Do you sense a theme going on? Green has never been one of my favourite colours. I always feel it needs something else to “lift” it or to provide contrast, but that’s probably my lack of skills with a camera. In a week of not much happening, I thought I’d try to entertain you with a gallery of green.
A moment this Summer, sitting in my pergola
Green acorns
A splash of red makes all the difference
A vintage bus in Wensleydale
These berries are still green
But these are luscious pink!
Steam traction in Great Ayton village, North Yorkshire
A hint at the changing season- gorgeous Chinese lantern
It’s such an English colour, isn’t it? And the colour of that little green demon, jealousy, of which I’m often guilty. The leaves are falling at an alarming rate, so I guess this is my goodbye to Summer. Next week’s colour is sure to be Autumn.
Time to see what’s befallen my friends on Six word Saturday this week. Follow the links or click on the header to visit Cate at Show My Face.
I think I may have warned you that I still have a Whitby clifftop shot or two up my sleeve? Well, Cee is giving me the perfect opportunity to show them off.
Whitby or Robin Hood’s Bay?
Today, Whitby wins!
This whole coast is protected by the National Trust.
Nice acorns!
Tempting to drop down into the bay?
Sidling past Whitby Abbey
And down the infamous steps.
Now we’re here you may as well come and see a little more of Whitby, if you’re not bored, of course? As usual, click on a photo to see it in gallery form.
Along the pier is a good way to go.
I’ve been that way a time or two!
Over the iconic swing bridge.
100 years of history
So, let’s cross over it.
Fishing trip anybody?
This little guy’s game.
A poetic ending!
Well, I think I’ve probably got Whitby out of my system, for the time being. The Goth Festival’s taking place there at the end of this month. Now there’s a spectacle you oughtn’t to miss!
Thank you so much, Cee, for hosting Which Way? I’ve enjoyed every step of it. Click on the links or the logo to read more about the challenge.
I think, by now, most people who follow me will have a pretty good idea of how the place where I live looks. I’ve trekked you north and south of here, showing you some spectacuilar scenery, and a little industrial grunge too. What you won’t have seen much of, until now, is our neighbouring seaside “resort”, Seaton Carew.
Like such resorts throughout Britain it’s a little tacky, but in the summer months it’s a mecca for young and old alike. (and I’m not just talking bingo!) It has a decent stretch of beach, a paddling pool and, of course, amusement arcades to part you from your pennies. There’s really only one street to it, so you can’t exactly be overwhelmed.
Two fish and chip shops scowl at each other across the main street, and you can buy burgers and icecreams from the kiosks. No candy floss, though. I used to love that sugary smell and watching it whizz around the drum. These days I’m rather fond of lemon tops. I love the sharpness before you get down to the slurpy icecream. How about you? What’s your favourite seaside treat?
The Almighty Cod
With it’s almost elegant seating outdoors
Or good old fashioned Youngs.
Don’t you always forget the bucket and spade? Dad can queue at the chippie while mum nips in here.
Or there’s the “sit down” option at the Waverley Cafe.
Then there’s the arcades. You know you want to!
I don’t know that I’d book a holiday here, but there are a couple of nice hotels and some B & B’s. The Staincliffe is popular as a wedding venue, and has made a bid for notoriety by naming the Darwin Room after a local character who pretended to have died to get his hands on his insurance. He paddled off into the sea and was never seen again. (until he was spotted in South America) Don’t say we don’t have a sense of humour in the north east.
The Marine Hotel on the seafront
The notorious “Darwin Room”- fine dining, indeed!
The Nordic walkers often have a Christmas carvery there.
How about this for windows?
I thought I’d better show you these windows before the last of our hoped-for Indian Summer disappears. It’ll be too cold to linger soon and we’ll all be clutching our hot chocolates.
There’s always Red’s when you need to warm up!
Hope you enjoyed a saunter through Seaton with me. I never mind lingering at a few windows. Visit Dawn at Lingering Visions to spy out a few more.
One of my very first sights when I visited Poland for the first time was the Mariacki Church. The splendour of the Rynek Główny in Kraków, Europe’s largest market square, is crowned by this church. Later, on a guided tour given by my neice Weronika, we crept respectfully around the aisles and I looked up in awe.
The blue ceiling covered in stars was so joyous. I almost said heavenly but that sounds too corny, however true. I’d never before seen anything like it.
The showpiece of the church is the Veit Stoss Altar, depicted on these postcards. With great ceremony the altar is opened at noon each day to reveal the exquisite carvings beneath.
Gilded wood panels of the Altar in close up
St. Mary’s Church, or Kościół Mariacki, dates from the 14th century and stands 262 feet tall (80m). Today it draws the crowds largely for the appearance of the trumpeter, who performs hourly at the top of the taller of the two towers. The sad little notes die away abruptly. According to legend this commemorates the trumpeter who was pierced through the throat while sounding the alarm for an impending Mongol attack on the city. These days it’s a happy occasion and he waves to the cheering crowd below before disappearing.
I don’t often use video clips in my posts but I accidentally came across this one and loved it. The commentary is in Polish, but you get to see the trumpeter in close up.
The noon-time trumpet call, known as the Hejnał mariacki, is broadcast across the nation by Polish Radio 1. More details are on this Wikipedia link.
Mariacki Church seen from the tower of Ratusz, the town hall.
The fountains in front of the church
Looking up at the church towers from Ul. Grodska
The towers seen from the side of the church
Marysia is one of my Polish cousins. In the very early days of our reunion with the Polish family I received a lovely email from her, introducing herself and family to me. She is married to Pawel, a musician with a wicked sense of humour. They have a daughter, Kasia, and son, Michał (do you remember that the last letter is pronounced “w”?)
Marysia is another of Zygmunt and Lodzia’s daughters. (I posted about them in L is for Lusia, Lodzia and Lodz) She lives in the village of Zawady, near to Dad’s original old farmstead, but Marysia and Pawel have a beautiful modern home. Within the family there are many skills, and when it comes to home-making, these are readily shared. Piotrek, Marysia’s brother, is a fine carpenter and the polished wood floors and banisters are all his work.
Marysia at the Baltic coast
Marysia and Pawel
Marysia’s house
Kasia as bridesmaid at Ania’s (Jadzia’s daughter) wedding
Marysia with son Michał , on the right
Kasia was only 20 when we first met, and had spent the Summer working in Nottingham, to help pay for her university studies. This was an enormous coincidence as my daughter lives in Nottingham. You can imagine her astonishment when I produced a Polish cousin living virtually on her doorstep! A meetup was arranged, of course.
Lisa, Kasia, friend Paulina, me and Leo, in Nottingham
Kasia has now completed her education and, at the time of writing, is working in Germany. Her younger brother is still studying. Marysia herself runs a lovely little boutique in Bełchatów. Confused yet? I often am, too!
It just remains for me to thank Julie Dawn Fox, who began the Personal A-Z Challenge, and Frizz, who has welcomed me into his A-Z Challenge too. This week it’s “mmm”! Follow the links to find out more, and maybe join in?
It’s been a very Whitby sort of week when it comes to the blog so I may as well finish as I started. I’m often blue on grey days, but this week I didn’t have much excuse.
How’s this for a cliff top view?
The sea and sky exquisitely matched
With just a few weeds for distraction
And the rock shelves below
Walking the Cleveland Way
Add a splash of green
What a situation for a caravan park! Whitby Abbey in the background.
Saltwick Nab in all it’s glory!
And the rocks below.
Two specks on a beach
Patterns and shadows
You can just see where the caravans are perched
Turning the corner you can see Whitby pier
Can blue get any bluer?
Getting closer
And then you reach the Abbey
Don’t forget to look around St. Mary’s Church.
Down the steps! Easier than climbing up.
If you’ve still got energy there’s the old pier
Or maybe a cruise on a pirate ship
Hope you enjoyed the trip? I still have some more shots for a rainy day. Click on any photo to see the gallery.
My grateful thanks to Cate at Show My Face. Her life seems much harder than mine. Click on the link or the header to see what’s been happening in her week.
Window panel on a cottage door in Whitby, North Yorkshire
Don’t you think this is lovely? I’ve been visiting Whitby for many years and I always walk down the main pier for the lovely views back at the town and out across the bay. Picture postcard pretty though it undoubtedly is, the weather can sometimes be bleak on that North Yorkshire coast. This little window panel seemed to me to speak volumes of the nature of the place.
Out on the pier itself, in glorious weather, there are more windows to see.
The bluest of skies accentuate the lighthouse.
From top- to bottom!
The beach is overlooked by a row of holiday cottages. I’d already walked the clifftop and the pier, so time for a sit down and a bite to eat. But the cobbled Whitby streets are always full of pirate treasures.
Justin’s Chocolatier has a sumptuous window
The window in close-up
And “ye olde tea shoppes”!
Yes, please!
In the end we found an old favourite.
With it’s cosy inside, looking out to the courtyard
It was just the ending needed to our day.
Don’t you think? But I’m a coffee person, really!
I have to admit to having a naughty glass of wine, but then, the setting was so nice. If you’re in Whitby, look out for Sanders Yard.
Meantime it’s thanks to Dawn at Lingering Visions for encouraging me to look through windows. If you have some you’d like to share, follow the link and meet me there.
I really have no business being here this morning but the sky is grey again and I’m focussing my mind on the beautiful sunny day we walkers had at Whitby on Monday. It was sparkling!
Out on the old pier
That’s Saltwick Nab in the distance.
A bollard always makes a good shot, don’t you think?
Or how about some “dinosaur’s feet”?
Thanks to Cheri at the Weekly Photo Challenge for lifting my spirits. Click on the link to lift yours.
So, I’m going to do “a challenge within a challenge”.
PINK!
How boring, I thought! That means girly things, flowers and sunsets. But you know from last week that I love flowers and sunsets. It’s two years this week since my first post and in all that time I’ve only done the CBBH Challenge four times, though I love Marianne’s work at East of Malaga. Time to up the numbers!
Pretty pink wall, in Silves, the Algarve
This is the flower I keep seeing everywhere at the minute
Pink perfection, the hydrangea
Or it’s paler friend
This guy is just about finished in our garden
But there’s always plenty of pink shrubbery
Two shy little pinks
The subtlety of these tiny pinks with their protective berries
But for pure flamboyance!
Enough of the flowers. How about some girly things? As usual, click on any of the gallery photos for close ups and my cheery commentary.
Anyone got a birthday today?
Such a cute purse!
Sophisticated lipstick holder?
Little girls have such lovely choices these days!
And matching sneekers?
Are you a Minnie fan?
Pooh is gorgeous for tiny tots!
I guess I have to accept it- Winter’s coming
Which sunset to finish with? That’s the question!
Do you like this one, reflected in the puddle?
Or maybe the drama of this one?
Well, I guess that’s enough pink to complete this challenge, and hopefully entertain my Six word Saturday readers too. Thanks, Cate, for double hostessing!
With her challenge, Marianne traditionally invites you to introduce two bloggers whose posts you have commented on in the past month.
I have been following Richard at A Bit of Culture since he started his blog, and long before that with his superb, informative articles on Simonseeks. Go and say “hi” for me!
Having accepted that Christmas might just be around the corner, I thought you’d like to see Cath’s beautiful craftwork on Lizzie Rose Jewellery. She likes Portugal too, so we’re bound to be friends.
Naturally, a pink logo to finish! Don’t forget to visit East of Malaga.
Just a gentle warning not to cross when the bridge isn’t there!
A while ago the distant silhouette of the Transporter Bridge appeared in the background of one of my photos. Paula expressed interest in it, so I thought it might be nice if it were the subject of a Thursday’s Special.
It is, in fact, quite a special structure. The concept of the transporter bridge was invented in 1873 by Charles Smith (1844-82) the manager of the iron works in, would you believe it, my home town, Hartlepool. It is a type of movable bridge that carries a segment of roadway across a river. The gondola is slung from a tall span by wires on a metal frame. The design is used to cross navigable rivers where shipping traffic needs to pass. Fewer than two dozen of this type of bridge have ever been built, according to Wikipedia.
Unfortunately Mr. Smith’s proposal was rejected by the local council, but the Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge finally came into being in 1911. At 259 metres wide and 69 metres high it is the second largest such bridge in the world. The gondola can carry 200 people and 9 cars, and crosses the River Tees in 90 seconds.
The approach to the bridge
The gondola is on the far shore
There are steps up to the top if you’re feeling adventurous
But it’s not often open. I’d love to do it (I think!)
It’s a long way across!
A “close up” of the gondola
Just a few steps!
It looks quite flimsy from here
But it’s a solid structure.
Looking out across the Tees.
The sky was quite moody today.
Time to move on, I think. I haven’t got the brolly!
The bridge never operates on windy days so I wasn’t surprised to find as I approached it that the gondola wasn’t moving. It wasn’t till I returned home that I discovered that it’s currently closed for repair! The good news for me was that I had uninterrupted views across the river. The bad news- the gondola was stranded on the far shore so I couldn’t get across. But I did discover a cycle track from which I could take even more shots.
Isn’t it a beautiful structure?
You can get a better impression of size from here.
I love the shape of it.
The darkening sky adds drama to the industry on the far shore.
A boat comes chugging beneath it
And off into the distance.
I can’t resist looking back.
More drama!
Boats gather in the mouth of the river (you need to stand on tiptoe!)
It’s a busy industrial landscape, with Roseberry Topping just visible in the distance..
It’s many years since I travelled that way regularly, in my commute to work. Often on chilly Winter mornings I stood on the riverbank, waiting for the gondola’s approach. When it landed and I stepped aboard there was always a frisson of excitement. Now the bus boringly follows the road and crosses the Tees via Newport Bridge.
The Transporter is not so regularly used these days, but a Visitor Centre, on the far shore, pays tribute to its exciting past (and its star performance on the TV sit com Auf Wiedersehn, Pet) but that’s a trip for another day. The links tell the full story, and if you click on any photo you’ll get my usual running commentary.
I hope that Paula enjoys her virtual visit to the Transporter Bridge with me, and that you’ll all join her on Thursday’s Special. The pretty logo below will take you there.
Would you believe, GREEN this week?
Do you sense a theme going on? Green has never been one of my favourite colours. I always feel it needs something else to “lift” it or to provide contrast, but that’s probably my lack of skills with a camera. In a week of not much happening, I thought I’d try to entertain you with a gallery of green.
restlessjo 
You must be logged in to post a comment.