Wednesday Lensday: Legends and Lights

Had a bit of a camera clear out…

In an event to continue the legacy of Hull’s City of Culture status, Urban Legends: Northern Lights (back in December 2018) had various illuminated installations around the city centre. Some told tales that brought giant, fantastical creatures to life on the walls of our museums. Others carpeted pedestrian areas in an ever-changing kaleidoscope of asymmetric patterns, or lit our landmarks in an array of bright colours.

Then there were a few that were just plain…odd. Like the talking mermaid and the ice queen propped up in shop windows and looking like bad fairground freak-show attractions. But you can’t win them all! Fortunately, I was too short to get close enough to them, so you’re saved from the disturbing images!

Alphabet of Travel Snaps: N is for…

NORTHUMBERLAND!

The most northerly county in England, this sparsely populated swathe of wild moorland, deserted beaches and vast forests sits adjacent to the Scottish border and was once plagued by attacks from Border Rievers – raiders of both nationalities that pillaged their wealth from local homesteads.

But now, protected by the Angel of the North, all is peaceful throughout the landscape.

And believe me…it is SO quiet!

Opera House? No, Opera Bridge!

Like many people, I love a good bridge. I’d like to give some poetic reason, such as they’re symbolic of links between points in our life journey, but the simple truth is I just find them structurally appealing. Strong architectural lines with the added bonus of generally being near another personal favourite, water.

I’m lucky enough to live very close to the Humber Bridge, once the longest single-span suspension bridge in the world. Its arrival in the early 1980s put it firmly on the map as an iconic local landmark, for many, a comforting signal of home as it looms on the horizon after a long trip.

Seeing as I’m also a big fan of classical music, it was a given that I wanted to get tickets when the City of Culture team announced an event in conjunction with Opera North to walk the bridge to a unique, specially composed soundtrack: The Height of the Reeds.

Unfortunately, as tickets were free, they went swiftly and I lost out. Then, hurrah! They announced it had been so popular they were extending the run and this time I was in, albeit alone as we could only get hold of one ticket.

So yesterday, amidst the extraordinary heat we’re experiencing at the moment in the UK, I set off for a 5K trundle.

Alphabet of Travel Snaps: A is for…

ALGARVE!

The southernmost region of continental Portugal, the Algarve has been popular with British tourists for years and we are lucky enough to have (through family) the use of a villa there in a small town called Olhos de Agua.

Very close to the resort of Albufeira, this sleepier area is within a few minutes walk of some beautiful beaches which are relatively empty, even in peak season, where you can watch fishermen bring in their catch.

Alphabet of Travel Snaps: P is for…

PARIS!

It’s ages since I’ve done one of these travel photography posts (if we’re not counting Iceland) and as we’re heading off tomorrow for a week in Portugal, it’s put me in the mood to look back on some past adventures.

Now, although I have used some of these images on the blog, I can’t believe I’ve not shared them in their entirety and talked about our whirlwind trip to the French capital!

The final stop on our mini-European escapade, with only 36 hours until we boarded the Eurostar back home, we had a lot to cram in since landing from Rome!