Well, the weather forecast was spot-on today. It’ll rain it said – and rain it did – all day. Only not in any entertaining way. None of that heavy showers or hailstones sort of stuff, just drizzle. And then more drizzle, broken up by differing levels of drizzle, just to break up the monotony! Even so, I managed to sally forth and get my daily exercise. I even called in at our local supermarket to get some shopping and a get-well card for a friend. Fortunately, I didn’t need much – which is just as well as there were large gaps on the shelves, especially when it came to fresh fruit and veg. I can’t think why…

I’ll resist (for now) getting into a polemic about Brexit. I’ll save that for later in the month. Instead, I’ll leave this here..

‘Welcome to the Brexit, sir’: Drivers have sandwiches confiscated at Dutch border | The Independent

When I wasn’t out walking and getting wet I was immersed in something other than rain. Slide-scanning. I’ve been keen to get a tranche finished and this latest collection has provided the picture of the day. This shot is one of a series I took at a cremation ceremony and procession in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia on the 2nd November 1998.

Balinese cremations ceremonies are colourful and exhuberant affairs, especially if the deceased or their family was wealthy as this man’s was. These five different towers were built on the side of one of the main roads in the very centre of Ubud. On the day of the cremation they’re carried by dozens of men each. But not in any sombre procession. They’re twirled and jigged around in order to ensure evil spirits are confused. Hundreds (if not thousands) of people line the streets to see the funeral procession go by. Even the local fire-brigade joined in to spray water over the guys carrying these towers in an effort to keep them cool. The atmosphere is more like a party than a funeral. It’s completely different to the Western traditions. Once the procession reaches the funeral grounds the corpse of the deceased is loaded into one of the effigies and the whole lot is burned.

Over this next week I’ll add the pictures to my Zenfolio website just as soon as I’ve edited them, so you’ll get to see what I mean.

I’ve a favour to ask…
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Thank you!