I’m not an economic expert, but I’ve been observing. Just audible at the moment, over the general silence of our cities, is a quiet but ominous creaking. If the arbitrary closures go on any longer than December 2nd, and the busiest month of the year is taken away from businesses like shops and pubs, expect to lose most of the independently-owned ones by March. I think Boris Johnson knows this, but the question is whether he cares enough.
2020 has contained many things to complain about thus far, at least in the wider world, but the weather has not been amongst them. Perhaps it does foretell the melting of the world’s ecosystems somehow but believe me, it could be a lot worse. And time for the annual appearance of the Chinese lanterns on the blog, too.
Usually by this date in the year I am somewhere else. 2015, for example — halfway up Kilimanjaro. Last year — Whitehaven. (OK, not so exotic, but still, on holiday.) There are other examples. This year, I’m still working, at least for another few days. But walking through Chinatown on my way to work each day at least allows for some globetrotting by proxy.
A beautiful morning. Could not resist taking a photo. Could not avoid another building site. The whole city…. the whole city.
Normally, litter bins of various kinds are the bane of photographic composition (along with cars, telegraph wires and lamp-posts). But just occasionally one flowers into attractiveness, as here, I hope. Another beautiful spring day with excellent light, I hope this lasts a while.
Even if the Chinese Arch is visible, almost side-on, in the background. I don’t know if this is a photo of anything. I don’t think I’ve been taking photos of specific things over the last few days. This is more about colours, shapes, textures. Maybe that’s where my head is.
The weekend was pretty grotty all round but today was a far more pleasant day of weather, particularly in Manchester. These fire escapes catch the afternoon sun very well. I also like the way this looks like it could be in New York or somewhere — one of those American cities where the fire escapes zigzag down the fronts of all the old buildings, anyway.
What ho, it’s day 1,999 of the blog. There will be a small celebration tomorrow. Assuming I don’t finally blow it and leave the camera at home.
I don’t know what had been going on around Manchester’s Chinese Arch but the whole area was cordoned off all day today with lines of blue-and-white police tape. But the managers of the establishment referenced here will clearly be damned before they lose any business as a result.
POSTSCRIPT: Apparently this is the result of a fire in a building, on Monday, in which two people were killed.
More glorious weather, though in fact that is not so unusual at this time of year. I have evidence, too: pictures from September 16th 2015 (not 15th, admittedly: glorious though….); 16/9/14 (beautiful!); 15/9/12 (great, and almost the first really fine day of a lousy summer)….
Not that I’m complaining. May there be more, particularly this Saturday, which I have to spend mostly standing in a field.
Crap news about the floods in Cumbria which have left several places I am quite fond of under considerable amounts of water, including Carlisle (featured on this blog only just over two weeks ago), Lancaster and various chunks of the Lake District. Unbelievable amounts of rain fell, around twelve inches in 24 hours in some places.
Meanwhile, a little further south, it’s been a bit wet but that’s all. In fact today in Manchester was rather pleasant. The Chinese arch makes its third, and most golden, appearance on the blog.
