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Perth and Dundee

Andrew — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 19:50:22 +0000

Quick trip north of the border…

Perth and the River Tay

Desperate Dan Statue in Dundee

The Dandy comic originated in Dundee, hence the statue.

A day of snow and then the melt

Andrew — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:29:24 +0000

Warley Woods

Oozells Sq, Birmingham

Snow storm

Andrew — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 21:40:10 +0000

Today we can celebrate another traditional British event: the annual 10 cm of snow that brings chaos, disruption and almost certainly a measure of disaster. This one was well predicted (at least 5 days warning) and very sensibly the councils have pulled all the gritters off the road – probably didn’t manage to get the Method Statements or Health & Safety Planning Modules completed in time.

An abstract view:

Abstract snow storm

Birmingham: Canals old and new

Andrew — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:30:26 +0000

We have more canals than Venice – you can check this for yourself; however, I have always found the comparison somewhat spurious, and at the very least we (Birmingham) must be including several out of city, and possibly silted up, branches to make up the number.

Nevertheless the canals are an attractive feature of the city, especially now they have been cleaned up. Gas Street Basin is at the centre of the city network and includes residential moorings.

As the New York Times gave us another thumbs up recently – article here – I thought I would go for a wander.

Birmingham Canals Gas St Basin

The unremarkable looking building below is the reason for the name Gas Street, Retort House was built to manufacture Town Gas from coal (brought in by barge). The building was almost demolished in the 1990′s, but refurbished when its value was recognised. Grade 2 listed it currently stands empty.

Birmingham Canals Gas St Retort House

The newest addition to the Birmingham Canal side: The Cube, mixed residential, office, retail and restaurant complex.

Birmingham Canals The Cube

Birmingham Canals

Time to reset the ‘bonkers meter’

Andrew — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 09:20:37 +0000

I have been in Thailand almost a month now, and after a while you start to get used to things that you really shouldn’t; the quite bizarre barely gets a second glimpse.

Thought I would snap a few things this morning, no special effort required…

So… the first picture is just one of those Thai ‘Utility Vehicles’ kitted out as an ice cream van, then a motorbike, then a tuktuk. Look again, what’s driving the motorbike?

Chiang Mai, Thailand - some random examples of bonkers

What the well dressed fisherman is wearing this season…

Chiang Mai, Thailand - some random examples of bonkers

So Mr Vanatanasonboom, do you still maintain that you had full control of both market carts in a public street at 20 MPH?

Chiang Mai, Thailand - some random examples of bonkers