A sunny day in Manchester, and a good one for light rebounding off glassy and metallic buildings in various pleasing ways. The block in the middle has been a work-in-progress for at least a year now and so is still neither glassy nor metallic but surely this is planned — for now though it offers a good contrast to what turns out almost like a collage.
The last night of the trip was spent on the 12th floor of the Walthamstow Travelodge, from which this was the view on opening the curtains in the morning, the first rays of light just catching some of the buildings and, in the background, the smoke or steam rising from the industrial area over there.
This afternoon, four weeks and five hours after leaving, I arrived back home. Time to rest for a little while…. well, a couple of weeks anyway.
This back street has long been a feature of my walk to campus in Manchester, and at this time of year, when the sun is shining, it is one of a number of streets on the route that channel the morning light in photogenic ways. The sun doesn’t necessarily shine much in early December in Manchester so it’s worth capturing the moments.
A second day in a row spent in Manchester in which I didn’t seem to point my camera at any people, particularly. I like the collage effect here though, and the flash of reflected sunshine. After two long days though, I’m glad it’s the weekend.
Did something I had not done since 28th July, and went to campus. The scenes are much the same as they have ever been, but the weather is certainly very fine at the moment. A ‘goodlife’ indeed, even at 8.05am.
Beyond a darkened bedroom, this was the first view seen on opening the curtains to greet February 2021, the waning moon on its way down above the hillside, tinged red by the rising sun. It’d be nice if the rest of February were as pleasant as this morning was, although I already know that won’t be the case.
The traffic lights say go, for what cars there are. No social commentary today, I just like the effect of a fairly long zoom down Brook Street, taken on my way to the office.
One of those days which was absolutely gorgeous until I arrived at work, and then after I left, it was dreadful, grey and raining. So let’s document the morning; featuring the second red-clad cyclist in three days. I like this spot on my walk to work, huddled beneath the Mancunian Way but very pleasant, particularly on an autumn morning.
Into September, and Manchester still seems mostly dead. It’s the cities that seem to have been hit worst by the mass lunacy. Manchester City Council puts up signs saying “Help Manchester on its road to recovery — by staying 2m apart!” This is doublethink. The only way that cities will be helped to recover is when people decide for themselves that they are going back to work there. As I have.
London is, without a doubt, one of the two main financial centres of the known universe, and also a city that should be heaving with tourists at this time of year — particularly on a gloriously sunny day like this.
And it’s dead. We’re in big trouble. Ignore the politicians — they can’t think more than a week ahead.
Being 42 