Behind Enemy Lines

It's Headbanger Wednesday again, and I've chosen the theme of 'urban decay' this week. I've been thinking and looking at possibilities for the subject, and wanted to show something different. Besides the obvious of crumbling buildings and graffiti, I thought about decaying human relationships that seem more prevalent in cities than in the rural landscape. How people don't talk to their neighbours anymore, or speak to people in queues, and how defensive and suspicious we've become with CCTV, bolts and locks etc. So my picture is of some barbed wire that just about sums up how people tend to feel about strangers these days. Everyone is guilty until proven innocent. Especially photographers. I might sound cynical, but we seem to be heading in that direction closer every day.


Of course there are plenty of rotting buildings dotted around the city centre. Imac's taken one for his masthead. And so here's mine, situated on Canning Circus. A shame the council don't do anything about them, as they are such an eyesore for everyone coming into the city centre that way.

Next Stop Miami

When I saw this pink flamingo in a shop window, I was momentarily taken back to the 1980s and watching Miami Vice on the TV.  I remember the cars, the fashions, the vibrant colours and of course the music.

Birthday Boy

It's jelly and ice cream time, as this little blog of mine is a tad older today. Four years ago today I sat down and created it, after seeing and being inspired by Eric's Paris version.
Gail gets a little annoyed at me sometimes when it's late and I say "I've got to blog".  I even do it on holiday if I can pick up a signal. But I think she knows how dedicated I am to it, and how much effort goes into finding a good subject to write about.
And thanks to all of you, my regulars and one offs, for visiting and leaving messages.  It is appreciated and makes the job worthwhile.

Sun's Up

I find it quite amazing how different the city centre looks after dark.  Take this shutter for instance.  During the day no one ever sees it, as it's rolled up.  But come night time, it's rolled back down for everyone to look at.  Of course, the cafe hasn't been there for a hundred years.  I don't know any that have.

Giving Our Regards To Broad Street

When the band had finished, we went over to a pub opposite for a cooling dink, as Rosy's Tea Shop had got rather warm, due to quite a lot of people crammed into quite a small space. When we had finished we had a stroll down the road, and Imac and I took some photos of the Broadway Cinema. I had seen the building quite a number of times during the day, but never at night.

Singing For Their Supper

Gail and I met Imac and his DW in the Old Market Square. We then went for a pizza, although they had duck. We then met up at Lea Rosey's Tea Shop, as one of Imac's sons was playing in a band called the Red Shoe Diaries. They were actually quite good, and worthy of a record deal. Here's a shot of them in action.

Not The Hotel California

My good blogging buddy Imac and his DW are visiting Nottingham tomorrow for a short break. Gail and I will be meeting up with them in the evening for a meal and to see his musician son, who is playing at a venue in town.

Here's a shot of the hotel where they will be staying. I don't think the view will be as good as the one he showed us all the other day from his Cornish cottage. Hopefully they will get the quieter side of the hotel, rather than the very busy London Road.

Rarer Than Hens Teeth

It's Wednesday headbanger Challenge time. This weeks' subject is dolphins. And to be honest, it has been a struggle. Although Nottingham has some water running through it, in the form of the River Trent, it is not known to contain any sealife. Shopping trolleys, plastic bottles and crisp packets are more like it.
So I have had to get my brain working overtime this week, bathroom fittings, swimming costumes, beach towels. I've tried the lot. I thought of chippies, companies, names of buildings. If I lived in London, I would have nipped round to Dolphin Square. The shops I've hunted round. I had almost given up hope, when I came across these glass dolphins in a fancy gift shop. I sneakily put them nose to nose & snapped a couple of shots. Possibly a better choice than this jigsaw book from TK Maxx. Which is about the only other porpoise image that I had come across.

Take A Bow

You may remember in early February I told you that they were making an advert for T Mobile in the Old Market Square. It featured some archers. Well the commercial is now being broadcast on some commercial channels. It's hard to believe that they were in the Square for two days, but the advert is only 28 seconds long. My UK based followers may have seen it. Someone has now put it up on Youtube. Here's the link. Unfortunately I don't pop up anywhere on it.

So That's Where He's Hiding

Walking around the Galleries of Justice yesterday, I was surprised to come across a small Robin Hood exhibition. The best bits from the Tales of Robin Hood, which closed down a year ago now. I'm not sure if these posters are original, but I think they look quite decorative.

It Ain't Qantas

Gail and I would love to emigrate to Sydney. But I don't think we would enjoy the method these people went by; transportation. A lot of museums across Nottingham had free entry today, so we went to the Galleries of Justice, in the Lace Market. The former court and prison buildings have been turned into a museum about crime and punishment in the county. If you were lucky you spent six months on a prison ship sailing to Australia for several years servitude. If you were unlucky, you were hung. And some of the crimes were really petty like stealing a hankie.

Bringing The Boys Back Home

There was a march through Beeston this morning of soldiers returning from the Afghan war. This particular band of brothers were from the 170 (Infrastructure Support) Engineer Group of the Royal Engineers and had, as the name implies, the responsibility of sorting out water, fuel, transport supplies etc in the region. A lot of residents had turned out to wave them home despite the wet weather.
The solders arrived at the town hall, where they listened to a speech from the lord mayor and one from their colonel. They were then given the freedom of the town and went off for a well deserved lunch.

Treemendous

Another bare photographic cupboard at the moment, so here's one of my so-so images, that I've tweaked to try and make it look a bit more interesting.

There's Always One

Of course I had to show you someone dressed or acting daft during the St Patrick's Day parade. Here's a fellow wearing Guinness glasses, but alas I don't think he would get much of stout in them. He would be better off getting some of the old fashioned beer bottle type!

Irish Eyes Are Smiling

You don't have to be Irish to know that today is St Patrick's Day. The Old Market Square was awash with people dressed in green, and sporting all sorts of hats. Instead of showing you one of those, I thought I would be a bit cynical and show you a group of traders who were going around flogging scarves, hats and flags. I bet the pubs are doing well too, with tills ringing, despite the state of the economy.

Today is also another round of the Headbanger Challenge. The topic as you can see is snowdrops. Hope you like my offering. But don't forget to view the other interpretations.

Blooming Marvellous

Whilst in search of the elusive snowdrops for tomorrow's challenge, I came across these crocuses in a churchyard. Although not looking their best now, they still look very colourful, and the bee is certainly enjoying his visit.

I have photographed some snowdrops now, so hopefully I can create a picture that will win me back the golden shield once again.

Lion's Made

To highlight the Lion Aid charity, some activists covered the two stone lions in the Old Market Square with black cloths to demonstrate the disappearance of the big cats across Africa, through hunting and poaching etc.
No one was around collecting money or getting signatures, but of course they have a web site, which gives full details of their work.

Colourwash

This photo marks my 1300th post. I've only just realised that it is a milestone, although the 29th will mark NDP's 4th birthday.

An early evening's reflection on the boating lake at Highfields Park. I decided to cycle through the park in search of some snowdrops, as it will be the theme for Wednesdays Headbanger Challenge.

Unfortunately I didn't spot any, so the search goes on.

Eyes Right

The photographic cupboards looking bare again, so I've had a bit of a trawl through the archives and found this one. The building with the art nouveau windows is presently a Zara, but it was originally about the first main Boots store in the city when it opened in 1903. Incidentally, this photo was the first one that I took with my Panasonic G1

Lines And Circles

Here's someone watching one of the films at the Star City exhibition. I didn't really stop to watch what it was about, as I was more interested in capturing the different angles and shapes.

French Fancy

Today marks the 5th anniversary of one Eric Tenin's brainwave of creating a blogsite featuring a daily photo of his home city, namely Paris. Now in 2010, there are nearly 1200 across the world, including mine.
So to mark this occasion, bloggers are showing photos they have taken in Eric's unique photographic style.

To see more contributions from across the world, Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

A Crack Shot

This poster appeared on one of the little unused entrance doors to the castle today. I don't know what it is about. Freedom fighters for battery hens perhaps! Or advertising some new nightclub in town. Whatever it is about, it makes for quite an interesting piece of art.
I saw it this morning on the way in to work, and it was still there at lunchtime. Which is a record, as usually the council are quite quick to remove graffiti from public buildings.

Today is of course the day of the Headbanger Challenge. This week's theme is under water. So here are two lovely ladies getting wet under the water feature in the Market Square. Click on the links at the side to see how my fellow contestants have interpreted the theme

Catnap

I haven't shown you a photo of Marmalade for a little while. So here's one of her deeply involved in one her favourite past times, namely sleeping. Gail & I think she looks really cute in the way that she has her front paws together like that. A happy and content cat if there was one.

Sky Or Strike?

I have been in two minds as to what picture to post tonight, another colourful sunset, or people demonstrating outside the Council House about the proposed cuts in services and jobs.
As much as I support the demonstrators' points of view, they are not as colourful as tonight's sky.

So the sky wins!

Enjoy.

Taking Five

Here's someone taking a break from her work in this cafe. I wonder how many today's specials she's sold at £2.50 each? A choice of tuna or chicken salad noodles.
I'm puzzled though, as to why she decided to shape her eyebrows like Mr Spocks? Maybe she's a Vulcan too and in disguise!

Carry On Don't Lose Your Head

Oops! Looks like someone has missed out on eating their gingerbread man in full, as its head has fallen off and ended up on the ground. Strange that it's landed face up, unlike toast, which usually ends up butterside down. And he still has a smile on his face!

Paint The Sky In Many Shades Of Red

There was a brilliant sky tonight. I couldn't see it from the office where I work, but as I was driving away, it was there in front of me. I just had to stop the car and take some photographs.
Hopefully this will mean that it will be a warm and sunny day tomorrow.

Up In Smoke

I've never smoked. I tried one once when I was about 15 or 16, didn't like it, couldn't see the point of it, so have never bothered since. I wonder how much money I've saved down the years and how better my health?
I mention cigarettes, as one of Nottingham's companies is John Player, the well known tobacco company that has been around in one form or another in the city since 1828.

Yellow Mellow

The white of winter is hopefully behind us now and have the yellow of summer to look forward to. I've taken a number of yellow inspired photos for this week's headbanger competition. But while I was trying to tidy up the front garden yesterday, I uncovered two crocuses that were pushing their way up from under some dead leaves and twigs. Perfect I thought. Just the thing for the comp.

Here is my other idea; a selection of warning signs. What interests me about them is the fact that they are all black and yellow, just like the body of a wasp or a bee. So obviously man has followed nature in this instance, rather then using the traditional red and white, that they tend to use for a lot of road signs.

Variety's Dead

As Tom W promised to be good today (and I'll be checking up later) here's the rather sad looking building I was talking about yesterday. It's a shame really, as I think it has bags of character, especially with the stone busts on all the tops of the window and door frames. If it was located in another part of town, then I'm sure some property developer would snap it up and turn it into a seven bed family home complete with ensuites, but as it is in no man's land, then there's a bulldozer heading towards it.
Reading about the place on Google, it seemed to be a bit of a dive in its day, similar to Peter Kays' Phoenix Nights. Bizarrely it has it's own facebook page.

Now And Then - 3

Here's another comparison shot of the old and the new. This one features Sailsbury Street in Radford; looking down towards Faraday Road and the Raleigh Works. Well if they were still there that is. The only thing remaining appears to be the telegraph pole, as the whole area was cleared during the 1970's. All those little back to back houses were knocked down, including the one that Alan Sillitoe grew up in, and replaced by something similar, but with an inside loo. A few small industrial units have been built and some student accommodation. But there is still a bit of dead land around. There is also a solitary pub on one corner and a derelict and arson infected former variety club on the other, which is just about to be demolished. If you're good, I'll show it to you tomorrow.