Strolling On

This weeks Stroll took me from Garforth to Leeds. Starting on an old railway line that served the many pits in the area, then following the river Aire right into the centre of Leeds and the station. Another 24km walk on a beautiful day. Just noticed there is a swastika on the bridge. Hopefully it is old graffiti but I wouldn't count on it.  

Bench work

We managed to get a walk in on Saturday. A new route including a circuit of the WW2 airfield at Burn, south of Selby. As usual Layla was on the lookout for benches, suggesting that we (and she) might enjoy lunch at such a spot. Also as usual, it worked.

Social Life

 We had a social weekend. Friday lunch at Skosh with Robert the Drummer and Julia, his wife. Great food as usual, and good company. Saturday we went to eat at Emilie's in the evening. Great time, dogs happy together as well. Then Sunday new friends Ira and Srgen had us and two other couples for lunch. Inevitably for York, we knew Kevin and Penny and soon found we had of friends in common with David and Ursula. 

In the manor

Despite all the grit of a post industrial landscape, Elmet does have some lovely if unheralded buildings. This is Huddleston Hall to the west of Sherburn in Elmet; a 16th century manor house made from local stone.

The Stroll goes on

 The Stroll is going strong. This week I walked from Ulleskelf (what a great Viking name that is) to Garforth, right across Elmet. A great day, very dry underfoot but plenty of water in the becks for the dog. I will get a map together of the route so far and post it soon; it is proving very enjoyable doing these station to station walks.

Bishop Dike north of Sherburn in Elmet. Flowing through the dry fields.

Starter

This was the starter that Danielle and I had at the Abbey. Carrot with lots of fancy stuff that all tasted brilliant.

Easter 3

 

Easter Saturday we went to the Abbey pub restaurant at Byland Abbey beneath the North York Moors. This is the view from the front door of the pub; say no more. The restaurant is run by Tommy Banks and you can take your dog in with you. A really great meal we had, just right. 

Easter 2

 

Rowan and I went to the vast Model Railway show at York Racecourse at Easter. At least 20 years since we last went. A very uplifting experience. One amazing model of a grim 21st Century industrial city in China, brilliantly recreated. It may well be another 20 years before we go again, but it was a real pleasure none the less.

Easter 1

Rowan came up for Easter. A real pleasure to see her. Plenty of walking the dog in the lovely spring sunshine and blossom. This is on Little Hob Moor that connects us to the racecourse and the river.

Open Studios Recap 3

 

The visitors to Open Studios are a great group of people. This year the bench I made for Danielle proved a useful place for people to have a rest or, as in this case, take it in turns to stay with the dog whilst others had a look upstairs at the photos.

Open Studios Recap 2

 

I had a load of new postcard images for sale this year, and they went down well. This one, Tarn, was the most popular. I sold a large circular version which suits the image well.

Open Studios Recap

The two weekends of Open Studios was the usual up and down. Sometimes it seems as if no one will come. Other times it is buzzy and busy. It can feel "all talk no sales", or it be "Hi, I'll have this one please" straight off the bat. Either way it is exhausting and uplifting at the same time. So many people, so many connections made. 

I showed 16 new shots this year, asking people to rank their top three. Towards the Light was the clear winner, with Bullrush Swirl (below) being the surprise best seller.

Back Home

Back home, I had to immediately get ready for York Open Studios that started on the Friday. I did get to walk the dog, who had been very happy staying with friend Louise, her teenage son Seb who loves Layla, and Pasha their dog. 

This shot is of some pools that surround the council tip that is on its way to being closed down and turned into a nature reserve. As for now, mild trespass is tolerated as the new forest borders this area. 

 

Return from Puerto Rico

One of the American influences in Puerto Rico is that there is no public transport. So to get from Rincon to San Juan for our flight home we had to take a taxi for about 100k. Crazy. Anyway we had a look around the old port city of San Juan. It looks and feels more like a Mediterranean city than anything American. We enjoyed our brief visit then got the flight back to Heathrow via Madrid, Lizzy line to Kings Cross then home. Quite a trip; the bad stuff is evaporating and we are left with some good memories.

The group watch the sunset

The Tale of the Trip to Puerto Rico 7

We went on an explore with Frank and Chris who had a car, saw pelicans diving whilst we had lunch in a great restaurant by the coast. Next was a visit to a rum distillery which included a brilliant tour guide who explained it all to us, and took us through 12 tastings - quite a thing.

 

The Tale of the Trip to Puerto Rico 6

It was a very relaxed time in Rincon. I discovered a museum of musical instruments - I think I was possibly the only visitor all day, and I got a very friendly welcome. This man had collected many cuatro guitars, an instrument unique to Puerto Rico. A pleasant place to be shown round.

In the evening we walked into town and experienced the art trail when lots of stalls sell arts and crafts, and bands play on a bandstand in the square. A good day.

 

The Tale of the Trip to Puerto Rico 5

 It was good to know we were in the same place for four nights (before our flight back home, if it actually took off). We walked to the beach and into Rincon, a nice little town. There were frigate birds in the sky and terns on the beach. This photo has the whole group in, from the left it comprises: Eric, Frank, Guy, Tim, Rowan, Vicky, Catherine, Maddie, Chris, Julie, Danielle. Tim oversaw the cooking of a fish bbq which was great.

The Tale of the Trip to Puerto Rico 4

Our flight left Barbados for Trinidad at 5.15 in the morning. So Gerry, our host, said "I'll give you breakfast at 2.30, then arrange a taxi for 3am to get you to the airport in time." And it was not just any breakfast: served by Gerry with a smile, home made bread and jam, great coffee, natural yogurt, fruit. Absolutely perfect, and very kind.

Checked in, we boarded the plane at a very calm airport, and flew first to Trinidad which is geographically part of south America, being off the coast of Venezuela. A change of plane and we flew all the way up the Lesser Antilles islands, stopping off at Antigua then the Virgin Islands. It was an amazing trip, being able to see all the islands easily from the low flying island hopper plane. Having known people in London who were from so many of the islands, St Lucia, Dominica, Montserrat, St Vincent, Anguilla, it was amazing to see them all arced together in the Caribbean Sea. By the time we arrived in San Juan in Puerto Rico we were beginning to appreciate the present, look forward to our holiday, and forget about the difficulties of getting there.

Eric and Julie met us a the airport, and drove us over to Rincon on the west coast, where we would meet up with the rest of the group in a self catering house. Great to have arrived.

The north coast of Trinidad, from the plane.

The Tale of the Trip to Puerto Rico 3

As we check in with Virgin Atlantic for our flight from Manchester to Barbados the pleasant, competent staff inform us that we have the whole economy section to ourselves and 5 other passengers. On the entire plane (some big Airbus) there are 24 passengers. It is the best flight I have been on. Once we decided which row to have, and which toilet to have as our private one, it was a smooth flight with plenty of space. 

So, to be visiting Barbados was not in the plan, but it turned out to be a great experience. From the unlicenced taxi driver (who I ended up having to direct, using the map when he got lost) to the marvellous Air B&B hosts (she American, born in Trinidad, he English and like a Graham Greene character), to the bootleg bus that resounded with reggae, and had a crammed interior that someone always seemed to accommodate just one or two more passengers, to the fish restaurant outdoors at Oistins, and another chaotic bus ride back - it was all a delight.

We were happy to be in Barbados.

The Tale of the Trip to Puerto Rico 2

Alarm off at 5am, the first thing we see is a message from Rowan "Are you guys OK?" This made us check our phones. Flight cancelled, Heathrow Shut all day. The end. Unless we could get to Madrid a different way, we were stuck. We couldn't get anywhere. So we decided to get to Puerto Rico on any flight that would have us, then fly home on our existing tickets. Not easy to arrange in the middle of a maelstrom of panic and uncertainty that is whipped up by such systemic failures. In the end we could get a flight to Barbados from Manchester on Sunday, then to San Juan on Monday. So we went home for two unexpected nights, then we could get the train to Manchester and fly on Sunday. But we couldn't. The dreaded phrase "replacement bus service" on the timetable meant we had to travel to Manchester on the Saturday, stay at the terminal then fly on the Sunday. 

We were in good spirits at the Radisson hotel in the airport, it is a family favourite place to stay, and we had a good meal. 

The Tale of the Trip to Puerto Rico 1

Danielle's high school reunion, which happens every 10 years or so, was arranged for Puerto Rico, where one of the cohort, Maddie, comes from. Last time had been in Tuscany, so this time the four Europeans had to travel west. Rowan was also coming, she was working in the New York office then travelling down to San Juan (the capital) where everyone would meet up.

Danielle and I got the train to Kings Cross, then across to Heathrow where we were staying in a hotel before getting a 7am flight the next morning. To get to the hotel you take pods that run on a special road  from Terminal 5. The idea is presumably to be like the new driverless Google taxis that Rowan has used in Arizona. The reality was more like the dodgems at a fairground in Barnsley, a lot of bumping and rocking, but actually quite fun. We went to bed early, ready for the long flight the next day (London > Madrid > San Juan)

YOS Days 1&2

 Well the first two days of Open Studios are over, and very enjoyable they have been. Some early sales, which always helps settle the nerves, then a beautiful day Saturday with a stream of interesting and interested visitors. Anyone who walks in and says "So, tell me about Elmet ..." is going to get a good response, and I had a couple of those. So good start.

A circular version of this image (Tarn, taken in the Lakes) was one of the sales.

One Day to Go - York Open Studios

Starts Tomorrow. New work everyday until York Open Studios starts on Friday April 4th at venue 47. Details at www.yorkopenstudios.co.uk 

1. Towards the Light

Two Days to Go - York Open Studios

Two days to go. 

2. The Rock Planter. Cripple Creek

Three Days to Go - York Open Studios

New work everyday until York Open Studios starts on Friday April 4th at venue 47. Details at www.yorkopenstudios.co.uk 

3. Queens Hand at Kings Cross