Tag Archives: Picture of the day

1st December picture of the day (and a bit of spleen venting)…

01 Tuesday Dec 2020

Posted by in Australia, Photography, Picture of the day, Politics, Travel

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Here we are folks – we’ve finally staggered into December – for better or worse. Although I’m afraid I’m not sure where the better is meant to be coming from. Well, unless you count the arrival of several Covid vaccines, but that’s not making things ‘better’. At best, it will restore things to a form of normalcy. Meanwhile, we have another iceberg looming on the horizon and getting ever closer. Brexit. Yep, we have 31 days left before we leave the transition period and few people (in or out of Government) have the faintest idea what happens now – as no-one who’s meant to be in charge on this side of the Channel seems to be willing to admit that Brexit is an absolute shit-show. Yet, in 31 days time, international treaties will assert themselves and all the bullshit and bluster of the Brexiters will be laid bare. Because, right now, it doesn’t matter what ‘deal’ Johnson and his cronies cobble together and present to the gullible public as a ‘victory’, the reality of what Brexit actually means will kick in from January 1st 2021 regardless – and it matters not a jot what the right-wing press bluff and bluster when it comes to our ‘demands’ of the EU. This is the real world that’s about to intrude – just as it did on the Orange shit-gibbon in the White House. On the bright side, I’m under no illusions what’s to come.

That said, have mixed feelings about the whole situation but for different reasons. Let’s face it, this is hardly a normal Xmas, is it? I suspect any people are torn over what to do and what advice to follow. If Dominic Cummings can sod off to Barnard Castle from London during lockdown, why can’t they bend the rules too?

Tempting as it may be – we won’t be bending any. Our Xmas will be in the four person bubble we’ve been maintaining for several months. Because we want this shit to end as soon as possible – and to all be in good health (with a clear conscience) when it does. Besides – we’re going to have to spend an awful lot of 2021 listening to people saying “this isn’t the Brexit I voted for!” which is going to require quite a bit of physical stamina and mental fortitude – as well as hiding anything sharp. If things were normal I’d be looking to having a flight booked to somewhere in Asia in December in order to escape Britain in January. Fate however, has decided to conjoin Covid and Brexit. Still, it’ll give me something to blog about – although I may need a spleen transplant by February! On the bright side, there’s going to be plenty to blog about and if (as I suspect it will) this is where I can do it.

OK, back to the season and the picture of the day, which has come together beautifully as the last batch of old slides I’ve been scanning for the archives are from Christmas in Melbourne Australia back in 1998 when Lynn and I stayed with Alison Barry and her family. The pair of us met Alison in India earlier that year and we all hit it off – as travellers sometimes do. So much so that when we arrived in Oz Alison invited us the join her and her family. We had a ball! The rest of our Aussie Oydessy are nest in the queue for scanning, but here’s the picture of Xmas lunch in the Southern Hemisphere with Alison, Lynn. Matt, Kim and Ken all those years ago. What a different world that seems now – for so many reasons…

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!

28th November picture of the day…

28 Saturday Nov 2020

Posted by in Food, Indonesia, Musings, Picture of the day, Travel

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Where the hell’s the day gone? It seems to have vanished into the mists and murk that have covered the Calder Valley all day. One minute it was there, next minute – whoosh – it’s eight o’clock!

Admittedly, with it being the weekend, we did have a teeny-weeny lie in this morning. After all, we knew the weather was going to be cold and wet, so what’s to get up for? It’s not as if we’ve got a flight booked, or people to meet in the pub. Instead, the pair of us have spent the day cooped up inside out of the way of the drizzle and damp. The only person who’s been venturing outside is the cat who’s repeatedly returned as a very soggy moggy before retreating to his heated mat to sit and steam!

The day’s passed with the two of us working in order to make the most of the time. Whilst Dee’s been working in the living room I’ve been holed up in my upstairs office sorting out paperwork and yet more old slides which includes the picture of the day. I’ve finished scanning the last album of pictures from our 1998 Indonesia travels, but I’ve skipped forward a bit as the next album in the series is stashed away in Dawn’s parent loft. So please forgive me going from Flores to Java with nothing in between (there’s plenty, honest – but they won’t appear for a few weeks yet).

So, today’s picture was taken in Yogyakarta. Java in early December 1998. Yogya’s one of the cultural centres of Indonesia. It’s a fascinating place with a rich history. I’d spent time there back in 1992, so I was determined to revisit on our grand tour. As it was, Lynn and I based ourselves there for over two weeks so we could explore the area. Well, that and the fact it was such a relaxed place. We were staying in the same cheap and cheerful Homestay in one of the backstreets by the station that I’d stayed in back in 92. The facilities were basic, but every morning a local woman would set up her stall in the street outside to sell the most wonderful Javanese food. Most of it was vegetarian and it was sublime. You could mix and match and a really hearty, spicy breakfast packed full of flavours would cost you about 20p. you’d see stall like this throughout Java. Women would cook the food at home, then set up little street stall every morning (or evening) and sell the most delicious street food. Once it was gone, so were they. The bowls would all be stacked upon each other and the woman would carry them off in the same way most of them arrived in the first place – by scooter, or balanced on her head, or by Becak (cycle rickshaw).

Boy, do I miss the food of Asia. I’m so glad that both Dawn and I are good cooks so we can recreate some of these tastes at home. But I do miss being able to nip out for breakfasts like this…

If you’re interested in looking through more photos from Indonesia (or the rest of the epic trip), you can find them in this gallery on my Zenfolio picture website. I’ll be adding many more shots of other exotic Indonesian Islands over the next few weeks. There’s a huge cross-section of Indonesian life and street-scenes like this.

Meanwhile, 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/

27th November picture of the day…

27 Friday Nov 2020

Posted by in Indonesia, Picture of the day, Travel

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This blog’s going to be short and sweet as there’s little to report other than the mundanities of life – unless I want to launch into politics. If I did we’d be here all night and (as it’s a Friday) I suspect we’ve all got better things to do. After all, it’s not as if the current shambles is going to go away over the weekend, is it?

So, I’ll restrain myself and save my spleen venting for another time. Besides, I have a sneaky feeling January will be a fertile time to let off steam on that front…

Instead, I’ll go straight to the picture of the day. Amongst other things I’ve been busy scanning and editing more old travel pictures from my 1997-99 grand tour. I’ve come to the end of another album with a series of pictures from the lesser explored Indonesian Island of Flores. Most Tourists to Indonesia never make it beyond Java, Bali, Lombok or possibly Sulawesi. Flores isn’t really on their radar, but I’ve travelled across the island twice, in 1992 and 1998. It’s a fascinating place as it’s very different to the more well known islands as it’s more rugged and with very different flora and fauna as it’s east of the the Wallace line.

I’ve no idea what it’s like travelling across the island now, but when I did it the roads were rough and the local bus services were ‘fun’ to say the least, but it was an amazing place to visit as it was so different. Indonesia has a great variety of cultures and religions and today’s picture reflects that. I took this in a Ngada village near Moni in Mid September 1998. The Ngada people have a fascinating history. The layout of their villages reflect this. Here, you really are stepping back in time…

If you’re interested in looking through more photos from Indonesia (or the rest of the epic trip), you can find them in this gallery on my Zenfolio picture website. I’ll be adding many more shots of other exotic Indonesian Islands over the next few weeks…

Meanwhile, 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/

26th November picture of the day…

26 Thursday Nov 2020

Posted by in Indonesia, Picture of the day, Travel

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Although today’s been spent working from home I’ve been making a conscious effort to tear myself away from computer screens and get some exercise. After spending 14 days in self-enforced isolation and not leaving the house I swore to myself that as soon as that was over I’d boost my exercise levels again. On thing I’m never going to develop is corns on my bum – so this week I’ve been out every day, getting the steps in. When you live high up on the side of a valley, exercise really isn’t a problem if you’re using ‘Shank’s Pony’ rather than a vehicle. There’s no chance of me getting more than a few metres from the house without hitting a gradient of one severity or another! I must admit I’m feeling better for it too. Mind you having to carry the full camera kit around again is pretty good exercise too – as I found out on Tuesday! I might not be globe-trotting at the moment, it’s more of a regional amble – but it’s better than nothing!

When I have been staring at screens it been to wade through emails and paperwork to sort out some more writing jobs, Ebay sales as well as continue the trek to get all my old slides scanned. I may not be able to leave the country, but the pictures I’m currently scanning of Island-hopping through Indonesia are certainly taking be places – both in space and time….

This leaves me in a quandry. What shall I choose as the picture of the day, as I’ve got so many suitable candidates. Orang-Utans in the Gunung Leuser national park in Sumatra perhaps? No, I’ve done that before (you’ll be able to see loads in the travel gallery tomorrow anyway). Maybe another gorgeous sunset somewhere? Nah, I don’t want to get too predictable. Oh, I know – something you might not have seen. Here’s a last one from Sumatra before Lynn and I started Island hopping. This was taken in Maninjau Town on Lake Meninjau, West Sumatra on the 17th August 1998. The 17th is Indonesia’s Independence day, and the town arranged a parade. Part of that parade involved local children dressing up in regional costumes, both from Sumatra and the rest of the Indonesian Islands. The country has a rich ethnic and religious mix and this parade celebrated that fact – as you can see from this picture.

If you’re interested in looking through more photos from Sumatra (or the rest of the epic trip), you can find them in this gallery on my Zenfolio picture website. I’ll be adding many more shots of other exotic Indonesian Islands over the next few weeks…

Meanwhile, 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!

25th November picture of the day…

25 Wednesday Nov 2020

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

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I’ve been based back at home today after yesterday’s commission in Merseyside so I’ve been kept busy editing the pictures for my client as well as the library shots I took on the journey. Well, that and dealing with an overflowing email inbox, Ebay sales and trying to get fitter after shaking off our self-imposed lockdown lethargy! There’s been a lot to juggle and the days just don’t seem long enough to fit it all in. Oh yes – there was also a blog update on the past 6 weeks events on HS2 (our new high-speed railway). I hadn’t realised it was that long since my last update, or just how much had happened in the intervening time.

Because of the ‘action-packed’ programme I didn’t get out to complete my 12.5k steps until late this evening – which was interesting as it’s the first time I realised there is an impact from the latest lockdown(ish). During the day the levels of road traffic seem unchanged – especially when it comes to the school run. This evening was different as there wasn’t a soul on our local roads. Why would there be – there’s nowhere to go! Everyone’s at home in the evenings which makes it the perfect time to go out for a wander. There was just me, the odd fox and the occasional cat as I bimbled along the road through Scarr Woods and back.

OK, It’s late and I’ve a busy day ahead tomorrow, so here’s the picture of the day, which I scanned earlier. I took this in Mid August 1998 from the rear deck of our Homestay at Lake Maninjau, Sumatra late one evening as the sun set beyond the volcanic crater edge. Having a place that was built on the water’s edge is superb. I’d discovered the Homesty a few years earlier when I passed through on a solo trip in 1992 and I was more than heppy to find it unchanged 6 years later.

If you’re interested in looking through more photos from Sumatra (or the rest of the epic trip), you can find them in this gallery on my Zenfolio picture website. I’ll be adding many more shots of other exotic Indonesian Islands over the next few weeks…

Meanwhile, 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!

22nd November picture of the day…

22 Sunday Nov 2020

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

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It’s not exactly been a lazy Sunday – even if it has been a fairly quiet one. My wife’s been busy much of the day on her ‘virtual retreat’ and the various yoga/exercise and meditation classes that involves whilst I’ve been pottering around at home scanning slides and catching up on some email correspondence. The weather’s hardly been conducive to doing much more as we’ve had intermittent rain thoughout the day. Even so, we did manage to get out in between Dawn’s sessions to food-shop and get a walk in through our local woods and up around Savile Park whilst dodging the showers.

Back at home, I took another trip down memory lane whilst scanning the latest batch of old slides from Sumatra. I reckon that with any luck this album will be done and dusted by the end of next week – which is rather pleasing. That means it’s only 22 years it’s taken me to get them to a wider audience! So, without further ado, here’s the picture of the day, which was taken in Banda Aceh, the capital of Aceh province at the very Northerm tip of Sumatra on the 3rd August 1998. This is the city’s Baiturrahman Grand Mosque, which I couldn’t resist visiting at sunset. Here’s why…

Aceh has a fascinating if turbulent history going back centuries. It’s seen more than its fair share of conflicts, but its biggest challenge happened a few years after Lynn and I visited. On Boxing Day 2004 the city and surrounding area was devastated by a Tsunami. It’s estimated that the disaster killed 167,000 inhabitants and destroyed more than 60% of the city’s buildings. It was the hardest hit of all the places struck by the Tsunami. Lynn and I had a lucky escape from the Tsunami. On Boxing Day 2002 and 2003 we were on beaches in Southern Sri Lanka that were badly damaged by the disaster, but in 2004 we’d delayed travelling as we’d a lot of plans for that year. You can imagine how we felt when we learned of the devastation caused to places we’d visited and knew well. There, but for the grace of God…

If you’re interested in looking through more photos from Sumatra (or the rest of the epic trip), you can find them in this gallery on my Zenfolio picture 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!

21st November picture of the day…

21 Saturday Nov 2020

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

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Today’s not quite been the one I expected, but it’s been an interesting one nonetheless. The ‘other half’ has been on day 2 of a 3 day ‘virtual retreat’ via the power of the Internet. This meant Dawn was up early – and so was I, which has given us both some productive time rather than just lazing around thinking “Sod it, it’s a Saturday in lockdown”…

This morning I penned a blog about the latest weapons-grade dishonest about the HS2 rail project. It’s certainly created a stir as no other Journalist seems to have bothered to question the guff about HS2 ‘desecrating’ a children’s memorial.

With that done and the weather having returned to being crap, I stayed in and spent time editing the pictures from Thursdays railway foray on the Harrogate loop as well as continuing to scan more old slides – one of which you’ll see in a minute. I’m gradually working my way through an album of travel pictures taken on the ‘grand-tour’ that Lynn and I took in 1997-99 and right now those pictures are of Indonesia. Looking back 22 years is quite a bitter-sweet experience, not least because of the fact Lynn’s been dead for seven years now, but also because it really was a different age – and one in which we had a ball! Let me explain. In 1998 Asia had suffered an economic crisis that crashed the currencies of many of the countries we were travelling through – Indonesia especially. For the Indonesians it was a terrible time that led to a destabilisation of the country and eventual downfall of the country’s dictator President. It also caused racially based riots as the countries Chinese community were made scapegoats by some. But, for tourists and travellers who arrived once things had settled down, it was very different. I’d been in Indonesia 3-4 years earlier. Then, £1 would have bought you around 3,500 Indonesian Rupiah. When Lynn and got the ferry over from Malaysia to Sumatra in July 1998 the exchange rate was 22,000 rupiah to the pound – yet prices for most things (in rupiah) had hardly changed! You were rich! To say this took the pressure off a couple backpacking would be an understatement. You didn’t have to count the pennies at all and as the pair of us were frugal anyway, money went a loonngg way. It was a vintage time to be travelling through SE Asia.

One place we pitched up at was a magical little place off the North Coast of Sumatra, Iboih on the island of Pulau Weh. Our time there deserves a blog in its own right as we had a fabulous time with a group of people who all really jelled. Because it was hard to get to – you must have really wanted to be there – and that made all the difference to the place. This was in the days before backpacking became ‘flashpacking’ where young people would parachute in and out of places via cheap airlines. Then, you went the ‘hard’ way by train, bus or ferry. So, here’s the picture of the day, the small but beautifully formed beach at Iboih, seen sometime between mid-to the end of July, 1998. We liked it so much our planned week turned into 16 days and even then we had to force ourselves to leave…

Just out of shot to the right is Rubiah Island, which you could swim to (and a group of us once did). The coral around here was gorgeous and it was absolutely teeming with different varieties of fish. Facilities at Ibioh were basic, the wooden bungalows were simple and had no showers. You bathed out in the open with water from the communal well! The group of people we met there had pitched up from all corners of the globe, but formed a community. Looking back at the pictures I’m scanning I realise that it was one of the few places we went to where I took lots of pictures of fellow travellers – some of whom I’m still in contact with today. So it will always hold special memories for me as a perfect moment in time – which is why I’ll never go back…

If you want to see more pictures of our travels, you can find them in this gallery on my Zenfolio picture website. I’ll be adding shots almost daily over the next few weeks.

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 November picture of the day…

20 Friday Nov 2020

Posted by in Malaysia, Photography, Picture of the day, Politics, Religion, Travel

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After the excitement of breaking free from the office on a sunny day yesterday, and the chance to get some interesting and historical pictures to boot – today’s been back to the usual pattern in more ways than one. The glorious sunshine was a flash in the pan and here for one day only. Today we reverted to heavy grey skies, rain and the light levels that would make a troglodyte feel at ease.

This has meant I’ve worked from home all day, juggling the mundanities of everyday life with editing and scanning pictures and arranging a couple of commissions, so my times been well spent – if a little frustrating at times as I watch the latest political shenanigans on the news. That the Home Secretary’s found to have been bullying her staff is (obviously) a resigning matter. Only it’s not the perma-smirking Priti Patel that resigns – it’s the Senior Civil Servant who conducted the investigation into the allegation and who was hung out to dry by Johnson! So, no change there then. The old film adage about “who do I have to f**k to get a part in this movie” has turned into “what do I have to f**k-up to get the sack around here”? Nothing, apparently – unless you count making up a derogatory nickname for the Prime Minister’s latest squeeze! Honestly, how this country ever managed to rule 1/3 of the planet is beyond me…

Still, I did manage to get out for a long walk in the drizzle and murk, which was good. After being in self-imposed isolation its lovely to be building up the exercise again. This weekend Dee’s on another ‘virtual retreat’ as part of an online group she really enjoys being part of – so it’s a good excuse to get out from underneath her feet and get a few more miles walking under my belt. Admittedly, I have other plans too as I’ve still loads of stuff to get onto eBay. Methinks this will be a productive weekend because of it. After all, it’s not like we’ve got much else to do during this lockdown – and I’d much rather feel the time was being spent doing something useful rather than sat on a sofa watching TV…

Today’s picture of the day is one of the latest batch of slide scans. I’m slowly working my way through an album of pictures from Malaysia and Indonesia. 95% of them have never made it onto my picture websites before, so it’s great to finally bring them to a wider audience. Today’s image was taken in the Batu Caves outside Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in the first week of July 1998. The caves are an important site for Malaysia’s Hindu community and well worth a visit, both to enjoy the caves themselves but also some of the shrines to Gods in the Hindu pantheon.

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!

18th November picture of the day…

18 Wednesday Nov 2020

Posted by in Malaysia, Photography, Picture of the day, Travel

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Today’s been another wild and windy one here in the Pennines, so I’ve spent most of the day cooped up at home scanning old slides from Malaysia whilst catching up on emails, eBay and sending off pictures to magazine. Work’s picking up, which is good, and tomorrow the weather’s meant to be rather good, so I’m having a day out to record more changes to our railways – you’ll be able to see what I’m up to in a rare opportunity for a rolling blog!

As it’s late I’ll now go straight to the picture of the day which is one of the batch I scanned earlier. Taken in Melaka, Malaysia at the end of June 1998 it shows a sigh at a Chinese temple which caused me to do a double-take!

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!

17th November picture of the day…

17 Tuesday Nov 2020

Posted by in Malaysia, Musings, Picture of the day, Travel

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All in all it’s not been a bad day – if one ignores the world falling apart around one that is! But from a personal perspective it’s been rather productive. Having been cooped-up for the past couple of weeks I was happy to escape the confines of the house for long enough to meet my exercise targets for the first time since we had to self-isolate. The weather may not have been great as we’ve had gloomy, gloomy skies and threats of rain all day, but even a stroll down into Sowerby Bridge was enjoyable – even if there was nothing to do there other than pick up some shopping! Simple pleasures…

Admittedly, the walk back along the canal was lovely. There’s something special about being able to walk alongside water and the stillness of the canal where the only interruptions are Ducks is very therapeutic. The exercise was a lovely break from staring at screens – although I’m back to that now as I trawl through emails whilst scanning old slides. Mind you, some emails are welcome, such as the one I received earlier telling me that a commission regarding some new train conversions is back on. I’ll be blogging about that another time but it’s a welcome return to a semblance of normalcy. As well as dealing with the present I’ve still been scanning old slides from the past – which has provided me with the picture of the day – which is very much a moment in time.

I took this on the 10th June 1998 in the Perhentian Islands, Malaysia. This is people of all nationalities (including a solitary Scot!) gathered around a TV in a restaurant to watch the opening match of the 1998 World Cup which was between Scotland and Brazil. Neither Lynn nor I were great football fans, but what struck me about this night was how international it was. There were people from dozens of countries who’d pitched up in the Perhentians who just wanted to watch the footy! There’s another twist too. These two islands are mostly ‘dry’. Alcohol’s hard to come by (or expensive when you can get it) so it was probably one of the most sober group of football supporters I’ve ever seen – hence the absence of beer bottles on the tables. Even so, looking back at this picture I remember it as a cracking night in a place I’ll always remember.

I’m gradually scanning the rest of the pictures from this trip, so expect more from some off-the beat locations to feature 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!