Cuba Street

According to my guide book this is Wellington’s alternative quarter, a great people watching place. I realised I was right by it and spent an enjoyable afternoon walking up and down, exploring some of the shops and the side

Havana it ain’t, though some of the colours are reminiscent, but fortunately the buildings look in much better shape than those I saw when I went to Cuba over twenty years ago.

This one is my favourite.

 

There were a pleasing number of vegetarian and vegan eateries I noted for possible future reference.

 

 

 

It’s not just a home to businesses, there are houses and flats too.
I think I’ll Let the photos do the talking.

I’m on the Train part 2

What a splendid place Walton-on-the-Naze is to spend time on a fine day outside the high season. The train conductor on the second train thought it should be fine for me to come home later so I am hoping that confidence is borne out when someone comes to check the tickets.

There’s not a lot doing by the station at Thorpe-le-Soken and I didn’t have enough time to explore, but there was evidence of decayed grandeur and Google informed me that Eduardo Paolozzi lived there. Google also informed me that beautiful properties for the price of my London flat are available.

Having spilt my snack down my front, I followed up by dropping avocado onto my jumper. Fortunately the sun was shining brightly when I reached WotN so I stuffed said jumper in my bag and presented a clean shirt to the world.

Out of the station and a walk beside a sparkling sea. I’m guessing most of the people I saw walking their dogs, or pushing young children in pushchairs are locals. The schools are back, many of the ice cream sellers and chip shops seemed to have shut up, maybe to allow staff to go on their own holidays.

I’m on the Train

My New Year’s Resolution for 2017 was to explore areas of London close to where I live, areas I think I know but where really I have the barest knowledge. I haven’t done terribly well at that but as the year trots to an end I am finally making some progress. However, I have enjoyed some out of town day trips. This started with a trip to Coventry on February, followed by Birmingham, Coventry again, Colchester, Chatham, Ipswich next month and today Walton-on-the-Naze. After a night of rain it’s a fine morning and promises to be warm and sunny. In anticipation of a fair amount of walking I am wearing my boots and I have a packed lunch with me. The train is very long and very empty. I don’t know if it is going to fill up later but I have to change at Thorpe-le-Soken where I have two minutes to make the connection. This train will continue to Clacton. Have I ever been to Clacton? I’m not sure. It may have been the destination for a ramble once, but I have no memory of it. Another one to add to the list.

Spring Shadows

Happy Easter Cookie Cat

We have had appropriate Easter weather.

For Good Friday it was grey and blustery. Saturday was not much better, but today, Easter Sunday, when the churches once more decorated with flowers and the altars clourful, the sun shone.

I had a welcome day working from home. I took my papers out into the garden while MasterB napped in his basket.

Cookie was pleased to see me. She followed me about as I watered plants in pots, and then chose a garden seat near me for a nap. When I needed to come inside for something, she came too. I didn’t let her through the door into the flat as relations between her and MasterB have deteriorated.

The Grey Ninja

I’ve mentioned her before. She is Octavia’s cat. A gorgeous Russian Blue who is horribly difficult to photograph in winter. Grey on grey.

But on Sunday when the sun put its hat on, and we were preparing to have lunch in Octavia’s small walled garden, I had my camera. The grey ninja isn’t used to cameras like mine and was curious as to what it was.

What is that?

From Where I’m Sitting

I brought my work outside as it is too glorious an afternoon to be indoors, but mostly because my home looks like it has been serially burgled. I have to go in in a moment and face some of the domestic ungodliness, but first some photos of right here, right now.

Cool Fountain, Warm Beach

If the weather stays warm, I imagine quite a few people are going to enjoy playing in this fountain at the Southbank. The idea is to go into the middle while it is turned off and enjoy the sensation of being dry yet surrounded by walls of water. From the number of very wet children I saw on Sunday afternoon, some evidently think that tame sport.

Fountain1

Fountain2

Fountain3

Fountain4

Sunday Morning

Sunny Spring Skies

It is 4th April and I still have the heating on. Something is very wrong. Today it tried to snow again, and at one point there were big swirling flakes of the white stuff outside my windows. Horror! Fortunately it stopped, the bits that had settled on the gutters melted away, and we were back to bits of snow like dandruff once more. The skies are battleship grey, and it is hard to remember that we have had sunny skies, and even warm days, this spring.
Here’s a handful of photos from this spring where it has felt like spring.

sunny pelican

sunny bud

sunny leaf

sunny MasterB

sunny bikes

sunny St Paul’s