Category Archives: Musings

23rd November picture of the day…

23 Tuesday Nov 2021

Posted by in Indonesia, Musings, Photography, Picture of the day, Politics, Travel

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Apologies for the lack of blogging yesterday but I decided to have a rare day off and enjoy the start of the week in a different fashion. The weather was glorious here in the Calder valley, leaving me sorely tempted to head out with the camera, but DPD put paid to that by informing me they’d be delivering a parcel around lunchtime. Resigned to the fact I was tied to the house I managed an early perambulation around the woods and canal before retreating to the office. The day wasn’t all bad – I managed to get a lot done which included beginning to scan a new album of slides from 1994-95. In fact, I got far more done than I expected as the damned parcel didn’t turn up until the early evening! Ho hum.

In between work I kept one eye on the news and the latest antics of our Prime Minister who – hot on the heels of his tremendous ‘success’ with pissing off most of Yorkshire and the other Northern regions with the disaster that’s his rail plans – managed to go one step beyond with an utterly surreal speech extolling the virtues of ‘Peppa Pig world’ to (of all people) the Confederation of British Industry! Here you have hard-nosed businessmen and Captains of industry who want to know exactly what the PM’s Government’s doing about the economy, and all they get is a rambling, incoherent speech that was more Benny Hill than Churchill – the man Johnson likes to consider himself as equal to. Jesus, doesn’t it make you proud to be English? Truly, British politics is beyond parody nowadays…

Apart from not having to hang around for parcels, today’s been in similar vein. I’ve had a productive time and British politics remains utterly mad. I can’t even be bothered to write about what a shit-show it is as I’d run out of expletives within a few paragraphs. Besides, I’ve more worthwhile things to do.

So, here’s the picture of the day, which comes from my latest batch of old slide scans. The weather may be turning cold here, but when I look at these pictures I’m taken back in time (and distance) to somewhere where it never gets cold. Today’s picture was taken in Mid December 1994 on Gili Trawangan, the largest of the three Gili islands which lie just off the West coast of the Island of Lombok, Indonesia. Here’s the view across Gili Meno, looking at Lombok and Mount Rinjani in the distance. In those days the islands were barely developed and a haven for backpackers. I’ve not been back to the Gili’s since, but I do know they’ve changed out of all recognition. I think I’d rather remember them as they were, before mass tourism took over. Lombok, however, is another matter – as is nearby Bali…

That’s all from me for tonight. I’ve another silly o’ clock start tomorrow as I’m off to Newcastle-Upon-Tyne as part of a commission. The job itself doesn’t last long but I’ll be making the most of the trip there and back, so expect a rolling blog through the day as I’m going to be spending some time on the Tyneside metro, a system I rarely visit…

I’ve a favour to ask…
If you enjoy reading this blog, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course (although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab!), but the revenue from them helps to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site – and right now (because of Covid), us freelances appreciate all the help that we can get to aid us in bouncing back from lockdowns. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Thank you!

17th November picture of the day…

17 Wednesday Nov 2021

Posted by in Flora and Fauna, Indonesia, Musings, Photography, Picture of the day, Travel

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It’s a short blog from me today as I’ve not had the most exciting of days. Much of it has been taken up with paperwork and general administration, along with household and the rest of the mundanities that keep life ticking over whilst you tread water, waiting for something more exciting to appear over the horizon.

There’s still plenty to blog about of course, it’s just finding the time. I suspect my next opus will when the Government finally release details of the Integrated Rail Plan (IRP) and the Eastern leg of HS2. There’s been mountains of speculation in the media about this over the past few days. It’s looking like the Government are announcing policy by leak, but I’ve resisted the temptation to comment until we actually see what’s announced rather than leaked. If the news is as piss-poor as we’re lead to believe, I won’t be holding back. But until then…

Ignoring the hoo-ha, I did manage to tear myself away from my desk and enjoy an amble around the valley with Dawn. The weather was far more changeable than had been forecast but we managed to avoid the rain to enjoy a pleasant (if slightly chilly) stroll down to Sowerby Bridge, along the canal and back up through the woods to home. Feeling virtuous, I then set about scanning some more old slides in an effort to break the logjam caused by having too many other things to do. I only managed to get 20 done, but that only leaves me 3 more pages to go before another albums finished. That leaves me just 6 here in the home office (and the same amount off-site) meaning the project will finally be finished in early 2022. At long last!

The current album’s a real mix of personal shots and a few travel images that were never filed properly for one reason or another. I never quite know what I’m going to find in these albums, but today’s picture was one of them.

I took this shot on the 22nd May 1992 when I was travelling solo for a year. I spotted these young Water Buffalo and their mother wallowing in a mud-bath in a field on Samosir Island, Lake Toba, Sumatra, Indonesia when I was out for a walk and I couldn’t resist grabbing a shot.

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16th November picture of the day…

16 Tuesday Nov 2021

Posted by in Flora and Fauna, Musings, Photography, Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire

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It’s been a quiet one here at Bigland Towers – albeit a long on as I was up at 06:30 as I needed to get a magazine article finished and various pictures from COP26 sent out to clients. Not that I minded. The weather’s been pretty miserable here in the Calder Valley so I was happy to be spending most of it in the warmth whilst watching the antics of our feathered friends outside the office window.

I’d completed the urgent tasks by lunchtime, which seemed like a good time to take a break and walk down into Sowerby Bridge as part of my daily constitutional and also pick-up some shopping. I was foiled on the last part. I’ve developed a taste for the low-alcohol version of Leffe, the famous Belgian beer. I can normally pick it up in our local Tesco but they’ve run out. Sadly, it was the same situation in Sowerby Bridge. Oh, well, back to the low-alcohol Adnam’s ‘Ghost Ship’ it is then…

Back home I had the house to myself as Dawn was working in Huddersfield all day, so I knocked off early as I had the kitchen to myself and knocked up a pan of pea and ham soup using the gammon joint I’d slow cooked the day before. I’m gradually restocking the freezer for the winter and home-made soups are a good way to do it. They make a lovely lunch after a chilly walk.

As the weather worsened by the evening I’ve not been tempted to do anything more than stay indoors and catch up on some more picture editing whilst being entertained by the local foxes. I’d cut up the fat off the gammon and put it out the back for the birds – only one of the foxes got there first this evening and snaffled most of it whilst being watched by ‘Popi’, the neighbours three-legged cat. Neither creature bothered the other, although Popi did keep a wary eye on the much larger male Fox – just in case…

Tomorrow’s going to be another day working at home. The weather’s expected to be mild but dull, but I’ll have the excitement of preparing a load of invoices, so I’m not complaining too much as it’s the beginning of the reward at the end of all the hard work. Maybe I’ll get to nip out with the camera later whilst there’s still some leaves on the trees, who knows? They’ve certainly provided some stunning colours this year, as today’s picture which was taken in Sowerby Bridge on Sunday shows…

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15th November picture of the day…

15 Monday Nov 2021

Posted by in Architecture, Musings, Photography, Picture of the day, Travel, West Yorkshire

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I had to nip out for a few hours today in order to amass a few pictures for a forthcoming article. Tempting as it was to do a rolling blog I decided not to put myself under any pressure in order to enjoy the trip and exploring. Having travelled via Bradford and Leeds I arrived at my destination – Wakefield. Although I’ve passed through the town many times and had one night out there with a bunch of friends when we were on a canal holiday many moons ago – I can’t say I really know the place. So, having bagged the pictures I needed I had a wander – and was quite surprised at what I found. Normally, I’ve passed through the town in transit between the two stations Westgate and Kirkgate and never really deviated from the route. Today I explored further by taking random turns just to see where I’d end up. Despite suffering from the problem every UK town has nowadays (a surfit of empty shops) I was pleasantly surprised to see how much of the centre has been pedestrianised. It makes a huge difference to the feel of a place. The scale of the new developments around town surprised me too. Not just around Westgate station – although that impressive enough, but also the area now known as the Trinity Walk shopping centre. Now shopping’s really not my bag, but I have to say that for anyone who does indulge, Wakefield seems a good choice. Modernism aside, I love some of the older buildings and the narrow streets and alley’s between them. There was always something to see – from tucked-away pubs to old stables. The local Civic Society have provided plenty of blue plaques that record a buildings provenance, which was both useful and informative. I’d certainly pop back again with the camera.

Having enjoyed my perambulations I headed back home, retracing my steps via Leeds, but this time detouring to take the train to Bradford Forster Square in order to walk across town to Interchange. I love the buildings of Bradford. It’s another place I keep meaning to have a day out in, just looking at the architecture. The area known as ‘Little Germany’ sounds fascinating, but I’ve only ever skirted the edge of it. Maybe it’s a project for the winter…

Now, back home I’m editing today’s pictures ready for a busy day tomorrow. So here’s a snippet from Wakefield. Sadly, this grand-looking pub which is adjacent to Wakefield Westgate station has closed. But the city has a habit of reusing these buildings, so who knows what its next incarnation may be…

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14th November picture of the day…

14 Sunday Nov 2021

Posted by in Down memory lane, India, Musings, Travel

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Today finds me in a reflective mood due to a number of recent events. Partly it’s the come-down from the buzz and excitement of the past couple of weeks being up in Glasgow for COP26. That was such an amazing time with so much going on that it’s unsurprising the rush wearing off is having an effect. Even so, I was actually looking forward to coming home, but things haven’t quite gone the way I was hoping.

Part of that is due to hearing about the sudden deaths of two people. One of whom was an old friend. The other was someone I’d never met in the flesh but whom I’d spent years sharing social media with. I found out yesterday that a chap called Russell Saxton had died unexpectedly. Russell and I had been sparring partners (99% of the time on the same side) on social media for 15 or more years. We had a lot in common (politics, music, railways etc) but had never actually got around to meeting. Oh, we’d planned it. But other things always got in the way. But then you often think ‘there’s always next time’. Until there isn’t…

The other death was that of someone I’ve known for far longer. I first met Axel Honslaar in India back in the mid 1990s. Lynn had met him and his partner Lucie Walta in Goa, India when she was out there without me (on a work trip). Afterwards Lynn decided to have a couple of week’s holiday and pitched up in Arambol, Goa – a place I’d first introduced her to in 1993. Axel and Lucie had cycled all the way from the Netherlands to India and fell in love with Arambol. So much so they decided to stay and set up their own little business selling Dutch apple pies to the travellers and restaurants that lined the beach. They called their business ‘Double Dutch’. I met the pair of them when Lynn and I returned a year or two later. The four of us instantly hit it off. Axel and Lucie’s business really took off too. So much so that they ended up opening their own cafe, employing several local women which was a first as working in Chai shops and restaurants was a male preserve. The pair of them were philanthropists, not just employers, they did a tremendous amount of charity work (in fact Lucie still does). Off season they’d go to Nepal, where they started a small charity in the village of Barpak in Gorkha district. In 1998 Lynn and I joined them on one of the Nepal treks they used to organise to raise money for the charity. It was a fabulous 10 days trekking away from the usual tourist trails.

When Lynn and I visited them in Arambol we’d end up sitting with the pair of them, chatting and drinking – including Axel’s favourite local tipple – Old Monk rum. They were lovely times, but times change. Lynn and I last visited Goa in 2003, then we split up in 2010. Axel and Lucie also split up. Lucie stayed in Goa, maintaining the business and charity work, whilst Axel eventually returned to the Netherlands, but we all stayed in touch via Facebook, although that platform being what it is – you didn’t always get to see what each other were doing. Axel and I would swap messages and I’d always thought that – one day – when I was over in Holland I’d look him up and we’d swap tales over a few beers. So, you can imagine my shock when I saw Lucie post earlier this week that Axel had died. It was a beautiful message as – despite the fact they’d split many years ago, there was obviously still love and affection there.

The four of us had such happy times together back in the 90s and ‘noughties’. But now 50% of us are gone. Time waits for no man (or woman) but that universal truth doesn’t make those losses any easier. I can’t help but reflect on those amazing times and realise just how much I miss the experiences we all shared. Those were special times. Now I’m left with memories and the increasing feeling of ‘Carpe Diem’ as I’m not getting any younger…

So, today’s picture of the day is a reminder of dear Axel – and Lucie. I took this picture in December 1997 at the house they were renting in Arambol. It was a typical night at their place with lots of people, music and alcohol! Happy days…

Sleep easy Axel. See you on the other side…

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If you enjoy reading this blog, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course (although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab!), but the revenue from them helps to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site – and right now (because of Covid), us freelances appreciate all the help that we can get to aid us in bouncing back from lockdowns. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Thank you!

12th November picture of the day…

12 Friday Nov 2021

Posted by in Glasgow, Musings, Photography, Picture of the day, Railways, Scotland, Transport

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Today’s been a ‘come-down’ day after all the running around and excitement of the past couple of weeks working up in Scotland during COP26. Most of my day’s been spent sitting in the office at home wading through and editing hundreds of pictures taken at various events. I’ve managed to get the last batch out to a client who needed them for press releases and publicity, now I can take my foot off the gas as the last ones are less time-sensitive. Now I’ve got to move on to the words, not pictures as I’ve a whole series of articles to write for various magazines.

I must admit, as much as I enjoyed the fun and games in Scotland it’s nice to be home for a while – even if the weather’s been crap! I’ve really not minded being chained to the computer today when then rain’s lashing down and the winds doing its best to whip the remaining leaves off the trees. Being so busy I didn’t get chance to venture out for my normal exercise and had to make do with a late in the day walk to the supermarket to pick up some bits for the weekend. Even that earned me a soaking, leaving the bathroom looking like a Chinese laundry as all my waterproofs were spread out to dry as they’ll be needed again tomorrow.

The pair of us have decided to have a day off tomorrow. Next week is going to be full on and we’ve not had much quality time together recently, so the idea is to have Saturday off and get out for a long walk somewhere with lunch as part of it. The forecasts looking favourable for a foray into Derbyshire, so (for now) that’s the plan – unless the weather changes overnight. There’ll be no rolling blog, but there might be a few pictures…

Talking of pictures, here’s today’s. This shot was taken in Glasgow earlier this week and shows a pair of old BR ordered Class 156 diesel multiple units approaching Glasgow Central station, threading their way out of the station through the complex trackwork on their way to East Kilbride. Built between 1987 and 1989 by Metro-Cammell’s Washwood Heath works in Birmingham, 114 of these 2-car, 75mph units were built. All remain in service

Two of the lines these trains operate an extensive service on (East Kilbride and Barrhead) are being electrified at the moment with the work expected to be completed in 2022, so these trains are living on borrowed time. Scotland has an ambitious transport decarbonisation plan that’s legally binding so these trains are likely to find themselves being cascaded to services in England – probably in the North-West, where many of the rest of the class already operate. I wonder what will replace them in Scotland?

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Thank you!

6th November picture of the day…

06 Saturday Nov 2021

Posted by in Musings, Photography, Picture of the day, Scotland

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I took a day off from blogging yesterday as it was one of those days. Not in a bad way, but one in which plans rapidly had to change due to new work opportunities and commissions coming in that meant I had to rejig my calendar for the weekend and week ahead. Not that I minded. I’d rather be active than idle and the opportunities are too good to miss. Mind you, it was a good day to be stuck at home poring over a computer screen as the weather’s been cold and miserable here in the Pennines. It’s been the same today with gusting winds and rain beating against the windows. The valley below’s spent most of the day hidden in the murk. What a contrast to Thursday when I was out and about in Cumbria which was bathed in glorious sunshine!

As time’s pressing I’ve spent much of today writing up a future article for RAIL magazine which I want to get completed before Monday as I’ve a series of other pieces in the pipeline and deadlines have a nasty habit of sneaking up on you, especially when you’re writing for a fortnightly news magazine! And there’s no shortage of news in the rail industry at the moment – good or bad. So, a quiet night in beckons as tomorrow evening I’m off again and I won’t be home until Thursday at the earliest. No doubt there’ll be plenty to blog about as I’ll be back in Glasgow on Monday for more rail events connected with COP26. It’s a huge event for the rail industry which is displaying its green credentials in many different ways – not least as the least carbon-intensive way of people getting to the events. Watch out for more blogs on Hydrogen and Battery trains and plenty on the freight sector too as many of the railfreight companies will be at a three day event at Mossend Yard near Motherwell.

OK, it’s now time for me to switch off and step back from the computer for a while to enjoy Saturday night. There’s lots of fireworks going off around me but tonight feels like a night for relaxing rather than taking in a display. Besides, or bedroom window look out over the valley so we can see plenty from the comfort of home!

I’ll leave you with the picture of the day. I have to admit I love Scotland (the country and the people) so I’m really looking forward to the next few days North of the border. Here’s a shot I took on Fuji Velvia slide film over 20 years ago, on the 26th March 2001 when I was taking pictures for a forthcoming Lonely Planet guide to the country. This is the view from the extinct volcano in the centre of Edinburgh known as Arthur’s Seat. How many cities can boast of having such a wild place with fantastic views across it?

Almost directly above the man’s head you can see Edinburgh Castle, which gives you an idea of the size and scale of the former volcano. Over to the right is Leith and the Firth of Forth and beyond that Fifeshire and on to the snow-capped Ochil Hills. Sadly, I won’t have time to do this again this trip…

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If you enjoy reading this blog, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course (although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab!), but the revenue from them helps to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site – and right now (because of Covid), us freelances appreciate all the help that we can get to aid us in bouncing back from lockdowns. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Thank you!

28th October picture of the day…

28 Thursday Oct 2021

Posted by in Food, Musings, Picture of the day, Politics

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Apologies for a lack of a blog yesterday, but as it was my birthday other matters took precedence. I won’t go into much detail about the day other than to say I received some lovely presents, had a convivial day with t’other half (and a lovely lunch with the in-laws) and was blown away with the amount of birthday wishes I received via social media – which was very humbling. So thank you – one and all.

Today it’s been back to the grindstone – although at a less than frenetic pace. I’ve mostly been housekeeping and preparing for the next few days away. I’d half-hoped to get out and tick another job of the list but the weather’s really not been up to it. A weather front has swept in from the West which brought quite a bit of rain later in the day – just when I had some free time, but that’s the law of Sod for you. I still managed to get a walk in as I needed to pick up some ingredients for tonight’s meal as I was on cooking duty. Mind you, that’s something I really don’t mind as I enjoy it and find it therapeutic. Not that I’m going to be cooking again for a while…

Tomorrow I head up to Scotland for several days as I have a series of jobs to do around the railways and COP26. It won’t be my only visit either. I’m really looking forward to my time North of the border, the events that are planned – and the chance to catch up with several old friends. I’ll be rolling blogging over the next few days so you should get a flavour of what’s going on as Scotland prepares to host this most important summit.

That said, I can’t help but feel a sense of despair and disbelief at the antics in Westminster as expressed through the budget. We’re days away from a crucial event that’s highlighting the fact Governments really need to step up to the plate and tackle climate change. So, what does our Chancellor do? Announce that he’s going to cut Airline Passenger Duty on internal flights. The flights that are THE most polluting! Christ on an effing bike – the rest of the world must be looking at us and thinking – are they for real? Here’s a graph that illustrates the problem.

Oh, and let’s not even go there when it comes to the Government umming and aahing over building HS2 (the greenest form of UK transport) at the same time…

Right, now I’ve got that off my chest, here’s today’s picture, which is a little different – just so that you don’t get bored. When I cook I like to prepare ingredients in advance. We have a wonderful array of bowls and dishes that we’ve picked up in Thailand and Vietnam that help me do this, so here’s tonight’s seafood risotto in kit form…

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Thank you!

26th October picture (and soundtrack) of the day…

26 Tuesday Oct 2021

Posted by in Music, Musings, Photography, Picture of the day

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As expected I’ve been busy sat at home writing for a living today, compiling words for an article for one magazine whilst sending off pictures on a different issue to another, thus freeing me up from work tomorrow, which is no bad thing as it’s my birthday. Dawn’s made a fantastic chocolate cake that’s sitting in the kitchen now, ready to be consumed tomorrow.

With the writing over I fell into somewhat of an introspective mood. I’m missing travelling. I don’t mean up and down the UK as there’s plenty of that on the horizon. No, I mean getting away from ‘plague island’ and all its troubles to remember that the rest of the world does things differently and in many cases seems a lot happier for it. Without wanting to wish my life away, I’m looking forward to 2022 when the world is expected to start opening up again and I can rediscover some of the places I’ve missed these past couple of years.

I suspect my sense of ennui hasn’t been helped by stumbling across some Youtube videos of a singer I’ve admired for decades and whose music has travelled with me for the past 30 years – Joni Mitchell. Her album ‘Blue’ contains a track that’s been part of my travels since 1991 when a friend added it to a mix of songs on a cassette tape (yes, it was *that* long ago!) to take with me on my SE Asia solo adventure. The track, ‘Carey’ had such a resonance that I’ve had the album ever since. So, here’s Joni performing it on Youtube (complete with an explanation about the song’s origin)..

Meanwhile, here’s the picture of the day which I still have on my laptop which is from different travels. It’s an image of the Eyre Mountains opposite Queenstown, New Zealand that I took on the 27th February 1999…

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If you enjoy reading this blog, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course (although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab!), but the revenue from them helps to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site – and right now (because of Covid), us freelances appreciate all the help that we can get to aid us in bouncing back from lockdowns. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Thank you!

25th October picture(s) of the day…

25 Monday Oct 2021

Posted by in Architecture, Art, London, Musings, Photography, Picture of the day

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It’s been a quiet start to the week here in Bigland Towers as the pair of us have been slaving over hot computers, ploughing through work that needs to be done. It was a shame as the weather was far better than was forecast. I could have been out with the camera working on another project I need to complete – but ho hum. What matters is that things are getting done as I need to clear the decks (and my desk) before Friday. To that end, scanning old slides is having to take a backseat once more, despite the fact I’ve only a handful of pages left to scan in the present album in the queue. Writing for money has to take precedence!

That means tonight’s pictures are last trip down memory lane for a little while, but I think it’s a good one…

Today’s pictures were taken in East London way back in 1993. This anonymous house, the last survivor of its terrace was number 193 Grove Road. The chap who resided there was a retired docker named Sydney Gale who’d lived in the property since 1939 and he wasn’t happy with the council, who were rehousing him in order to demolish the property to incorporate the land into a new park – hence the protest placard across the top windows. I was developing an interest in the changing face of the East End, housing issues and photography, and so one day in April I stopped to document the house. Little did I know just how famous, or contentious, the building was to become….

When Sydney finally departed a temporary lease was granted by the council so that a little-known artist could turn it into a temporary, full-sized sculpture. The artist was called Rachael Whiteread…

Whiteread made a full-sized cast of the inside of all three levels of the the property using thin, reinforced concrete, then tore down the original building to leave the cast of the interior still standing. ‘House’ as the sculpture was simply titled was unveiled to the public in October 1993 and generated a huge amount of publicity, both positive and negative. It was loved and loathed in equal measure. I stopped by one foggy morning in November to take these pictures. The fog seemed to make the building even more poignant.

‘House’ was always intended to be temporary, but there was a petition started to save it and even a motion in the House of Commons, but a prominent local Councillor hated it. ‘House’ won Whiteread the Turner prize on the 23rd November 1993. The very same day the council voted to demolish it. It was flattened in January 1994 and no trace of it remains. You can read more about ‘House’ here.

I’ve a favour to ask…
If you enjoy reading this blog, please click on an advert or two. You don’t have to buy anything you don’t want to of course (although if you did find something that tickled your fancy that would be fab!), but the revenue from them helps to cover some of the cost of maintaining this site – and right now (because of Covid), us freelances appreciate all the help that we can get to aid us in bouncing back from lockdowns. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Thank you!