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Wednesday, 18 August 2004
York Rose

York Rose

I took this photo one night in York. Of course it is not the famous (white) rose of Yorkshire.

Thanks to Scarlett for the following links. The government of the UK has recently launched a Preparing for Emergencies campaign. As part of this two websites were launched within three hours of each other. Question is, which one is real and which one is a spoof.

Posted by bigblue on 18/08/2004 at 06:31 PM
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Tuesday, 17 August 2004
la tour fantomatique

York Ghost Tour

This is one of the actors who performs the nightly ghost walk of York. There are several of them, some in competition, who crisscross the city nightly in all seasons and in any weather conditions. This chap’s performance was quite good, with shades of Popple. There is even a physical resemblance. The other common factor is that they were both born in Leeds.

This photo was taken outside the Saint Michael-le-Belfrey church, where Guy Fawkes was baptised on 16 April 1570.  Guy was born in the building opposite the church. He attended St Peters School in York.  In 1593 or 1594 he travelled to Flanders and enlisted in the army of King Phillip II of Spain. He held a command in this army when it took Calais in 1596.  On 5 November 1605 Fawkes was arrested in the cellars of Parliament House, giving his name as John Johnson.  He died on 31 January 1606, in the Old Palace Yard in Westminster (hanged, drawn and quartered).  There is a more detailed resumé at the Old Peterites website.

Posted by bigblue on 17/08/2004 at 10:40 PM
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Monday, 16 August 2004
La Ouse en crue

York River Ouse

Here is another photo of the swollen river, facing upstream towards York. The York River Cruise boat came downstream from York and turned around just downstream of the millenium bridge then headed back towards the city.  There were only the captain and one other crew member on board. I was wondering if they were testing that the boat could safely pass under the bridge/s, but they came down the river very fast and uncautiously.

Posted by bigblue on 16/08/2004 at 04:47 PM
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Sunday, 15 August 2004
River Ouse

York River Ouse

The River Ouse (pronounced ‘ooze’) is pretty swollen in this photo although it has not quite burst its banks yet.  Up in the city, some quays are flooded. (I noticed that one place where it is flooded is where I parked my car last weekend).  According to a local tourist guide, the name of the river derives from a Celtic word meaning ‘clear water’.  As you can see this is hardly an appropriate name, and the river is normally this colour, floods or no floods.

Posted by bigblue on 15/08/2004 at 01:33 PM
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Millenium Bridge (detail)

York Millenium Bridge

This is a close up of the Millenium bridge, built by the City of York.  It shows the spokes and rim of the bridge arch in greater detail.  The man and boy are grandfather and grandson, out for a stroll.  I know this because I listened to some of their conversation.  The raised part where the boy is walking is like a wooden bench where young people often sit in groups and chat. Sometimes they jump from the bridge into the river.  Today the river was raised due to the rains earlier this week and it was a 4,4 metre drop from the bridge to the water.

There was no-one sitting on the bridge at midday, but this young boy spotted a squiggle (signature?) of graffiti on one of the wooden slats, and said:

Grandad, what does this mean again?

Unfortunately I didn’t hear the old man’s response.


It was a very pleasant walk down by the river, and I wished that I had had more time, and my in-line skates.

Posted by bigblue on 15/08/2004 at 12:11 AM
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Saturday, 14 August 2004
Millenium Bridge (overview)

York Millenium Bridge

This is the pedestrian/bicycle bridge that I mentioned yesterday. It is the latest bridge built over the River Ouse at York, linking the areas of Fulford and Clementhorpe. It was built with over 2 million pounds of National Lottery funding, but the total cost of the project was over 4 million pounds.  In other words it was subsidised by the tax on people who don’t understand mathematics. 

The bridge design has the theme of a bicycle wheel, and is a very pleasant and useful feature. While I was at the bridge today it was in constant use.  I saw plenty of bicycles and some skateboarders (from the nearby skate park), but surprisingly there was nobody roller-blading.  It was also a glorious day: I took this photo at midday and it was about 26C in the shade.

Posted by bigblue on 14/08/2004 at 11:55 PM
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Friday, 13 August 2004
Fosse Lock

York Fosse Lock

This is the lock on the Fosse River, just where it flows into the Ouse River in the city of York.  In order to take this photo, and frame the church tower within the supports of the lock I had to lie on my side on The Blue Bridge and take the shot through the railings.  This is a small pedestrian bridge that crosses the Fosse at the merge point of the two rivers.  It is actually named The Blue Bridge and it is indeed blue.  But it is not the most exciting pedestrian bridge in York - that is the pedestrian/bicyle bridge which is designed in the form of a giant bicycle wheel - or a portion of it. 

Tomorrow morning I am driving up to York again to fetch Scarlett from her two week summer school.

Posted by bigblue on 13/08/2004 at 05:58 PM
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Thursday, 12 August 2004
Guy Fawke’s birthplace

York Guy Fawkes

This is the Guy Fawkes Hotel in York which by a coincidence was the birthplace of Guy Fawkes in 1570.  He was also baptised at the church across the road in April the same year (said church is adjacent to the Minster).  He attended the York Public school (in other words the posh private school).  On bonfire night at the school they do not burn his effigy. (Supposedly it is against school policy to do so).

Posted by bigblue on 12/08/2004 at 05:22 PM
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