Tele-vision

I think this is about the biggest TV that I've ever seen. It was on display in the nearly completed Market Square. There was nobody around to explain why it was there and what it was all about. So I am completely in the dark as to what the film was publicising.

Sky Scene

As I was unlocking the driveway gates the other morning, I kooked up into the sky and thought it looked really unusual and colourful, with a slight Turneresque quality. So naturally I had to take a couple of shots of it. Here's the result.

Smoke and the Water

Whilst out at lunch yesterday, I came across some action which needed the fire brigade. A small building was on fire. It was being dampened down by the time I got there, so all I saw was a load of smoke, but I took a lot of photos. In fact several people were standing around taking pictures, either with digital cameras or mobile phones. The local newspaper reporter had got there before me, so I couldn't get a scoop. I'm putting on two photos today to show the action at the front and rear of the building. I don't think anyone was hurt, but a good traffic jam had developed.

Building Blocks

Following on from yesterdays theme day, another thing that annoys me in the city is modern architecture. It's either so bland and boring or looks ridiculous. Nottingham seems to have almost as many cranes as Dubai at the moment, with various things being built or going to be built. But what is being erected is so out of character for Nottingham, that they are going to stick out like a sore thumb. As you've seen from previous photos, Nottingham's buildings are mainly Victorian or earlier and quite decorative and have character. And to stick a basic brick & glass box next to them, is a crime.

Sign of the Times

Today is the first of the month & is blogger theme day. Today's topic is entitled 'What annoys you about your city'. Mine is posts. Be it lamp, telegraph or traffic lights. Every time I try and take a photo of a building or scene, there is at least one pole in the way. This photo of a Watson Fothergill designed pub on Mansfield Road has 6 posts distracting you from the building. I try standing in a different position, but it does no good. A global problem I know & the only way out is to keep employing Photoshop, which alas I don't know how to use.




52 sites are participating in today's theme day. Here are the links. Please try to visit them all, but remember about time differences. We are global.

1 (Porto (Portugal) ) -2 (Stayton, OR (USA) ) -3 (Albuquerque, NM (USA) ) -4 (Tenerife (Spain) ) -5 (Greenville, SC (USA) ) -6 (Dubai (U.A.E.) ) -7 (Evry (France) ) -8 (Jakarta (Indonesia) ) -9 (London (UK) ) -10 (Sequim, WA (USA) ) -11 (Buenos Aires, (Argentina) ) -12 (Seattle, WA (USA) ) -13 (Minneapolis, MN (USA) ) -14 (Stavanger (Norway) ) -15 (Joplin , MO (USA) ) -16 (Nelson, New Zealand ) -17 (Milano, Italy ) -18 (Singapore (KeropokMan) ) -19 (La Antigua Guatemala (Guatemala) ) -20 (Nottingham UK ) -21 (Singapore by Zannnie (Singapore) ) -22 (Budapest (Hungary) ) -23 (Not Strictly Seattle, ) -24 (Bandung (Indonesia) ) -25 (Vantaa (Finland) ) -26 (Hyde (UK) ) -27 (Madrid by Dsole (Spain) ) -28 (Oulu (Finland) ) -29 (Saarbr?cken (Germany) ) -30 (St. Paul [Carol] ) -31 (Sydney (Australia) ) -32 (Tokyo (Japan) ) -33 (Kyoto (Japan) ) -34 (Trujillo (Peru) ) -35 (Shanghai (China) ) -36 (Rotterdam (NL) ) -37 (Chicago, IL (USA) ) -38 (Nice, (France) ) -39 (Naples, Florida (USA) ) -40 (Hong Kong ) -41 (Santa Clara, CA (USA) ) -42 (Quito, Ecuador (South America) ) -43 (Cottage Grove, MN (USA) ) -44 (Paris, (France) ) -45 (Manila (Philippines) ) -46 (Brussels (Belgium) ) -47 (Auckland (New Zealand) ) -48 (Newcastle upon Tyne(England) ) -49 (Houston, TX (USA) ) -50 (Sydney by Nathalie (Australia) ) -51 (Mumbai (India) ) -52 (Anderson, SC (USA)) -

Heaven's Above

Another religious theme today in the shape of of the city's St Barnabas' Cathedral. It is situated opposite the Playhouse. So once you've seen a show, you can go across to the church and give thanks for an enjoyable time.

Green Marks The Spot

London is famous for many things, and one of them is the blue plaque tradition, which highlights where famous people lived, worked or died. Nottingham appears to be starting one of it's own, as I saw this along Maid Marian Way. I had not spotted it before, so it could only have been up a few weeks. I'm not really that knowledgable about William Carey, so I've linked his name to a site which gives you some background to this preacher.

Can Dogs Read?

Here's a sign I've not seen before. It's one that some children from a local school have designed about making the world a better place by dog owners taking away their pets' poo. Quite right too, as getting some stuck on your shoe is one of the worst expreiences going. Not forgetting the possibility of spreading diseases. So there's another use for all those old supermarket carrier bags.

The Yellow Peril

The other day I placed a photo of a Watson Fothergil building with a row of shops underneath, that advertised themselves in a way that was in keeping with the style of the building. That cannot really be said about how this company promotes itself. Canary Yellow everywhere! I bet helicopter pilots can see this building as they fly across the city at night.

Thai Land

As you can see this restaurant is called the Pretty Orchid, but it doesn't look that inviting from the outside. One reason for this is its location. It is situated down a small lane called Pepper Street, which is basically a paved area that leads to a loading bay for some of the shops. At the side of it is a new retail development. I have no idea what the food is like, but from all accounts it's supposed to be one of the best in the city centre.

G'day

Today is Australia Day, which celebrates the founding of the great country that has bought us amongst other things Rolf Harris, Kylie, Skippy and Foster's lager. Not forgetting the most wonderful and amazing natural harbour in the world, made even more spectacular by the iconic bridge and the Opera House.
Nottingham doesn't have that many Oz references, but here's a local bar on Friar Lane with an Down Under feel. Cheers!

Another Day, Another Pub

A few weeks ago I posted the sign from the Royal Children public house on Spaniel Row. Today I'm showing you what the whole building looks like. As you can see it is quite olde worlde and full of character.

The Shopping Experience

Here's another of Watson Fothergill's creations on King Street this time. Fortunately the shop signs are not too big and loud like some are, as it would spoil the character of the facades.

Through Rose Coloured Glasses

The antiques dealer on Derby Road has changed his window display & is now promoting red glassware in all these different shapes and styles. Old glass is quite collectable, but I'm not sure I'd be willing to pay these sorts of prices for any.

Sign Your Name

Tagging is the name given to the act of marking property, such as this door with strange symbols or words to show that it is in a particular gangs' patch. There must be lots of fights over this particular door as it's been covered in the things. Do you notice the little spyhole near the top?
I couldn't take a better photo, as I was standing in a narrow lane, due to the fact that there was a building site behind me.

Reflections of a Bygone Age

It's been a relatively sunny, dry and quiet weekend weatherwise, although the meterologists have predicted a very cold spell this week and the possibility of snow! So before all the puddles turn to ice, I thought I would share this quiet picture of an old street light. The quiet after the storm you might say.

10 Green Bottles...

Here's an interesting window display of wine bottles from around the world. Personally I love a crisp white wine, preferably from Australia. Red is ok, but white doesn't feel as heady. Cheers!

Raindancing

Yesterday, the UK experienced high winds and torrents of rain. Some parts suffered more than others. Fortunately here in Nottingham we got off quite lightly, with only a few incidents of trees falling down & loss of electricity. It was quite sunny at lunchtime and I took this shot of a big puddle outside the Playhouse being blown in the wind.

Singing in the Rain

As we welcome in another cold, wet and windy day, I'm supplying you all with umbrellas. You have a choice of 5 colours. Personally I'd pick the blue one, just to remind myself that better days are hopefully on the way.

Spring Fever

Here's another highly decorated Nottingham buses, this time advertising a local business, a local garden centre called Floralands.
Home improvements and DIY are big business in the UK, with millions being spent every week on making ones home better. There are numerous programs on TV showing you how to do it and what sort of things can be achieved on a small or large budget.

Trainspotting

Looking at trains isn't really a hobby of mine, but I couldn't resist taking a snap of this Central Trains loco trundling along the tracks to probably Derby or Birmingham. We have another local train company called Midland Mainline which takes passengers to London and Leeds.

Skyline

Nottingham has some very interesting and stylish old buildings, but alas they are being either replaced or surrounded by newer and rather bland creations. I don't think architects have much imagination these days, as the buildings they design have no real interesting features, just plain brick, concrete and glass. Perhaps it's time they started to look at the past, rather than the future.

Take a Seat

You can tell it's winter, as no one was sitting having their lunch in the grounds of the Castle, even though it wasn't too cold or wet. A lot of the seats had names or plaques on them in memory of people that had passed on, but had enjoyed visiting the Castle and the views.

Thrills and Spills

Whilst going out at lunch time yesterday, I noticed a traffic jam and lots of flashing lights at the top of Maid Marion Way. So naturally I got my camera out and went to investigate. I found several police cars and fire engines, plus a few other vehicles and the police directing the traffic. Looking at the action, I've deduced that the white lorry's petrol tank had leaked and diesel had spilled out onto the road.

Anyway, I think it makes a good scene, with all the rescue people in action.

The Devil Rides A Volvo

I guess the driver of this car, probably called Hal, isn't that superstitious, otherwise he wouldn't have 666 as part of his number plate, which as most people know is the number of the beast.
I wonder if he calls his car Christine?

Cheers!

Castle Rock brewery is about the last remaining beer maker in Nottingham now. We used to have several big well known names; including Shipstones and Home Ales. Hardy & Hansons were taken over last year and the creation of the amber nectar has being moved to East Anglia.

Spot The Difference

As promised, here is an up to date photo of Nottingham railway station, for you to compare with Friday's offering. Not a lot has changed except the design of the train and the posters missing from the station's wall. I tried to stand in about the same place as the original photographer, but a building was in the way.

Global, Local

Although this isn't a Nottingham based photo; it was actually taken in Dubai. There is a local connection with my home town, as Paul Smith was born here. He started with a small shop in the city centre in the late 1960's, and now has branches throughout the world. Last year he opened a new flagship store in the city centre, but I haven't been inside yet, as I would feel like a fish out of water.

Train Of Thought

Nottingham Railway Station, circa 1969. As you can probably guess wasn't taken by me, but I wanted to show you what the area looked like, as I hope to take a photo of the same area very shortly, to show you the differences. I did publish a photo of the station's decorative gates a few months ago.

Protest To Survive

Here's another recent photo (December) from my archive. Another protest in front of the Council House. As you can see this one's about education cuts, but I have no idea who orchestrated it. But it's full of action and various slogans.

Sunshine On A Rainy Day

I've been on holiday this week, and every day so far has been dull, cold and wet. The perfect conditions for not taking photos. So in the absence of any new pictures, I've been searching my archives and found a pleasant autumn scene from the end of November. It's inside the castle grounds and shows the last remaining leaves to fall from the trees.

You Can Bank On It

We all know that change is happening at a very rapid rate these days. Not just with technology and lifestyles, but also with little things that we often miss, and then one day we'll say "where's that gone?".
Today's photo is such an example. On October 12, I posted a shot of a city centre pub sign with a pigeon on it. A couple of weeks ago they started refurbishing the pub, even though it wasn't that old. And now, not only has the pub had a new lick of paint, but also a new name! They chose the title after the building, which was originally a branch of the Nat West.

World Photoblog Theme Day

A new year, a new theme day. Today's picture is what I consider portrays the essence of Nottingham from the 195 I have taken this year. It's from October 6, and shows the outlaw Robin Hood; the main emblem of the city.


A number of daily photo sites from across the world are participating in this theme day, so if you have the time, please visit them all. Don't forget to leave a comment, as we all welcome feedback about our work.

1 (Porto (Portugal) ) -2 (Albuquerque, NM (USA) ) -3 (St. Paul, (USA) Kate ) -4 (Greenville,SC (USA) ) -5 (Stayton, OR (USA) ) -6 (Szentes (Hungary) ) -7 (Hyde (UK) ) -8 (London (UK) ) -9 (Dubai (UAE) ) -10 (Buenos Aires (Argentina) ) -11 (Shanghai (China) ) -12 (Nelson (New Zealand) ) -13 (Twin Cities, MN (USA) ) -14 (Joplin MO (USA) ) -15 (Stavanger (Norway) ) -16 (Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) ) -17 (Not Strictly Seattle, WA (USA) ) -18 (Jakarta (Indonesia) ) -19 (Auckland (New Zealand) ) -20 (Sharon, CT (USA) ) -21 (Evry (France) ) -22 ((Aust) John ) -23 (Newcastle upon Tyne (England) ) -24 (Paris (France) ) -25 (Bandung (Indonesia) ) -26 (Brussels (Belgium) ) -27 (Minneapolis MN (USA) ) -28 (Aliso Viejo, CA (USA) ) -29 (Seattle, WA (USA) ) -30 (Budapest (Hungary) ) -31 (Singapore by Zannnie (Singapore) ) -32 (Tenerife (Spain) ) -33 (Santa Clara, CA (USA) ) -34 (Houston, TX (USA) ) -35 (Sydney by Nathalie (Aust) ) -36 (San Diego, CA (USA) ) -37 (Vancouver, BC (Canada) ) -38 (Singapore by KeropokMan (Singapore) ) -39 (East Lansing, MI (USA) ) -40 (Sydney by Sally (Australia) ) -41 (Tucson, AZ (USA) ) -42 (Nottingham (UK) ) -43 (Sequim, by Norma ) -44 (Hong Kong ) -45 (Vantaa, Finland ) -46 (Kyoto (Japan) ) -47 (Tokyo (Japan) ) -48 (Chattanooga ) -49 (Santiago (Chile) ) -50 (erlin (Germany) ) -51 (Trondheim (Norway) ) -52 (Delta, CO (USA)) -

The Lion Won't Sleep Tonight

It's a long tradition in Nottingham for people who are going out together, to meet up by the lions outside the Council House. Tonight will be no exception as it's New Year's Eve. All the pubs and clubs will be doing a roaring trade. As for myself and my darling Gail, we will be at home, probably watching the tv whilst sipping some wine.

All good wishes for 2007 & happy blogging.

B Is For Bird

Here's an enjoyable way of learning the alphabet. I spotted this amusing shot on Thursday which was a very dull and wet day, so unfortunately the photo itself is a bit bland and colourless.

All The Fun Of The Fair

Now that the builder's are nearing the completion of the market square redevelopment, things are starting to happen there again. What better way to entertain the kids while they are on holiday, than a spin on a merry go round?

Street in Sunlight

As you can probably guess, this photo was taken a few weeks ago, before I had problems with my Internet provider. It's one of the many, many streets that make up the city centre that has a mixture of old and new buildings. If you're wondering, it's a multi storey car park on the left hand side.

By Dawn's Early Light

I don't know about you, but these long dark mornings really get me down. Maybe I suffer from what they call SAD, or seasonal adjustment disorder. Anyway I was pleased to see the sun rising up and lighting up the sky.

Read All About It

I think this will be the last Christmas 2006 photograph from Nottingham, now that it is Boxing Day & I'm back to work tomorrow. This one is of the few booths across the city centre that sell the local evening paper. There used to be a lot more about, but they have disapperared over the last few years, due to I suppose many factors like different shops selling the paper now & possibly the Internet.

Incidently, the story relates to the East Midlands Airport sudden decision to change it's name. It was known as the EMA, then it became Nottingham EMA & now it's called EMA Nottingham, Derby, Leicester.

A Quiet Night In

Nottingham city centre, and everyone has headed home to be with their loved ones. Things will be quiet for a day or two, before the rush of the January sales starts, and everyone tries to hunt out a bargain. People will be shocked to find out that the same item they bought just two days ago, is now on offer for half price or less.

Oh such is life!

Santa for Sale

If Santa needed a new outfit, here's just the stall he need's to come to. Although I think he may be too big for them. Perhaps tonight, we had better not put as many mince pies out, so in that way, he'll be able to find one to fit.

Have a great day tomorrow!

Frozen Solid

Seeing this mime artist called the Silverman not actually move for several minutes, anyone would think that he had been frozen to the spot by the very cold weather snap we have experienced in the last few days. But he did move and proceeded to juggle with some glass balls. Quite a lot of people took some time out from their shopping expeditions to stand and watch.

Happy Chrismouse

Here's a shot of a very decorated window belonging to the Diddl shop. I think it looks very colourful and festive, and is bound to entice shoppers in to buy copies of the little mouse for their children.

The Night Closes In

Here's a nightshot of the Trip, Nottingham's oldest pub with added fog. I'm sure you've all seen the news stories about flights cancelled at Heathrow Airport. Although it would be nice to see some sun over the festive period, I'm quite happy to be snuggling up on the sofa watching the Great Escape for the 27th time.

Ace's High

This photo of Albert Ball's statue in the castle grounds is my 200th entry, but due to the problems I've been having it's only really the 198th. Anyway, Albert Ball was a World War 1 fighter pilot who died in 1917 at just 20. For further information about this young hero, there is a dedicated website where you can learn more about him.

Music From The Andes

Buskers are an everyday feature of city life these days, and quite a number have featured in many daily photo sites over the past year. Well here's my contribution in the shape of these colourful characters playing the panpipes etc. This sort of music was very popular a few years ago after a tv series was shown about the condor.

Tower of Toys

One of our local radio stations recently erected this tower for people to bring unwanted toys for local charities. As I don't happen to listen to this particular station, I don't know how many toys they collected & where they went.

I wouldn't mind the shed for my garden though.

Doing What It Says On The Tin

I don't know if this guy cleaning this bus shelter is fully responsible for making Nottingham's street's cleaner, or the fact that there are more litter bins about. But according to this poster they are supposed to be 35% cleaner. So that's only 2 chocolate bar wrappers blowing around, rather then 3?

The Car Of Many Colours

Here's a neat solution for when you can't decide what colour to choose for your new car. Have a bit of everything! Don't know what the owner would say to the Police though, should it get stolen. Well officer, it's blue, red, pink...

Mind you what thief would dare nick a car like that?

Still Here, But In Words Only

I was hoping posting 195 would have been another view of my city, but alas the problems with my ISP still continue. I will be writing a serious letter of complaint & will probably try and find another provider very, very shortly.

If anyone knows of a reliable, customer orientated company, then please let me know.

The Show Will Go On

Hi fellow bloggers, just thought I'd update you with my situation. It appears that British Telecom have informed my Internet company that I'm no loger with them and so have stopped my connection. This is completely wrong & I'm making further enquiries and speaking to Trading Standards. The trouble is that I've been told that it's going to take another 5 days to get my connection back and I can start putting my photos back on again.

My Blogger Won't Come Back

I'm having problems with my Internet line at home at the moment & I can't seem to upload my photos at work, so alas I can't keep you up to date with what's happening in Nottingham.

Hopefully normal service will be resumed as soon as, as I know how much you enjoy looking and reading about my snapshots.