19:45 18/05/2008 Sun
Spent the day here.
19:45 19/05/2008 Mon
Joined the main Grand Union at Norton Junction and moved on through Braunston tunnel - met a man with no headlight - (a boat)!
Had pleasant company down the locks.
Weather much improved.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Summer (Spring) 2008
19:43 17/05/2008 Saturday - Kitchen finished yesterday (nearly) and so we set off from Crick down the Grand Union(leicester arm) - got wet - waited over an hour at Watford locks.
Moored short of Norton Junction.
But at least we have got started!
Moored short of Norton Junction.
But at least we have got started!
Friday, May 16, 2008
Birthday Outing
For my Birthday treat we went to Salcey Forest just south of Northampton - excellent Cafe and interesting Forest walks, including a long ramp which eventually winds up above the height of the trees.
If you have access to Google Earth try this link:
Salcey Forest pictures
Salcey Forest route
If you have access to Google Earth try this link:
Salcey Forest pictures
Salcey Forest route
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
engraving
We thought it was about time this saw the light off day having sat around in boxes and cupboards for 50 years! So it is off to Tring to the 'Watch hospital" to see if it can be repared.
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Charleston's Whale
The 28 million-year-old whale skeleton now on display at The Charleston Museum is a first of its kind to be exhibited anywhere in the world — and that’s no fish story.
Oligocene-era whale remains collected anywhere else in the world have been too incomplete to attempt a full skeletal mount, says Albert Sanders, the museum’s natural science curator since 1968.
Oligocene-era whale remains collected anywhere else in the world have been too incomplete to attempt a full skeletal mount, says Albert Sanders, the museum’s natural science curator since 1968.
one of many bridges
Down town Charleston has lots of water around it and spectacular bridges back to the mainland.
away from the main streets
The houses can quickly deteriorate if left for any length of time, and apparently the area is too expensive to live in for many people. Note the angle of the bacony to the house, this is quite common, the houses are often affected by earthquakes and are pulled back upright by ties through them.
Building Inspectors nightmare
Imagine a UK building Inspector passing any of this - or much of the house construction. Gas, Power and Cable all appear to hang from the outside into the street, and many house are built of what looks to be very flimsy wood.
balconies
Not all the houses are built sideways on - this is facing out to the street and river with balconies around two sides so it is still possible to sit in the shade.
recycling
A lot of the old roads are made with large cobbles, they have an interesting history, when this was part of the Empire and English ships were tied up here every day they came across 'in ballast' and emptied out here to take back whatever was required back home. This ballast was seen as a useful resource by the locals who rescued it and paved the roads! We tried to tax them on it however!
protection from slaves climbing in
The same house shows a good example of the rotating spikes installed not in deter modern day thieves but to keep out rampaging slaves in the days when they were revolting against their enslavement.
Typical house facing sideways
I've not mentioned this before but many of the house here are built 'side on', with the front of the house facing sideways. This is a good example, not the large balconies to sit and catch the breezes, if its 70 in December how hot can it be in July? What looks like a front door is more like a sie gate opening on the the lower balcony or yard.
Tiffany
And of course you could always have Tiffany glazed windows around the door.
Note they are now protected by bullet proof glass - not because of 'drive by shootings' but hurricanes.
Note they are now protected by bullet proof glass - not because of 'drive by shootings' but hurricanes.
Undecided
And so you are children of rich parents who promise you a house as a wedding present, but you just cannot decide on a style......
So split the house and build one half rounded and the other square !
So split the house and build one half rounded and the other square !
Charleston man made out of hats
I just love the Charleston Hat Man. You see him painted on the side of a building on the corner of Broad Street and maybe State or Church Street? At any rate, he's the little fellow made out of hats and he's so cute and clever. (from the web)
our transport
The city has so many of these transporting visitors that they pay a 'tax' to the city whole legislate where they can go by handing them a 'route card' before they set out. There is also a municipal 'equine' cleaning van which goes around disinfecting the streets!
Our guide was good, although listening to CSI:New York for a few months helped as that was her home town.
Our guide was good, although listening to CSI:New York for a few months helped as that was her home town.
Church
The main Downtown area has a large number of municipal buildings from the past 200 years, we took a guided tour on a horse drawn carriage which gave us a good look at some of them. Look at the sky and remember this was late december - temperatures in the high 60s.
Charleston - narrow house
Our last visit was to Charleston, full of historic houses, museums and sights.
There are two extremes of houses from the 1800's, narrow like this one which has been left surrounded by modern roads and buildings.
There are two extremes of houses from the 1800's, narrow like this one which has been left surrounded by modern roads and buildings.
USA Christmas
The locals make less of Christmas than we do, mind you we met a lady in Wal-Mart stocking up with '24 hundred' lights in the sale ready for next year.
We had a very good traditional English Christmas, entertaining a friend of Alison's for dinner. It was pleasant to have a few less frantic days.
We had a very good traditional English Christmas, entertaining a friend of Alison's for dinner. It was pleasant to have a few less frantic days.
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