuries after the Norman Conquest. The Abbot of Westminster often was employed on royal service and in due course took his place in the House of Lords as of right. Released from the burdens of spiritual leadership, which passed to the reformed Cluniac movement after the mid-10th century, and occupied with the administration of great landed properties, some of which lay far from Westminster, "the Benedictines achieved a remarkable degree of identification with the secular life of their times, and particularly with upper-class life", Barbara Harvey concludes, to the extent that her depiction of daily life provides a wider view of the concerns of the English gentry in the High and Late Middle Ages.[13]
The proximity of the Palace of Westminster did not extend to providing monks or abbots with high royal connections; in social origin the Benedictines of Westminster were as modest as most of the order. The abbot remained Lord of the Manor of Westminster as a town of two to three thousand persons grew around it: as a consumer and employer on a grand scale the monastery helped fuel the town economy, and relations with the town remained unusually cordial, but no enfranchising charter was issued during the Middle Ages.[14]
The abbey became the coronation site of Norman kings. None were buried there until Henry III, intensely devoted to the cult of the Confessor, rebuilt the abbey in Anglo-French Gothic style as a shrine to venerate King Edward the Confessor and as a suitably regal setting for Henry's own tomb, under the highest Gothic nave in England. The Confessor's shrine subsequently played a great part in his canonization.
The following English, Scottish and British monarchs and their consorts are buried in the Abbey:
Sæberht of Essex (d. c. 616) [possibly]
Edward the Confessor (d. 1066) and Edith of Wessex (d. 1075)
Henry III of England (d. 1272) [his wife, Eleanor of Provence, is buried at Amesbury Priory]
Edward I of England (d. 1307) and Eleanor of Castile (d. 1290)
Edward III of England (d. 1377) and Philippa of Hainault (d. 1369)
Richard II of England (d. 1400) and Anne of Bohemia (d. 1394)
Henry V of England (d. 1422) and Catherine of Valois (d. 1437)
Edward V of England (d. c. 1483) and his brother, Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York (d. c. 1483) [possibly]
Also known as the Princes in the Tower. In 1674, the remains of two boys were exhumed from the Tower of London and at the orders of Charles II, they were interred in the wall of the Henry VII Lady Chapel.
Anne Neville (d. 1485), wife of Edward of Westminster, Prince of Wales [m. 1470–71; buried at Tewkesbury Abbey] and of Richard III [m. 1472–85; buried at Leicester Cathedral]
Henry VII of England (d. 1509) and Elizabeth of York (d. 1503)
Edward VI of England (d. 1553)
Anne of Cleves (d. 1557), former wife of Henry VIII [buried at St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle]
Mary I of England (d. 1558)
Elizabeth I of England as shown on her tomb
Mary, Queen of Scots (d. 1542), mother of James VI & I of England and Scotland [brought from Peterborough Cathedral in 1612]
Elizabeth I of England (d. 1603)
In the 19th century, researchers looking for the tomb of James I partially opened the underground vault containing the remains of Elizabeth I and Mary I of England. The lead coffins were stacked, with Elizabeth's resting on top of her half-sister's.[9]
James VI & I of England and Scotland (d. 1625) and Anne of Denmark (d. 1619)
The position of the tomb of King James was lost for two and a half centuries. In the 19th century, following an excavation of many of the vaults beneath the floor, the lead coffin was found in the Henry VII vault.[9]
Charles II of England and Scotland (d. 1685)
Mary II of England and Scotland (d. 1694) and William III of England and II of Scotland (d. 1702)
Anne, Queen of Great Britain (d. 1714) and Prince George of Denmark, Duke of Cumberland (d. 1708)
George II of Great Britain (d. 1760) and Caroline of Ansbach (d. 1737)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burials_and_memorials_in_Westminste...
While sitting on the shingle ridge near Hurst Castle I had nothing better to do at the time than create this stone-faced man-crab. This shot is 5 years old and could've been taken by a 5 year old but I have to get it out of my system ! Stayed in the garden today mainly in the greenhouse to be honest as there was a cold northerly wind . The next three weeks will be spent mainly indoors as the virus will peak at this time. I may be posting some very old pics soon in the days when flares and velvet loons were all the rage !
Typically, you think surf and you think Hawaii, California, Australia... but not quite Jamaica, right? However, I've been intrigued by the surf culture ever since I met some in Port Antonio last year. But who is surfing in Jamaica? It's not so mainstream and my research often leads me to one name: Wilmot. The Wilmots are a surfing legacy and the sport runs through their DNA. So driving in all directions, we stop at a couple of beaches.. not a surfer in sight. We ask around until we are finally told of a spot where we could find some. Of caution though we're warned "just beware of the dogs". We identify the place (our hint is the surf board lying on the ground outside), park and think for a few minutes before stepping out... where are the dogs and should we be concerned? After a few minutes I think f**k it, let's get out of this car and start walking towards the location. That's where we spot Ishack Wilmot from a distance- most of the other siblings are out or travelling. And so very generously,Ishack shares some of his time with me as we discuss surf culture in Jamaica.
"Surfing here is very different. There is no white sand, no girls on the beach, but its a bit more friendly, open and organic then other places." In comparison to other surf meccas such as California, Jamaica is less aggressive. "No one will chase you out of the water here- even if surfing becomes bigger and more popular, because the culture started between friends. For us, surfing is essentially about having fun".
Ishack, like the other Wilmots, are all born in St Thomas, by the beach. It's a fisherman's beach really, and most will credit their father, Billy Wilmot, for expanding the popularity of the sport. Today considered by many a Jamaican surf legend, Billy got into surfing in '74 after meeting Terence Muschett, who often returned to Jamaica to ride waves. Ever since, Ishack tells me that "the surf scene is growing, but very slowly". Foreigners come to visit- just not on a mass scale. They come in search of waves, but possibly more. Maybe some values that make surfing so Jamaican in character: "we always surf together, we are happy and positive, and we are welcoming" Ishack underlines with an authentic smile.
We talk about international exposure, and Ishack explains, as with his brothers, he has traveled everywhere on tournaments. But the Polynesian birth place of surf, Hawaii, is still on his to do list. He goes on to reveal that whenever he is travelling and representing Jamaica, foreigners have been extremely friendly. Ishack suspects that it has something to do with people knowing that "we are from Jamaica" and that there is something positively cool about that. He also explains that there is some truth to those who say "black people don't surf". There are not as many black surfers around the world and "Jamaica has the blackest team. We represent black people. Even the South African team will often have just one black person on their end". There is a black surfer's association in the US, but still not a common sport.
I start to look around the space that we're sitting in and notice a surf board with "Jamnesia" painted on it. The name definitely sounds familiar- its a venue for musical events. "I grew up on music and surf" Ishack lets me know. Both universes make up the Wilmot clan- Ishack himself plays the keyboards. "I grew up with a father who had a huge music collection, and given the vast selection, I can't say I was inspired by a particular artist, but rather by particular songs". What is the Wilmot musical style though? Ishack's reply is wonderful and day dreamy "People tell us that when they listen to our music, it sounds like the beach". Sigh....
Suddenly, I see three young children running towards him. They are happy, joyful and full of life, and Ishack goes on to say "there is no doubt about it, they will also grow to surf". The more we talk, the more I am feeling a certain blissful serenity in this space. As our conversation comes to an end, I ask Ishack one last question- what makes this surf camp so symbolic? In less then a split second, he replies: "The people and my dad".
If you are ever travelling to Jamaica and curious about surf, check out The Jamnesia Surf Club situated at Eight Miles Bull Bay, St.Thomas, Jamaica.
I think in many ways this is my most successful piece. I was trying to get a sense of movement in the water and I think I achieved that. I do like this squid fellow in green.
When you think of Double-Decker bus, you think of the Routemaster. A bus that has not just become a symbol of London, but a symbol of Britain itself. Built as a humble replacement for the ageing RT buses of the 1930's as well as a replacement for the gradually shrinking Trolleybus network, the Routemaster was not built with glory in mind, but more a practical servant of the people plying its trade on the streets of London. But the Big Red Bus soon became an icon of transport perfection, with a memorable design, higher capacity and renowned for reliability, the buses soon became the very heart of the London scene.
Although attempts were made throughout the 1970's and 1980's to replace theses buses with the likes of the Leyland Titan and the ill-fated DMS, the Routemaster outlived them all and continued to soldier on in regular service until 2005, when the last few buses were withdrawn. But the Routemaster simply couldn't be killed, and today a small fleet are kept aside for operation on the Number 15 'Heritage' route, the last official revenue operating service for these buses. So iconic was the design, that the 'New Bus for London' that was introduced in 2012 owes its design to this magnificent machine.
This is number RM1993, built in 1964 and operated out of Aldenham on the #11 service. The service history of this bus however was comparatively short, being withdrawn in 1987, but bought briefly by Southampton Citybus before being taken up by a preservation group in 1988. It has since operated preserved routes both in and outside of London, but today continues to work the #15 to Trafalgar Square.
To think that I had blonde and long hair last year O..o I´m still happy that I cut it off..I hate hair its annoying ò..ó !Also I think that long hair does not suit my style ... I look girlier tht I would like to with it .. Therefore I doubt that I´m ever going to let it grow again :D
This was the charity (I think) road race or run that we walken into the middle of on our Sunday in Valencia. No Idea what it was all about unless someone can enlighten me.
We decided to go for a city break rather than sun in Tenerife again this September. Other than a few days in the North East we haven’t been away since last March and wanted a change and hopefully some sun. The problem is getting flights from the north of England to the places we want to go to. We chose Valencia as we could fly from East Midlands – which was still a pain to get to as it involved the most notorious stretch of the M1 at five in the morning. In the end we had a fairly good journey, the new Ryanair business class pre-booked scheme worked quite well and bang on time as usual. It was dull when we landed with storms forecast all week, the sky was bright grey – the kiss of death to the photography I had in mind. I was full of cold and wishing I was at work. It did rain but it was overnight on our first night and didn't affect us. There has been a drought for eleven months apparently and it rained on our first day there! The forecast storms didn't materialise in Valencia but they got it elsewhere.
You May notice discrepancies in the spelling of some Spanish words or names, this is because Valencian is used on signs, in some guide books and maps. There are two languages in common use with distinct differences. There may also be genuine mistakes - it has been known!
Over the course of a Monday to Sunday week we covered 75 miles on foot and saw most of the best of Valencia – The City of Bell Towers. The Old City covers a pretty large area in a very confusing layout. There was a lot of referring to maps – even compass readings! – a first in a city for us. The problem with photography in Valencia is that most of the famous and attractive building are closely built around, some have poor quality housing built on to them. Most photographs have to be taken from an extreme angle looking up. There are no high points as it is pan flat, there are a small number of buildings where you can pay to go up on to the roof for a better view and we went up them – more than once!
The modern buildings of The City of Arts and Sciences – ( Ciutat de Las Arts I de les Ciencies ) are what the city has more recently become famous for, with tourists arriving by the coachload all day until late at night. They must be photographed millions of times a month. We went during the day and stayed till dark one evening, I gave it my best shot but a first time visit is always a compromise between ambition and realism, time dictates that we have to move on to the next destination. I travelled with a full size tripod – another first – I forgot to take it with me to TCoAaS! so It was time to wind up the ISO, again! Needless to say I never used the tripod.
On a day when rain was forecast but it stayed fine, albeit a bit dull, we went to the Bioparc north west of the city, a zoo by another name. There are many claims made for this place, were you can appear to walk alongside some very large animals, including, elephants, lions, giraffe, rhino, gorillas and many types of monkey to name a few. It is laid out in different geographical regions and there is very little between you and the animals, in some cases there is nothing, you enter the enclosure through a double door arrangement and the monkeys are around you. It gets rave reviews and we stayed for most of the day. The animals it has to be said gave the appearance of extreme boredom and frustration and I felt quite sorry for them.
The course of The River Turia was altered after a major flood in the 50’s. The new river runs west of the city flanked by a motorway. The old river, which is massive, deep and very wide between ancient walls, I can’t imagine how it flooded, has been turned into a park that is five miles long. There is an athletics track, football pitches, cycle paths, restaurants, numerous kids parks, ponds, fountains, loads of bridges, historic and modern. At the western end closest to the sea sits The City of Arts and Sciences – in the river bed. Where it meets the sea there is Valencia’s urban Formula One racetrack finishing in the massive marina built for The Americas Cup. The race track is in use as roadways complete with fully removable street furniture, kerbs, bollards, lights, islands and crossings, everything is just sat on the surface ready to be moved.
We found the beach almost by accident, we were desperate for food after putting in a lot of miles and the afternoon was ticking by. What a beach, 100’s of metres wide and stretching as far as the eye could see with a massive promenade. The hard thing was choosing, out of the dozens of restaurants, all next door to each other, all serving traditional Paella – rabbit and chicken – as well as seafood, we don’t eat seafood and it constituted 90% of the menu in most places. Every restaurant does a fixed price dish of the day, with a few choices, three courses and a drink. Some times this was our only meal besides making the most of the continental breakfast at the hotel. We had a fair few bar stops with the local wine being cheap and pleasant it would have been a shame not to, there would have been a one woman riot – or strike!
On our final day, a Sunday, we were out of bed and down for breakfast at 7.45 as usual, the place was deserted barring a waiter. We walked out of the door at 8.30 – in to the middle of a mass road race with many thousands of runners, one of a series that take place in Valencia – apparently! We struggled to find out the distance, possibly 10km. The finish was just around the corner so off we went with the camera gear, taking photos of random runners and groups. There was a TV crew filming it and some local celebrity (I think) commentating. Next we came across some sort of wandering religious and musical event. Some sort of ritual was played out over the course of Sunday morning in various locations, it involved catholic priests and religious buildings and another film crew. The Catholic tourists and locals were filling the (many) churches for Sunday mass. Amongst all of this we had seen men walking around in Arab style dress – the ones in black looked like the ones from ISIS currently beheading people – all carrying guns. A bit disconcerting. We assumed that there had been some sort of battle enactment. We were wrong, it hadn’t happened yet. A while later, about 11.30 we could hear banging, fireworks? No it was our friends with the guns. We were caught up in total mayhem, around 60 men randomly firing muskets with some sort of blank rounds, the noise, smoke and flames from the muzzles were incredible. We were about to climb the Torres de Serranos which is where, unbeknown to us, the grand, and deafening, finale was going to be. We could feel the blast in our faces on top of the tower. Yet again there was a film camera in attendance. I couldn’t get close ups but I got a good overview and shot my first video with the 5D, my first in 5 years of owning a DLSR with the capability. I usually use my phone ( I used my phone as well). Later in the day there was a bullfight taking place, the ring was almost next to our hotel, in the end we had other things to do and gave it a miss, it was certainly a busy Sunday in the city centre, whether it’s the norm or not I don’t know.
There is a tram system in Valencia but it goes from the port area into the newer part of the city on the north side, it wouldn’t be feasible to serve the historic old city really. A quick internet search told me that there are 55,000 university students in the city, a pretty big number. I think a lot of the campus is on the north side and served by the tram although there is a massive fleet of buses as well. There is a massive, very impressive market building , with 100’s of stalls that would make a photo project on its own, beautiful on the inside and out but very difficult to get decent photos of the exterior other than detail shots owing to the closeness of other buildings and the sheer size of it. Across town, another market has been beautifully renovated and is full of bars and restaurants and a bit of a destination in its own right.
A downside was the all too typical shafting by the taxi drivers who use every trick in the book to side step the official tariffs and rob you. The taxi from the airport had a “broken” meter and on the way home we were driven 22 km instead of the nine that is the actual distance. Some of them seem to view tourists as cash cows to be robbed at all costs. I emailed the Marriot hotel as they ordered the taxi, needless to say no answer from Marriot – they’ve had their money. We didn’t get the rip off treatment in the bars etc. that we experienced in Rome, prices are very fair on most things, certainly considering the city location.
All in all we had a good trip and can highly recommend Valencia.
I think this is my favorite of the ghostly people. I just love the pose. She is truly haunting! This shot simply screamed for something original, and the spot of color from the sun made me think of a beam of light. That by itself wasn't very interesting, so, voila. There's a wood sprite!