The Selfridges building is now back to its full glory after a period of renovation. The silver discs were causing problems by becoming detached and falling off the building. All this was happening prior to the pandemic. There were additional problems as the original manufacturer of the discs was no longer operating and a new supplier needed to be found. When the contractors were ready, they covered the building in a spectacular pink and black cover designed by Osman Yousefzada and underneath this “skin” replaced the discs. I liked the Infinity Pattern 1 design as it was a such a different take on the building.
An upward view accentuating the symmetry.A reflection capturing the work being done near to the HS2 site
The repair work continued during and after the pandemic. Finally, the scaffolding came down revealing the new replacement discs. I take part in a weekly photographic project and the week’s theme was geometry. The Selfridges building is perfect for this theme and I went out and about with my camera taking pictures to accentuate the amazing patterns. There was also the chance to get some interaction with reflections of people sitting next to the building. There was a good reaction to the pictures and I find that many people love the design. There are many people who dislike the building but everyone agrees it does put Birmingham on the map.
An opportunity for a few more reflections.Wherever you look there is a different pattern revealed.
I have included some past posts which will provide details of my previous photographic blogs that have involved this iconic building.
Several mornings during July, I ran into Kardamena from where I was staying. My hotel, Acti Beach, is around 2 miles away from Kardamena. Getting up early and watching the sunrise develop during the Golden Hour is an unforgettable experience. Two years ago I was here in August and the sun rose over the sea. In July, the sun rises behind the mountains. Therefore I saw the sun start to rise by the golden colours appearing on the white buildings of the town as I ran towards Kardamena.
The rising sun creating shadows on the walls of the whitewashed buildings.The sun appears from behind the mountains.
I run with my iPhone13 and I was able to stop for a few minutes and capture the golden rays. The fun is getting back to the hotel and seeing what the results are like. These pictures were taken on different mornings and when posted on my social media, they received a positive response. I certainly want to get back to Kos in the future and experience more sunrises on this beautiful island. This is the last of my Kos Island sequence and hope you enjoyed them.
Sunrise on the sun loungers at Malibu BeachA view of the sunrise from a jetty at Kardamena.Sunrise in the harbour with golden rays on the Pirate ship.The day begins.
A return visit to Kos and more pictures of the beautiful seaside village of Kardamena. An idyllic spot and a perfect base for the rest of the island. The long straight harbour front with the tropical trees adds character to the place and there are some delightful places to eat out and watch the world go by. Food is a must in Kardamena.
Sea Bass undressed
Thomas’s Meze is a favourite restaurant of ours and I enjoyed the traditional Greek foods that were served. The sea bass was particularly tasty and the bones were expertly removed by our waiter. The pictures show the before and after result. Other favourites included home made Moussaka and Feta Filo.consisting of feta folding in pastry, sprinkled with sesame seeds. The local honey that is poured over the pastry comes from those bees that I saw in the mountains. It was also a chance for me to become re-acquainted with Retsina. The taste of this Greek resinated wine is not to everybody’s liking with some people spitting it out as soon as they taste it! For me it is a refreshing taste and goes well with fish and other Mediterranean foods.
Spot the bottle of Retsina.
We also dined at the restaurant, Avli, which is based in one of the oldest houses in Kardamena. The restaurant is in an old courtyard which is cool and adds a local greek atmosphere to the proceedings. My choices here were the home made stuffed vine leaves to start with followed by the catch of the day which was red snapper. Both were delicious and prepared well.
Vine leaves starter at Avli restaurant.Red SnapperSea Food selectionEntrance way to Avli restaurant.
Breakfast was taken at the Harbour lounge on the sea front where you could watch the yachts and the various ships such as the Pirate ship leave for a tour of the islands. The owners prepare a sumptuous breakfast which can either be English or Greek depending on your tastes.
Greek breakfast at the Harbour Lounge.Watching the sails from the Harbour Lounge.
Coming back from Kos Town on our final evening, we had our last meal at Chris snack and cocktail bar. A friendly family run restaurant where we had some simple but tasty home cooked food. The seating is on several tiers and we sat close to the sea, enjoying the sight of local children catching a crab and watching the pirate ship come home for the evening.
The pirate ship on its way home to Kardamena.
Eating out in the town was excellent and was a welcome break from the all-inclusive food at our hotel, which was fine but unadventurous. After breakfast or evening meal, then it was only natural that we wandered along the streets of Kardamena. There was a chance to see the shops, view the boats in the harbour or see the antics of the local cat population. Here are a selection of photographs out and about Kardamena during the day.
View of the islands south of Kardamena.Villagers in the setting sunlight.Villagers and the tourists.The central building.Streets of KardamenaShopping in the town.Cats of KardamenaMotorbiking
The album “Reach for the Sky” was released by Sunderland Brothers and Quiver in 1975. The cover is very evocative and has an eagle flying across the sun. My picture of the Lesser Kestrel flying over the valley between Kardamena and Pyli reminds me of that LP record. It is one of many pictures taken on a day out with the wonderful photographer Sarah Longes (Twitter @miradordesign). With my 200mm lens working to its limit, Sarah taught me to be patient on taking photographs. Not one of my strongest virtues but I am learning.
A pair of lesser kestrels take a rest from huntingIf you look closely, a bee is following the kestrel as it sets off in flight.
Sarah spotted where the lesser kestrels were hunting on the edge of the valley. The view from our photography spot was spectacular and one of the interesting features were the large number of bee hives scattered across the landscape. Sarah has a sixth sense of where to find wildlife. I have known her virtually for a few years now and luck would have it we were both on Kos at the same time. She is a super photographer and teacher.
A gecko lizard out and about.
We left the Lesser Kestrels hunting in the mountains and moved onto Pyli to walk around the village. Pyli features a natural water spring. Although it was the heat of the day, there were several people filling up containers with spring water. It was quiet when we visited, although two coach tours did descend on the area whilst we were having lunch in a local restaurant in the square.
The water at the springs in Pyli is particularly sought after for its mineral content.Yannis, a local resident, filling up containers. The water will be taken to restaurants throughout Kos.Traditional house in Pyli, Kos Island Patterns of shadeThe high street in Pyli
Following lunch, we made our way to the Alikes Salt Lake that was next to the town of Tigaki. The lake was teeming with wildlife in spite of the serious levels of pollution present. The salt works are no longer operational and are visited by a few tourists and locals. More interest is from the paragliding sails that pepper the horizon. The salt lake was interesting with graffiti on old abandoned buildings, several varieties of birds and even some turtles swimming around. It was here that once again I learnt to be patient, as I photographed the birds, resisting my natural temptation to rush forward to get as close as possible.
Evocative image of the Black winged Stilt flying over the salt lake.Turtle and Bird not talking to each other.No talking please whilst flying.Looking out for food.These legs were made for wading.Nice reflections.Amy Whitehouse looks out from the abandoned salt works.The salt lake was so hot and this dramatic view of the mountains puts it in perspective.Heading out for the paragliding.
Our final stop was the Traditional Windmill of Antimachia. This is a restored windmill and the intricate sails were quite magnificent as they turned around. I chatted to the owner of the Windmill and accompanying restaurant/bar and showed him Chesterton Windmill near Leamington Spa. The owner was very interested, and I hope that I have forged an international link between the two windmills.
The striking Antimachia Windmill on KosThe Windmill sails.A black and white view.
A memorable day and thank you to both Sarah for allowing me to accompany her on her photography tour and Simon her husband for chauffeuring us around Kos. Hope you as the reader enjoy the pictures.
I visited Manchester as part of a PhD examination at the Univeristy, and it gave me the chance to see the city again. Manchester is part of my early life and as a dental student, I loved being in the city. In the seventies, life was very different, but the music scene was a big part of my life including Punk Rock, and the rise of Joy Division and the Buzzcocks. Manchester looks and feels very different today and I struggle to find the same landmarks in many parts of the city. Old buildings have been renovated. High rise living is everywhere. You can now stroll along the Rochdale canal rather than being able to walk on the water due to the rubbish.
The Manchester tram seen from Piccadilly station.
These are the pictures taken on my walk from Piccadilly Station to the University of Birmingham and back again. I walked through the Gay Village along the canal and then onto Oxford Road. I varied my route the next day to take in a few more areas as I returned to Piccadilly station. Cities like Birmingham and Manchester are under constant change and all for the better in most cases. I hope you enjoy my view of Manchester.
CyclistsWW1 memorial Piccadilly stationPhotographing along the canalLook no handsG-A-YThe 8th DayLight and shadows on the canalFlowers on the canalYoung people on the canal
There is a “key to the city Brum” that unlocks doors around Birmingham. What a great idea. Such doors give the entry to special places. Ones that only you may open if you have a special key. Intriguing. I always loved a good treasure hunt but how do I get access to one of these fabled keys? It was not difficult to find out as the project caught the imagination of Brummies and social media was rife with the #keytothecitybrum hashtag.
Key to the City Brum 2022 passport box.
When the launch took place in Grand Central on a Monday morning in June, I jumped in the car and made my way to New Street station, Birmingham. I arrived just when the launch was taking place with all the media and other important people talking about the keys. I even caught sight of the artist Paul Ramírez Jonas who came up with the concept. The project had previously taken place in New York city and was now being launched in Birmingham as part of the Birmingham 2022 Festival taking place prior to the Commonwealth Games.
The reception desk at New Street StationSarah from the Birmingham 2022 festival who signed the pledge with me.Me and my key!
I was near to the front of the queue to receive my key and got talking to people around me. The picture shows Sophie who works for the B2022 festival committee who were instrumental in bringing ‘Keys to the City’ to Birmingham. Sophie is pictured in New Street Station holding up the pledge that we had to read and then sign before getting our ‘Keys’. To sign our pledge, there needed to be two people signing it together on a table. Sophie kindly buddied up with me so that we could correctly enact the ceremony and then collect the key. Thanks to Sophie for allowing me to take her photograph. The key came in a presentation box with a leaflet in the form of a passport. All the doors were listed with maps and instructions on how to access them. One of the helpers then asked me to put a sticker on the map of Birmingham postcodes. This is to show everyone where all the key holders lived around Birmingham. The story of the places I visit will be photographed in the following weeks. I did write up the first few places and posted my pictures on Instagram. However, people wanted the opening of the doors to be a surprise so I will release my journey after the 7th August when it ends. Until then this is the first place that I visited to give a flavour of what you encounter with your key.
The board showing where all the participants live
Artfull Expression
My first lock venue that I visited was Artfull Expression which is on Warstone Lane in the Jewellery Quarter. My key opened the contents of the cabinet which held items used in the manufacture of jewellery.
David, Artfull ExpressionThe Yale lock on the cabinetThe booklet with venue description Opening the lockDavid explaining a watch mechanism.The jewellery making cabinet displayHere goes as I open the doorArtfull Expression, JQ
David is the owner of Artfull Expression. His premises are one of the venues of the ‘Key to the City Brum’ event organised by the Birmingham 2022 festival. When I arrived, I was warmly met by David who explained the downstairs studio was not open due to unforeseen circumstances. He directed me to a locked cabinet that they had prepared. My ‘Key to the city’ fitted the Yale lock on the cabinet. I freed a metal rod which once removed, allowed the cabinet to be opened. Inside was a description of jewellery making. David enthusiastically explained the manufacturing process to me. Also, I learnt that David is one of the Guardians of the Birmingham Assay Office. He also told me how Birmingham obtained the anchor hallmark on its jewellery. Apparently, Matthew Boulton, the 18th century industrialist, won the right on the toss of a coin in a London pub. Sheffield was the loser and was given a castle logo which they changed to a rose. David has expertise in jewellery design and Sandy, my wife, will be returning to have some jewellery redesigned by him. This was a fascinating visit and the first lock opened in my Keys to the City journey.
When you first behold a poppy field, immediately the intense red colour catches the eye. You stop and take in the beautiful scene. Such poppy fields are rare and also transient. Similar to the bluebell season, their intense red colours grace the landscape for a couple of weeks and then they are gone. I have been fortunate to see two poppy fields in successive years. The first was in Minworth, which is now a housing estate. Last year a poppy field sprung up in Leamington Spa which was close to home. Both fields were beautiful in their own individual way.
Poppies on the landscapeCatching the sun’s rays
This year I wondered if I would be lucky to see a poppy field. The changing nature of the landscape with increased density of house building means that many fields are being lost. As June began, there were several reports of poppy fields on social media but all were a long car journey away. Then reports of poppy fields began to surface in Worcestershire. After careful searching on the Internet, combined with advice from a friend who lived in the area, I decided to get up early and check out a poppy sunrise. Setting off early I arrived near Kidderminster at 4.30am. I chased the low lying Strawberry full moon along the Motorway. The disappearing moon looked magnificent in the morning sky. I arrived at what I thought was the poppy field site and disappointingly there were only clumps of poppies. Deciding to stay, I made the best of a poor display and concentrated on the individual poppies. After an hour, I decided to call it a day and head home.
A panoramic view
As I got into the car, I thought to myself surely there must be a field of poppies around here. Social media does not lie or does it? On a spur of the moment decision, I turned down the next lane off the main road. I drove for about half a mile and thought this is stupid as there is nothing here to see. As soon as I thought this, I looked to my left and saw a beautiful sea of red poppies. It was 5.45am, sunrise had gone but there was still lovely light. I lost an hour of my life just taking pictures around the field. The landscape favoured the photographer and I satisfied my desire for taking lots of photographs of poppies. I am not convinced I took the best photographs but I did enjoy myself. Hope you enjoy the pictures!
Tracks in the fieldA view of the field used by BBC Weather WatchersA close up of the poppiesThe strawberry moon over the poppies
Our street held a Jubilee street party. We have a strong neighbourhood community and this is led by Denise Jowitt and Kattalin Martin. A Whatsapp group formed before the day and plans were laid. On the Sunday morning of the Platinum Jubliee, there was rain and so much was falling it looked unlikely that a street party would get started. At 2pm people emerged out of their houses. Tables and chairs were set up and a line of Gazebos assembled. All the cakes were displayed in one neighbours’ garage and then the food and drink were consumed. Songs were sung including Rule Britannia, Land of Hope and Glory and Jerusalem. It was still cold and damp but the residents pressed ahead with the competitions. There was a Jubilee quiz with each house asking 5 questions. Then the cake competition was voted upon and won by our newly arrived Ukrainian family. The winner was the splendid cake with sliced strawberries on it. Next up were races along the street and these included an egg and spoon race, musical chairs and a balloon held between the knees race.
It may be cold and raining but we are having such fun!A line up cakesThe cake winner was made by our Ukrainian familyAt the end of the street is a street partyGetting ready for the balloon raceThe egg and spoon raceDavid is dressed for the occasion Kattalin gets the quiz movingServing the trifleReady for tea with the QueenScott serving teaBringing chairs and food to the party
In spite of the weather everyone had a lovely day and we went back to our houses to warm up! We had lovely memories and the street party was even mentioned in the Solihull Observer.
Solihull ObserverStreet Party Platinum Jubilee, Knowle
The High Street in Knowle village closed on Saturday 4th June during Jubilee weekend. Several drivers were not pleased that cars were stopped from passing through Knowle. They were diverted around the High Street but that did add 5 minutes to their journey! The car drivers’ loss was the community’s gain. At 10 o’clock as soon as the road was closed, the artesian market went up. There was just one problem the rain came along at the same time and stayed for the duration of the morning. From all accounts people thought that the day going to be a washout.
The Queen is Knitted out.Jacques restaurant went to town with the decorationsColourful decorations at Caroline Bramley Dress ShopElderberry Blacks table settingMarie Curie with the dress design from the local schoolCarly’s shop window
I did not venture into the village until 2pm and by then the rain had stopped. It also brought out the people and the festivities were kickstarted again. The high street was buzzing, and the artisan market was in full swing. It was fun just to wander up and down the high street, stand on the zebra crossing and linger at the different stalls. This is what celebrating the 70th anniversary of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II is all about, doing something different.
The High Street is closedKing Charles or William?Lots of funHelter-Skelter in the Church Throw the ball into the lavatory No cars just lots of stalls
Highlights of the afternoon included throwing footballs into lavatories. At first the children lined up to have a go. After a while many of the dads decided to have a go. There were not much better than their siblings, but it was still amusing to watch. The area around the Church was transformed and where there was green grass and a nicely manicured path, on this Saturday there was a helter-skelter, market stalls and lots of people enjoying themselves.
Panda outside Marie Curie Charity ShopThe Police having funDressed for the occasion. The Queen looks onBusy at Eric Lyons BBQEven the dogs were showing off
I took many pictures during the afternoon and luckily met a few people I know who let me take their pictures. Visit Knowle made a video of the day with some of my pictures being featured. I hope the Village do this on a regular basis as the event did bring the community together.
Usually this is a quiet picturesque scene.
The event was to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The Jubilee team (Arden Academy, Arden Parent & Teachers Association, Knowle and Dorridge Lions, Knowle Parish Church, Knowle Society, Knowle Village Hall Association, Love Knowle Park & Visit Knowle) came together to produce the programme of events. If you want to know more then the event is covered on the Visit Knowle website
A stretch of green in the Warwickshire countryside close to Bidford-on-Avon is the home of Bidford Gliding and Flying Club. With the decline of Covid, many fairs and fêtes are back on the calendar and ‘Wings and Wheels’ promised to be a well-attended event. On arrival, the wheels were in full force with an impressive display of classic cars on one corner of the airfield. I enjoyed seeing the old Jaguar and Alfa Romeo cars as these were a particular love of my father. There were many other cars present including a monster truck alongside the tractors. The gleaming chrome work and the rainbow of colours made for some good photography. The morning was overcast so there were no dark shadows to contend with when photographing such subjects. The classic cars were lined up boot to boot and in-between the lines the owners and their families were sitting around on deckchairs discussing their cars. The pride and joy invested in their hobby was plain to see.
The interior of one of the vintage cars.The classic cars parked back to backLunch by the carUnion Jacks, classic cars and the occasional soft toy!
During the morning, propeller planes started to land on the grassy runway, shifting people’s attention away from the cars. It was the start of the ‘Wings’ to take the centre stage. The planes were colourful with both single wing and biplanes displayed. The proud owners were making last minute adjustments to the wings and fuselages polishing the outside and checking the engines. The main reason for attending the show was to watch Rich Goodwin undertake an aerobatic display as a warmup to the forthcoming RAF Cosford Airshow. Rich was to be the subject of a BBC Midlands Today news item. His entrance to the meeting teased the crowds, as two colourful biplanes flew overhead with smoke trails behind them. After landing and parking up, the red and blue biplanes, one red and blue, became the centre of attention. The blue biplane with the marking G-JPIT belonged to Rich Goodwin and upon his arrival on the airfield, he generated a wave of enthusiasm and anticipation for the forthcoming airshow. We did not have long to wait and after a several flypasts by other classic planes, it was the turn of Rich Goodwin to perform. With a flurry of smoke accompanied by the noise of the engines, the biplane took off with a low pass over the fields.
Rich arrives with friendPrior discussion about the airshow. Rich is in the Cockpit.Taking off.A diagonal ascent.A mock stall at the top.Rapidly coming down to earth.Covered in smoke.A final run just above the ground.
It was exciting to watch as the plane drove upwards in a twisting motion with a long smoke trail highlighting the ascent. At the summit of its vertical path, the plane seemed to stall, fall backwards into the smoke trail, and then suddenly shoot forward. The circular movements combined with flying upside down, rolling this way and that were occassionally difficult to follow. This unpredictability was part of the fun of the display. The impossible seemed to be possible and Rich Goodwin did it time and time again during his performance. As quickly as it had started, the final fly past began, and Rich landed his plane to great acclaim from the assembled spectators. Bravo for such a remarkable and memorable display. Following this, my friend John Bray filmed Rich for a BBC Midlands film. It was also time for me to depart.
Our man at the BBC, John Bray, recorded a news item on Rich Goodwin.
On the way out, I came across the Motorbikes and got lost in photographing the many different new and old bikes that were on display. The bikers were in good form and enjoyed having photographs taken. Thanks to the Bidford Gliding and Flying Club for organising the ‘Wings and Wheels’ day and good luck to Rich Goodwin in his future airshows.
Classic sidecar and bike.The bike display was impressive.Lots of bikes to see and photograph.Time to say good bye to ‘Wings and Wheels’.
Meanwhile I took so many pictures of the event so if you have reached this point in the blog then I have put a quick gallery together of all the other photographs I took.
Alfa Romeo classic carRed and WhiteFord Mustang Messerschmitt KR200Jubilee FlagsEnjoying the day outWingsDetailsStop!Do we let this one in.Plane CrazyNice GrillsClassic carsDetailsMore carsJaguar E-TypeWheelsLine up of planesPlane trailsGetting ready to flyThe red Barron colours
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