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Paul Bigland

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Paul Bigland

Category Archives: Travel

24th February picture of the day…

24 Wednesday Feb 2021

Posted by Paul Bigland in Architecture, India, Musings, Photography, Picture of the day, Travel

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Architecture, India, Musings, Photography, Picture of the day, Travel

Busy, busy busy – with lots of different things. Although the old canard is that men can’t multitask that’s certainly what I spent most of the morning doing! I had a batch of slides all mounted, ready for scanning so whilst I went through that mechanical process I was tuned into the the National Rail Recovery Conference listening to a series of excellent presentations from speakers about the future of the railways – from how to recover passenger numbers post Covid to how the railway can decarbonise and also how the network can cope with climate change. All three are complex subjects but the speakers really helped to nail the issues. You can find a copy of today’s agenda and details of the speakers here. I could dedicate to whole blog to the conference but time’s short and there’s one more day to go. What I will say is that the conference dispelled many of the myths around how working from home (WFH) is supposedly cutting pollution and the need to travel. In some cities pollution’s increased as people have abandoned public transport and taken to the car – even if they’re working from home. As usual, the simple soundbites you hear from people like those opposed to HS2 simply don’t stand up to the facts. The conference also confirmed my opinion about just how out of touch with the realities surrounding transport and climate change much of the UKs ‘green’ movement really is. So much so that they’re actually hindering, not helping, us tackle the real issues.

The third part of my multi-tasking was (finally) producing my new blog on progress with building High Speed 2, which I finally finished and published this afternoon. All in all – a productive day. I even managed to get out for a walk and get my quota of exercise but managed to time it badly so received a soaking on the way home! Maybe I’ll have better luck tomorrow…

Ok, on to the picture of the day. I’ve now amassed a whole heap of scanned slides that are in the queue to be checked in Photoshop. Due to their age (taken in 1993) and the fact the harsh desert conditions of Western India were never easy on film or film cameras – many slides need retouching to remove surface scratches or blemishes. The worst examples will have to be filed away until I have time to put in the hours to make them presentable. Others only need a few marks, blemishes or shallow scratches removed or contrast and colour balances adjusted. Here’s one such example. I took this shot in November 1993 from atop the magnificent Merangarh Fort that dominates the town of Jodhpur in Rajasthan, India.

Sitting on the battlements of the fort gazing down on the town some 400ft below is quite an experience due to the fact the sounds of the town can be heard really clearly due to the atmospheric conditions that allow them to carry upwards. The blue of the houses? I’m told that’s to show the homes belong to high-caste Hindus (Brahmins) although I’ve seen other reasons given. Whatever the truth is, they make for a colourful sight.

When all the pictures are scanned you’ll be able to find them 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 need all the help that we can get. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Thank you!

23rd February picture of the day…

23 Tuesday Feb 2021

Posted by Paul Bigland in Architecture, India, Photography, Picture of the day, Travel

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Architecture, India, Musings, Photography, Picture of the day, Travel

Another busy day scanning and scribbling – although the results of either of these activities won’t see the light of day until tomorrow – apart from this taster. I’ve finally got my teeth into a blog catching up on what’s going on with construction of the High-Speed 2 railway, but whilst I’ve been engrossed in that I’ve also been juggling my time with taking part in RAIL magazine’s online National Rail Recovery conference which is on until the 25th. There’s still time to sign up to the next two days sessions if you follow the link. One of the other juggling balls was keeping an eye on the unfolding eviction of yet another anti HS2 protest camp. This time it’s the one at Poors Piece near Steeple Claydon. Of course there’s only ever going to be one outcome – and I’ll be blogging about the latest failures of HS2Rebellion as a follow-up to my HS2 progress report.

Meanwhile, the slide scanning has taken me back in time to India in December 1993, when I took this shot at the Bada Bagh gardens outside Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. Here’s a picture taken from amongst the Chhatris…

There’s several hundred pictures from India to add to my Zenfolio website which I expect to take a couple of weeks. The first ones have started appearing here and I’ll try and add batches on a daily basis.

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 need all the help that we can get. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Thank you!

21st February picture of the day…

21 Sunday Feb 2021

Posted by Paul Bigland in Architecture, Musings, Photography, Picture of the day, Scotland, Travel

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Musings, Photography, Picture of the day, Scotland, Travel

Remind me never to promise to write a long, complex blog the Sunday after someone’s birthday party – even if the party in question is someone’s 80th!

Norah had a wonderful day yesterday despite the Covid restrictions. Her children (my wife and her brother) had hatched a plan to get as many people as possible to join in on a family Zoom call and it went brilliantly! Norah was rather overwhelmed by it all as she got to see people who would never normally have been able to make the journey to a conventional birthday party, so the event was a great success. Physically there might just have been the four of us, but Dee had prepared a lovely 3 course meal so the event was a great success, so much so that the pair of us didn’t get back home until after midnight so decided to have a lie-in and lazy morning today – hence no long, complex blog!

Oh, I still got some work done – hence the latest tranche of travel pictures that have appeared on my other website here, but apart from that we’ve bother taken our feet of the accelerator and pottered around at home before getting out for a long walk. Rather than ramble on the hills we’ve taken to exploring the backstreets and alleys of Halifax – and discovered some amazing architecture and stunning houses, especially around the Savile park area. It’s sometimes easy to forget what a wealthy town Halifax was in its heyday, but the huge family homes that still exist in many parts give the game away. Yes, there’s still rows of back to backs in some parts, but you can soon find out where the middle-classes and rich lived. Sometimes all that remains of these estates are a couple of gateposts and a substantial wall surrounding an estate full of modern homes. As an incomer to the area these have piqued my interest as they reflect what happened in the town I grew up in – Southport on the Lancashire coast. One day I’ll have to do some digging through local historical records. In the meantime I’ll just enjoy the discoveries we make by accident.

In the meantime, I’ve got a busy week at home as I’ve dug out a few more old slide albums from storage at Dawn’s parents whilst we were there yesterday. I’ve a first sift to do, disposing of ones that are no longer relevant or that have been superseded by events. After that I’ll have a much better idea of how long the scanning queue might be. Suffice it to say, I’m going to be kept occupied well into the summer…

But, I will get that High-Speed 2 blog written as it promises to be an interesting week. Construction of the new railway is coming on in leaps and bounds now as contractors are really gearing up on many of the main civil engineering elements of the project – which I’ll talk about in the blog. Meanwhile, the derisory ‘campaign’ against HS2 goes from farce to worse! The pointless Euston tunnel protest is dragging on, but as it’s no-where near an active HS2 worksite not an hour of construction time has been lost. Meanwhile, more ‘protection’ camps set up by the protesters are about to be evicted. The protesters response? Well, tomorrow Hs2Rebellion are having a nationwide ‘banner drop’. Quite how a bunch of vacuous, blustering slogans written on old bedsheets is going to stop HS2 is a mystery, but then HS2 rebellion seem to be more about raking in the donations from gullible people via Crowdfunders rather than mounting a credible campaign to stop HS2. I’ll relate some of tomorrows farce when I can.

In the meantime, here’s today’s picture of the day which is another shot from my Scottish trip – this time from Edinburgh rather than Glasgow. I took this shot on the 26th March 2001 from Arthur’s seat, the amazing extinct volcano which rises 250 metres above the city in Holyrood park. It shows the view across to the iconic Edinburgh Castle.

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 need all the help that we can get. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/Thank you!

20th February picture of the day…

20 Saturday Feb 2021

Posted by Paul Bigland in Architecture, Musings, Picture of the day, Scotland, Travel

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Architecture, Musings, Picture of the day, Scotland, Travel

Apologies for the lack of blogging these past few days but I’ve simply not found the time to do any! Instead, I’ve been scribbling for a living, writing my latest article for RAIL magazine which will be appearing sometime in the next few weeks. The article’s not on my usual subjects but about a mental health and crisis charity based at Huddersfield station. I’ll say more bout that when it’s published.

Besides scribbling I’ve continued scanning old slides and finished off yet another album. The last one contained a plethora of pictures from around the UK taken in 2000-2001 which has provided me with a rich back-catalogue for picture of the day, as will the next one in the queue. The latest album goes further back in time – to 1993-94. It starts off in India, then back to the UK before moving on the Denmark, then Bali, Indonesia. There’s some wonderful memories locked into these images but also sad feelings because so many pictures feature Lynn, who died 8 years ago now, in 2013. Even so, it’s lovely to look back and remember, especially now that my wings are clipped by Covid and our virtual ‘house-arrest’! At least I have the pictures to remind me what the wider world looks like – as well as give me inspiration for places I want to return to when lockdown is finally released and life starts to return to normal. In the meantime, I’ll keep occupied and wait for my turn to be vaccinated. I’m not one of these people worried about possible side-effects of the vaccines. They’re mild compared to the possible side-effect of catching Covid: Death.

You may be wondering why this blog’s appeared so early in the day. Well, today’s my mother-in-Law’s 80th birthday so Dawn and I are cooking a meal for Norah and John. We’ve been in a bubble with them since lockdown began and – as Norah can’t have a party or celebrate such a landmark birthday in the way we’d like, we’ve arranged something a little more intimate – along with a little surprise…

Norah’s birthday means I won’t be around until late, so – without further ado, here’s the picture of the day.

I took this shot in Glasgow on the 21st March 2001 when I was on tour to get pictures for a forthcoming Lonely Planet guide to Scotland. This is the magnificent University of Glasgow building at Gilmorehill in the city’s West End. Built in 1870 it was designed in the Gothic revival style by George Gilbert Scott (who also designed St Pancras Station in London) with other features such as the spire to the belltower added by his son Oldrid in 1887.

You’ll be able to find this and many more pictures from Scotland (and elsewhere in the UK) in this gallery on my Zenfolio website after tomorrow. You can even buy copies.

I’ll be back to blogging tomorrow as I’ve a host of things to write about. I’m hoping to (finally) produce my much-delayed blog on progress with building the new HS2 high-speed railway…

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 need all the help that we can get. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Thank you!

16th February picture of the day…

16 Tuesday Feb 2021

Posted by Paul Bigland in Architecture, London, Musings, Photography, Picture of the day, Travel

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Architecture, London, Musings, Photography, Picture of the day, Travel

Life today could best be described as ‘plodding’. That doesn’t mean it’s been a bad day – far from it but excitement and surprise don’t really feature much in these Groundhog Days. Instead there’s slow progress in this, that and the other, but nothing that inspires or really makes the heart sing. Still, I shouldn’t complain as our cage is gilded compared to many and there’s no shortage of (repetitive) things to do. Funny old world though, isn’t it? Who would have thought that one day we’d all be looking forward to the day we can go to a clinic to get a jab and it would be a highlight of your year and news of its reception something you’d proudly share with friends on social media?

So, anyway – here’s the picture of the day to brighten things up. It’s taken from the latest batch of slides scans. This particular image was shot on the 5th March 2001 and shows the wonderful exterior of the Natural History Museum in South Kensington, London. I have a passion for architecture and architectural photography, although this was one of a series from a list of pictures wanted for a Lonely Planet guide to London.

Built in the 1870s in the Romanesque style the exterior makes wide use of architectural terracotta tiles which helped protect the building from the city’s polluted atmosphere. They also make it gorgeous to look at and feature many relief sculptures of flora and fauna to add to the attractions. As usual, you’ll be able to find the full selection of pictures from London in this gallery on my Zenfolio website.

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 need all the help that we can get. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Thank you!

13th February picture of the day…

13 Saturday Feb 2021

Posted by Paul Bigland in London, Picture of the day, Travel

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London, Photography, Picture of the day, Travel

Sorry folks, it’s been an odd day so there’s no preamble (or ramble) from me today. There’s just a picture instead. This is one from the latest batch of slide scans. I took it on the 15th December 2000 from Greenwich Park in London, looking across to the burgeoning blocks of Canary Wharf where the new city was rising. Strange to think how confident and outward looking the UK seemed in those days – long before the introspection and madness of Brexit.

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 need all the help that we can get. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Thank you!

8th February picture of the day…

08 Monday Feb 2021

Posted by Paul Bigland in India, Musings, Photography, Picture of the day, Travel

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India, Musings, Photography, Picture of the day, Travel

We’ve had another perishing day here in West Yorkshire, with temperatures that never got above freezing, coupled with biting winds and snow flurries throughout the day. Fortunately, the worst snow fell on the hilltops above us, so we’ve remained pretty much unscathed.

The week’s not started off in great fashion as we had to take Jet, our cat back to the vets for a check-up and found he needed antibiotics for a mouth infection. The boy old boy’s been through the mill over the past week, so we could have done without that – but hey ho…

On our return we both decided ‘sod it’ and took time out for a drive out in the snow for a change of routine and scenery, anything the break up the monotony of yet another ‘Groundhog Day’. Venturing up to Mount Tabor we caught the full force of a snowstorm blowing in, which was quite spectacular as the road started disappearing in minutes. Fortunately is soon blew itself out so we ventured further afield to the opposite side of the Calder valley up above Rishworth to areas we hadn’t explored before, then joined the A58 Rochdale road to venture across the border into Lancashire at Littleborough before swinging East to come home. We didn’t leave the car at any point so we didn’t feel bad about bending the lockdown rules slightly. Besides, it was great for our sanity to be able to see something and somewhere outside of the everyday routine.

The weather forecast is predicting more snow over the next few days. We’ll have to see how that goes as we’re both meant to be working in Huddersfield on Wednesday. Time (and the weather) will tell…

Back at the ranch we we grateful to be in the warm and I continued with sorting through old slides, which has provided me with the picture of the day – one of the latest batch from India. It’s also a reminder that – despite whatever problems we’re experiencing, others have life harder. I took this shot in Ahmedabad, the capital of the Indian state of Gujarat on the 21st February 2000. Ahmedabad was an Indian version of Manchester 60 years ago with the city skyline dominated by factory chimneys. At one time I counted almost 50 of them from the roof of my hotel, although by 2000 this number was in decline. The cotton trade and other heavy industries meant that there was a lot of demand for goods to be carted around the city and human muscle-power moved a lot of it as men, women and children pulled hand-carts like this through the traffic-clogged and polluted streets.

You’ll be able to find the full selection of Indian pictures in this gallery on my website. The latest batch include an Indian wedding as well as more shots from Ahmedabad. I’ve only a few dozen more to add, then we move on to a selection from somewhere very different to India. Denmark!

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 need all the help that we can get. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Thank you!

7th February picture of the day…

07 Sunday Feb 2021

Posted by Paul Bigland in Musings, Picture of the day, Travel

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India, Musings, Photography, Picture of the day, Travel

There’s an old Jethro Tull song about ‘a cold wind to Valhalla’ – and that’s certainly how it’s felt today. The weather’s been perishing. We’ve escaped the latest snowfall where we are, but only by about 100 metres as you can see the tops of the valley around us capped in white. Despite this I was determined to get out and make up for my lack of exercise yesterday – and so I did – because it may have been bloody cold but that meant there was no rain. Instead we had desultory attempts at snow that were easily brushed aside.

My perishing perambulations took me down into Sowerby Bridge to pick up some shopping before returning to ‘chill’ in my office and sort out some more old slide scans, hence the latest picture of the day. After suffering what’s been very much a monochrome world here’s something very different. I took this picture at the ‘flea market’ in Anjuna, Goa, India on the 2nd February 2000.

Here’s a tribal family selling home-made clothing of the sort that catches many a European’s eye. They’ll happily sport such attire around India, but you just know it gets consigned to the back of the wardrobe (or charity shop) when they get home! No matter, it provided a steady income for these Indian families and helped keep some old crafts alive.

I always enjoyed the flea market at Anjuna as it was such a fantastic place to people watch. You can find more pictures from the market in this gallery.

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 need all the help that we can get. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Thank you!

6th February picture of the day…

06 Saturday Feb 2021

Posted by Paul Bigland in India, Musings, Photography, Picture of the day, Travel

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India, Musings, Photography, Picture of the day, Travel

Well, today’s been a bit of a washout – literally! The rain has been unceasing, morning noon and night. So much so that this is the only day so far this year where my exercise level is well below par. I did venture out in the late afternoon when it became obvious the rain wasn’t going to give up as I had some food shopping to do, but conditions were so bad I ended up getting soaked despite being bedecked in waterproofs. Today was definitely one for curling up in front of a fire with a drink and a good book.

Instead, I’ve spent most of it scanning old slides in an effort to feel that I’ve at least achieved something, although it’s quite frustrating being trapped (in more ways than one) whilst looking through a collection of photographs from exotic, warm and sunny climes!

Still, it’s provided me with an new picture of the day. In fact, it’s been hard to choose which one to use as there’s plenty that would make the cut, but I’ve finally plumped for this shot. I took this shot in from the Nehru bridge over the Sabarmati river in Ahmedabad, in the Gujarat, India on the 15th February 2000. For me, the contrast summed up much of India.

Whilst a new Holiday Inn dominates the skyline, slums line the bank of the river where an enterprising chap has built a simple Ferris wheel for children as a way of eking out a living. I wonder what the guests at the hotel though when they gazed out of the window of their plush hotel only to find the vista wasn’t quite what was suggested in the brochure?

The scene’s changed since 2000 of course. The hotel’s still there, only it’s no longer a Holiday Inn but a ‘Lemon Tree’. The slums have been swept away and who knows what’s happened to the people. Now a new road (Riverfront Rd) and a walkway line the Sabermati’s banks.

If you want to see more picture from India I’m adding them to this gallery. I’ve still a hundred plus to add over the next week or two…

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 need all the help that we can get. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Thank you!

The fake environmentalists of Hs2Rebellion let their mask slip…

04 Thursday Feb 2021

Posted by Paul Bigland in 'Green' madness, Air Travel, Hs2, HS2Rebellion, Malaysia, Politics, Travel

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'Green' madness, Hs2, HS2Rebellion, Malaysia, Railways, Travel

I’ve always said that Extinction Rebellion and HS2Rebellion are anything but real environmentalists. Both organisations have jumped on the ‘green’ bandwagon to further a wider (anti-capitalist) agenda and nothing more – hence some of their mad tactics that do nothing to promote tackling climate change. Exactly the opposite in fact. One only has to look at the way XR have frequently disrupted public transport in the UK, even going as far as disrupting electric public transport by gluing themselves to trains on the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) or standing on the roofs of Underground trains!

HS2Rebellion are doing the same with High-Speed 2, opposing a green railway that is the only way we’ll have the rail capacity to get modal shift from road air to rail to cut our biggest source of Co2 emissions (transport) and meet our international obligations to tackle Climate Change.

Today, HS2Rebellion let the cat out of the bag by showing they either don’t understand the issues – or just don’t care. Their target was the news that Malaysia has cancelled the proposed High-Speed rail project between Kuala-Lumpur and Singapore and they used this (superficial) report on the BBC from a freelance journo based in Singapore. In the report it mentions that there are 30,000 local flights between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur per annum – as well as a 24 hour bus service. Here’s what XRebellion have to say on their Facebook page.

Yet again we have supposed ‘environmentalists’ playing along to the right-wing libertarian narrative about costs. This is bizarre. After all, aren’t they the ones who’re always telling us that there is no ‘Planet B’ and that the environment is priceless? Not if you’re intending to build High-Speed rail it seems (roads? No problem – carry on!).

What is it that these ‘environmentalists’ are deliberately ignoring? Simple, just how much carbon those different modes of transport generate. Take a look at this and compare domestic flights, buses and high-speed rail (mentioned as ‘Eurostar’ on this chart).

Here you have the blatant hypocrisy of XR and HS2Rebeliion exposed in black and white in one simple chart.

Over in the UK there’s a similar picture. The biggest market for domestic aviation is between Scotland and London’s airports. HS2 (like HS1 before it with flights to Brussels and Paris) will make severe inroads into that market by speeding up Anglo-Scottish services, as Chris Ogilvie often points out.

I have to declare an interest here. I know Malaysia (and Singapore) well. I’ve been travelling there since 1992 and maintain a keen interest in the areas political, economic and transport issues. In the past, I interviewed the then head of Malaysian Railways for the International Railway Journal and I maintain contacts inside both countries, which is why I know the BBC story isn’t the full story by any means. Even so, for ‘environmentalists’ to gloat over the failure to building a carbon-neutral alternative to 30,000 horribly polluting domestic flights a year (never mind all those 24 hour, 5 hour coach trips) is mad – but then, these people aren’t real environmentalists. What’s depressing is the number of genuine ‘green’ groups and people who’ve been taken in by them. We’ve now gone from saving the planet by any means to saving the planet – just as long as the price is right! This is why I’ve long maintained that the the UKs ‘green’ movement (or what passes for it) simply isn’t fit for purpose as they’ve become just another limb of the libertarian right. You have to ask, how (and why) did ‘greens’ suddenly start celebrating the failure of plans for high-speed rail networks whenever and wherever in the world they happen, and how on Earth can they still call themselves greens?

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 need all the help that we can get. Remember, 99% of the pictures used in my blogs can be purchased as prints from my other website –  https://paulbigland.zenfolio.com/

Thank you!

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