flaneurs | Entries tagged with themes: water: rivers

I walked variations of "first left, second right" four times while I was in Llangollen. There's a report at my journal with ten small images.

spiralsheep

I completed challenge III. (c) random pub to the Gunmakers Arms in Birmingham's Gun Quarter. Post including a one paragraph report with one photo inside the Two Towers brewery.

I did a second III. (c) random cafe to Wolverhampton Art Gallery cafe. Post including a one paragraph report with one photo of art in the cafe.

I completed challenge I. (a) and investigated an interesting thing seen from a tram window in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter. Post including a one paragraph report with one photo of Key Hill Cemetery.

I did II. (a) following a tram line in Birmingham city centre. One paragraph with five photos, from Grand Central to Snow Hill.

I also did a semi-failed II. (c) Local council walk in Stratford-Upon-Avon. Full report with a dozen photos, circular walk along the River Avon.

spiralsheep

I managed a vertical walk up Hereford Cathedral. There are two posts on my journal featuring some unusual views of and from the cathedral, or you could click through the image to flickr.

Mostly from the tower roof: http://spiralsheep.dreamwidth.org/550163.html

Mostly inside the building: http://spiralsheep.dreamwidth.org/549739.html

09 south transept from lantern level, central tower, Hereford Cathedral 09-14

spiralsheep

Thirteen images of a cable car ride across the Thames (at my journal). Spot the GIANT red wheel inside the terminal, and the plane from London City Airport in the last cap.

09 View from cable car across Thames to Dome and Isle of Dogs, London 10-14

Or click through the image to flickr. Enjoy!

spiralsheep

flaneurs June Challenge Lines II.(b), walk south from a random point, modified by walking south in a straight line from my point of arrival in the city. Report with 10 small images at my journal.

Newport: A+ for flanage and would tourist again, especially if the cathedral tower was open so I could ascend and enjoy the reputedly spectacular views.

spiralsheep

South Worcestershire flooding, 13 small images (link to my journal), possibly relevant to

flaneurs' interests.

spiralsheep

Worcester, built across the River Severn near its confluence with the River Teme, flooded on two separate occasions last winter. I thought some photos might have a cooling and soothing effect on anyone currently caught in a heatwave.

http://spiralsheep.dreamwidth.org/445335.html

Enjoy!

spiralsheep

I posted four caps for anyone wondering what it's like to be on the receiving end of filming by a remote-controlled hexacopter "drone" (with bonus images of an urban wildflower and two pieces of public art):

http://spiralsheep.dreamwidth.org/443206.html

Enjoy!

Current Mood: quis custodiet ipsos custodes

spiralsheep

My second

flaneurs June challenge II.(a), walking alongside the railway line, from Leamington Spa to Warwick wasn't an unmitigated success or it would have continued to Warwick Parkway. Also, the com now needs "themes: y halo thar Mr Plod" and "themes: unexpected satanism" tags. ;-) Report at my journal:

http://spiralsheep.dreamwidth.org/440628.html

Enjoy!

nanila

After a couple of months of waiting to have the opportunity to trek to east London, I went on the Emirates Air Line I mentioned in a post here in June. And I brought a bunch of my work colleagues with me. (Afterward, we dined at Yi-Ban, a tasty dim sum and Chinese restaurant near the Royal Albert DLR station.)

We made a potentially disastrous miscalculation and decided to go on an evening when there were Paralympics events at both the O2/North Greenwich Arena near the southern terminus of the Air Line and at the Excel Centre near the northern terminus. But it turned out to be just fine. Lots of people around and a nice buzz of excitement in the air, but no queue.

Taster image:

( 15 small pictures tracking the ten-minute journey over the river, with some words too. )

I highly recommend an excursion to try out the Air Line. Now that the Olympics and Paralympics are over, queues are likely to be nonexistent. You get some spectacular views for a fraction of the price of the London Eye (£3.20 with Oyster pay-as-you-go or £4.30 cash for an adult).

nanila

Attention London flaneurs: The Emirates Air Line cable car across the Thames from Emirates Greenwich at the O2 to Emirates Royal Docks at the ExCel conference centre is now open. If you want to have a go, it costs £3.20 on your Oyster card or £4.30 in cash. If you're doing it for leisure rather than business reasons, it's advisable to ride during off-peak hours, as it slows down from five minutes to ten to provide more viewing pleasure.

Below is a 5 min 25 sec YouTube video of a safety test done on the cable cars a couple of weeks ago.

A link to a Telegraph article on the Air Line opening is here.

oursin

I spent a couple of days in Chicago after Wiscon, which would have been a lot more pleasant and productive of urban strolls and photos if had I not come down with the Cold From Hell which afflicted just about everybody I know following Wiscon.

I did manage a rather slow and unambitious stroll around on one day:

I was staying near the Water Tower, which I love for its sweet incongruity amongst all the soaring hyper-modern skyscrapers.
( The Water Tower and Pumping Station )

Then I walked up the Magnificent Mile of Michigan Ave, where I thought the raised planters were not quite so amazing as last time I was there.
( Planters on the Magnificent Mile )

I had one specific errand to fulfill on my travels: going to Union Station to ascertain whether the machines would print out my train tickets if I waved a bar code at them. This turned out to be true! No problem!

From the station I walked along by the river (I'd planned on doing one of the architecture from the water boat trips but wasn't feeling up to organising or doing this):
( River and bridges )

I then walked down to 200 W. Madison to gaze upon Louise Nevelson's Dawn Shadows, with which I spent some quality time, but didn't take photos as it is in the atrium of a business building and I'm not sure how they would feel about photos.

And then managed to negotiate my way back to my hotel by public transport, which at one point involved exiting the elevated railway, going round the corner, and descending into the subway.

jodi

I only attempted one of the suggested tasks for the June challenge, but here is the description:

I did III. Doing Something Different - "Travel to or from your workplace one day using a completely different route to any you've ever used before."

To get to work, I have to cross a river, so to do something different, I decided to not cross the river, but instead to follow it.

In one of the gardens I passed was a monkey puzzle tree and then further on a building that was not exactly a castle, and then I read a sign:

"The Asgill House beech.
A perfect tree,
one of the
great trees of London.
Fagus Sylvatica Pupurea"

At some point I noticed I was between two rivers. Or maybe one was a canal. Anyway, it reminded me a bit of Oxford. I looked at the reflections of trees in the water.

I reached the Old Deer Park, and according to a sign, as I looked at a distant obelisk, I was also looking along the Meridian Line. There were two more obelisks near by.

I saw a sign pointing to Highgate Woods, which was only 25 miles from where I was.

I passed a few bridges, and when I reached Richmond Lock, the bridge seemed so pretty that I could not resist crossing it. It was green and yellow, and there were Canadian geese underneath it.

After crossing the river, I read a sign, and it told me if I continued onwards I would find a gunpowder mill. I decided against it and headed in the opposite direction. I then decided it was time to actually find my way home, and actually it wasn't too far, and soon enough I could smell the familiar tang of the gum tree, and then I was almost home.

A few more photos on Flickr: Flâneur.

spiralsheep

Get hold of a current pub, bar, or restaurant guide for your chosen city. Choose an establishment at random, and navigate there from your home or workplace using any method you like. (Entering the establishment and having a drink/snack/meal is encouraged but not required.)

Report with photos at my journal.

spiralsheep

I walked through Worcester from Fort Royal, via the Worcester and Birmingham Canal, and the Rivers Severn and Teme, to Old Powick Bridge. 11 pictures with commentary at my journal:

http://spiralsheep.dreamwidth.org/362510.html