Category Archives: Urban scene

Jul 25 2024
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Daily Post, Urban scene

Red chilli with bikes

Wednesday 24th July 2024, 11.05am (day 4,717)

Red chilli with bikes, 24/7/24

This is one of those occasions where an often-seen view suddenly struck me, for the first time, as possible material for a picture. And with a long zoom, it seems to have worked out. I like the details, such as the panda face to the left. Doubtless if you are Chinese, there will be more. Though apparently, the banners read “Happy New Year” (if the very small writing at the bottom of each is to be believed): proof that this particular culture is no more fastidious about taking down the seasonal decorations than are the English.

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Jul 19 2024
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Daily Post, Urban scene

Advertisement?

Thursday 18th July 2024, 9.35am (day 4,711)

Zappa ad, 18/7/24

This sits on my usual walking route to campus so I know it hasn’t been up for long. I wonder how many other artists who have been dead for 30 years might still receive such tribute. Or perhaps it is a political message. Perhaps the reference is to hidden subliminal messages in Bobby Brown. Perhaps all those 12 key changes in every track will assist in unlocking the secrets of the tellurian currents. But I’m probably not going to start listening to Zappa — I did try, a couple of times, but it really didn’t work out.

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Jul 10 2024
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Daily Post, Hebden Bridge, Urban scene

Condiments

Wednesday 10th July 2024, 2.55pm (day 4,703)

Condiments, 10/7/24

Only the tenth Hebden shot in three months, but as I have already noted, there will be more of these coming up. Whether they get more exciting than this one is as yet undetermined but up to me, I guess. This at least represents a pleasant lunch out with the wife. It’s nice to be home, for now.

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Jul 08 2024
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Daily Post, Urban scene

Two piers

Sunday 7th July 2024, 2.40pm (day 4,700)

Two Brighton piers, 7/7/24

Since the 10th April, which was day 4,612 and hence 88 days, or 12.5 weeks ago, there have only been 8 pictures taken in Hebden Bridge, a sign of how much travelling I have been doing. But today was the last full day of it all. I may still get another Brighton or London picture on my way home tomorrow but after that I am at home for most of the rest of the summer. It’s been good to use my sabbatical properly, and valuable to have a change of scene: but I also want to go home, not move around so much, settle back in to home comforts, food, the movie collection, friends, that kind of thing.

To bring it all this to an end, then: more Brighton. Both piers, the active and the ruined, have appeared on here before — but not together, I think. Farewell to the south coast, for now: how long before I am back? No idea.

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Jun 24 2024
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Daily Post, Urban scene

The ruin of Bradford

Sunday 23rd June 2024, 10.00am (day 4,686)

Bradford works, 23/6/24

Bradford has featured on here reasonably regularly, this being its 27th appearance. It is one of those places that seems to be in a constant state of urban ‘renewal’. Presumably because it is to be the UK’s City of Culture in 2025, at the moment, a big pedestrianisation project seems to be consuming the whole of the city centre. This may be a good thing, in the end. On the other hand, the big Marks & Spencer store has closed — and in the UK, this is as good a marker as any that a retail centre is in trouble. This picture is taken early on but it wasn’t a great deal busier when I came back through at lunchtime, on a sunny summer’s day. Will all this beautification take so long that by the time it’s ready to go, there’s nothing left? (The bus station has fallen down, too.)

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Jun 23 2024
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Daily Post, Hebden Bridge, Urban scene

Hebden Bridge market, c. 1924

Saturday 22nd June 2024, 3.35pm (day 4,685)

Market circa 1924, 22/6/24

I imagine this scene may well have looked much the same 100 years ago. Only the blue plastic Co-op bag really gives it away. A good day today — proof that while travel can be good, it’s almost always nice to come home. And the sun was shining too.

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Jun 20 2024
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Daily Post, Urban scene

Pioneer Village

Wednesday 19th June 2024, 8.10pm (day 4,682)

Pioneer Village, 19/6/24

‘Pioneer Village’ really is the name of this district, with the building on which the letters are sat being the Toronto Subway station of that name. But I doubt the pioneers, of whatever nation, who first explored the regions north of Lake Ontario quite anticipated their village would end up looking like this. Decent sunset, though.

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Jun 18 2024
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Art and architecture, Daily Post, Urban scene

Another Toronto mural

Monday 17th June 2024, 5.25pm (day 4,680)

Church St mural, 17/6/24

I have mentioned before that there are many murals adorning the walls of buildings in Toronto, and this is at least the third to feature on here, mounting up at a rate of one per trip. I do hope this isn’t my last visit to the city — though we will see — should I return, though, there are plenty more to document yet.

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Jun 13 2024
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Daily Post, Urban scene

U of T campus — the nicer bit

Wednesday 12th June 2024, 12.05pm (day 4,675)

UoT library and bikes, 12/6/24

Bicycles two days in a row, but not deliberately — these conjunctions are going to happen every so often. As with my last visit to Toronto I’ve not been here to do the tourist sights though that may change for a bit over the coming weekend. This spot is tucked into the nicer section of the University of Toronto campus, the bit where it’s all trees, quadrangles and shady old buildings. (I, of course, work in one of the modern concretey bits.)

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Jun 11 2024
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Daily Post, Urban scene

Big Lego

Monday 10th June 2024, 10.15am (day 4,673)

Yonge St building site, 10/6/24

Toronto, like all cities, is unable to stop building and rebuilding itself. This particular site resides on Yonge Street. It’s nice to get the perpendiculars straight; something more achievable with an elevated vantage point, viz, my hotel room balcony, twenty floors up. And it does look like a big Lego set.

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