The Handmade Parade is probably Hebden Bridge’s best annual photo-opportunity, explaining why it’s appeared in 2012, 2013 and 2014, and will again next Sunday. But, for the first time, here’s a capture of the preparations, with me not bothered this year that I know what Clare and Joe’s costume will be in advance. I love the chaos of this shot; imagine all the parade squashed up inside a single building, and there you have it.
Going on how dominant his team were today in the FA Cup Final, I guess he has a right to be happy — and this was only half time. The Villa fans and neutrals around him can raise little such enthusiasm.
We are all paying attention, honest. Not an exciting photo (with due respect to the people in it) but I should somehow depict the conference which actually got me to Paris. Last day here, a mixed break, to put it mildly, but life goes on. It’s certainly a fine city, undeniably a world centre.
Going a bit out on a limb with this shot because it’s out of focus, but I think it captures quite well the atmosphere of this totally unreconstructed bistro which we stumbled across at lunchtime. Food, wine, this is why I came to Paris… (well, OK, I came for a conference, but y’know).
So as you might have gathered from yesterday’s post (I said, don’t ask), we have been in Paris for a few days. France becomes the 22nd different country to feature on the blog. Not a new country or place for me, but it’s been a while (2003 was the last visit to France and around 2000, I forget exactly, to Paris). We were staying near Montmartre, a good place to amble around on a warm sunny day and enjoy the view over the city from the steps below the Sacre-Coeur, as these people (and several hundred others) are doing.
Welcome to Paris. Don’t even ask.
Clearing up after the Bank Holiday crowd. Saturday’s walk notwithstanding, it has not been the most eventful eight days, but there’ll be a burst of activity from tomorrow.
I could explain again the basis of Clare’s blog with her Lego lady…. but I’m not going to. Rest assured that I did take this shot, hence it fits with the rules of my own blog. Do I feel like this? That’s for me to know and you to find out.
Far too glorious a day to not go on a walk. The walking blog will get updated tomorrow, but for now, here’s one of today’s spectacular views: Great End on the left, then the three lumps from centre to right are Loft Crag, Pike o’Stickle and Harrison Stickle — the Langdale Pikes. England doesn’t get a great deal better than this.
At the end of a week that I have mostly spent marking but which tired me out anyway. Where else to go but the pub?
Being 42 