I should have included this in the previous blog. It is a scene from Parliament Hill, looking North at 9.57am! It has been been lightened up slightly and looks even better than the one below at Alexandra Palace, which was taken at 13.17, looking South.

Giulietta and I were on the 4th floor Coffee Place in John Lewis Oxford Street when we saw a great view directly up Harley Street towards - well we could not decide whether it was Primrose Hill or even Hanmpstead Heath, it could be either. We took several photographs. Mine were rubbish because of the white sky - see below - but I was happier with these two where no sky intrudes. I have tweaked them in Picasa's tuning chamber , whose Colour Temperature facility has made made the brown building look browner and given more detail to the dormer windows.



I have been trying to be a bit more creative, tuning-wise. I particularly was fed up getting all white where there should be fluffy clouds and so spent Saturday am and pm in Hampstead Heath and at Alexandra Palace going through the whole range of options to get a decent cloud scene - the land bit was incidental on this occasion - and this one is one of the best with a little touch of Colour Temperature. I think I am getting there, don't you think, though not as near as I would like.

Pour Ezair en Guadeloupe

Just to show you the creative use we made of one of your nice red paper tablecloths!!

Museum of Life, Lincoln

Giulietta mentions here that we visited a Victorian schoolroom in Lincoln.
In her rightful place at the teacher's desk, looking appropriately stern.
Giving what looks like a cheeky wave to the photographer.
Desk lids were always something useful to hide behind!
Somewhere around here is Guadeloupe, but these are only the British territories...
And here is Cape Town, which is where Evie is now.

Lincoln, a non-touristy view

Our room was on the first floor. We looked down onto a lawn dwarfed by this very big and spreading willow. It has to be drastically pruned every four years as it is too well fed by underground springs. Behind it is the main road from which you can neither see nor enter the hotel it. Hence the lack of a photograph of it.
The same, at night.
On Friday evening I watched the sun set and took a number of photographs marking its development. It peaked with this blinding effect...
...and then settled down with this glorious colour. The smoke is from one of the chimneys of the distant power station. It drifted up and then broke away, forming different patterns as it did so.
Coming down the street to the hotel the previous evening we saw the black clouds and an electric storm. Unfortunately I was unable to capture the scene as it had stopped by the time I had got the camera out and ready - as ever!

Hi Ruby!

August 10th was our 40th (Ruby) Wedding Anniversary. Time to go away for a long weekend to celebrate. Giulietta is looking very happy at the prospect, just as she did 40 years ago when we left the Reception to embark on our new life together.
A tunnel leads us out of King's Cross as we head northwards. Tunnels are an experience of life but fortunately there is always a light at the end of them, even though it can seem like an age to get to it.
Out of the tunnel into the open and the train quickens its speed and away we go. Through those 40 years there were such times when things were going along very nicely indeed, and there were times too of reflection, looking in on one's self and assessing one's own progress.
At Newark we have to change for a Replacement Coach Service due to railworks. Thus ahead is the A 46 and the driver's head. He has a game of allowing his seat to go up and down rapidly and it looks as if he is bouncing so much he will suddenly go through the roof... The road is straight here and wide but not everywhere. So our 4o years have seen all sorts of roads and we have met amusing people on the way.
Arriving at the Guest House on top of a hill we can look out and see far into the distance for everywhere around is relatively flat. The white spot in the centre of the picture is a white truck on what is probably the A46 still, for it acts as a Ring Road. Beyond it we are be able to see at least 2 other roads. A 40 year marriage sees us on different roads, or sees us having to question which of many roads to take. But the high view is useful to get everything into perspective. And who better at providing that perspective than our Lord himself, who has helped us so much along our journey.

Oh, in case you are wondering - we went to Lincoln. A town we knew nothing about but now know plenty. Full of history - I may put some features on board next time.

Dunadan: Familiar scene?

Do you remember the who? what? where? and when?

Ezair: Nostalgia for Eurostar Waterloo!

Ah the scene of so much goings and comings, of meetings and departings,
Of new life expectancies and old life renewed.
Away from Blighty, let us see Paris
for fun and gaiety
and the odd crepe or two.
Now all is past.



Where there was movement there is now stillness.
Look over the balcony and what do you see?
The check-ins have made their last move ,
spiders will have it all their own way.






Where is the cafe? An empty hole now marks the place for discounted coffee and sarnies.
No place even for a respectable railway mouse there now.
Nothing on an escalator that leads from and to nowhere,
Below all is is bare,
Above is boarded.
Ah, the irony!
for that is the only sign of any boarding in this once so busy axis.





Time has truly stood still.
Just at the point when midnight, or even midday would strike, it ceased
Finally to move no more
Finito - all is over
It is time...







...to bring in change, for a new perspective.
Terence Cuneo sits there with his back to the past and looks out on the hurrying, scurrying present, just as his predecessor had done,
Palette in hand he watches to mark the new day,
the new life,
the new comings and goings of the island -bound peoples around him.
No tunnel,no sudden realisation of a new land.
Just England...
Dear old England...

Time to get over to St Pancras, I think!