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thomo
Barlick Born Old Salt
2021 Posts
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08/03/2011
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14:21
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A "Two part" look at life. Out and About, Here and There is intended to be a light hearted insight into everyday events wherever you are, plus your views on places you have visited.
Last week I went into Sainsbury's at Colne, instead of using the stairs I went up the moving walkway, as I got on, a metalic voice told me to keep quite still with a firm grip on the handrail, half way up and my hand was ahead of me, the handrail was moving slightly faster than the walkway, cue mental image of arriving at the top face down on the floor and still clutching handrail. My Wife works for Pavers Shoes of York within Boundary Mill and is used to ladies coming in with either an item of clothing ar a sample of material and looking for footwear to match. Yesterday a Lady approached her seeking help, "I am looking for a pair of pink shoes for my Daughter, something that will match this" She reached into her bag and came out with what my Wife thought was a thin pink belt, but no, it was a dog lead!, there was then a brief silence for restructuring of composure after which the Lady explained that her Daughter was showing a dog at Crufts. The Daughter then appeared and delighted with the shoes that Wifey had produced put them on and did her dog walking bit up and down the aisle, including the fast trot, other staff and customers were now on the scene and there was much hilarity.
Here and there, I still haven't been to Wootton Bassett or Nemphnet Thrubwell, but since my Daughter lives in Bristol which is within easy reach of both, and I have not yet seen my new Grandaughter, then it could happen this year. Bristol is one of the few Cities that I like, it has a charm about it that has not been eroded by modernisation, one of my favourite watering holes there is the Landogger Trow, a very old pub that has real atmosphere, I believe it was the inspiration for Treasure Island as that was where the Author used to go for a wet. I think the cleanest place I have ever been was Gothenburg in Sweden and unlike here, Servicemen go free on public transport, it was there that I spent a few hours in the company of the two A's and one of the B's of the well known Pop group from that country.
Over to you now, and I look forward to your comments and imput.
thomo
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panbiker
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Posted - 08/03/2011 : 16:27
I will add to this new thread with this:
The National Memorial Arboretum
This has been estabished at Airewas near Litchfield in Staffordshire and is just a short detour from the M6. Well worth a visit. We went a couple of years ago on the way back from one of our jaunts down to Stratford to see our Dan and family. I have pictures but there are plenty on the website.
The website gives details, free entry and open every day except Christmas Day. There is a restaurant and cafe on the site. Allow a good few hours to get round.
Edited by - panbiker on 08/03/2011 16:29:33
Ian  |
thomo
Barlick Born Old Salt
2021 Posts
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Posted - 08/03/2011 : 16:47
I think there was an article about that on TV last week Ian, and anything that can you off the M6 for a bit has to be worthwhile.
I understand that a planning application has been made for a fishing lake with 16 "Pegs" and accomodation in the form of 2 x 2 bedroom mobile units at Higher Hey Farm, also of course, the Fosters Arms is back on the market, only this time its just the main building, if the vendor gets the asking price he will have got the rest for nowt.
thomo |
Tizer
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Posted - 08/03/2011 : 16:59
I saw King's Lynn on that Michael Portillo TV programme about railway journeys and I was much impressed by the old buildings with their continental look due to the Hanseatic League influence and the Dutch immigrants. I've never been to the town but there must be lots to explore.
The same programme visited a small railway station which had a tiny bar that sold booze and had shelves full of books to read - and a little model railway train running around the top of the room on a shelf! Nirvana. What a place to visit. People stop off at the station just to get a drink in the bar!
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Sunray10
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Posted - 08/03/2011 : 17:25
Went for a jaunt around Admergill, top end of Blacko, yesterday. Walked along the river down from Blacko Bar road. Was looking for pre-historic mound with ditches around it. Had to get across the river, managed it just, but on way back nearly fell in. Didn't find what I was looking for. Got back home looked on Google maps, found out this mound was down Wheathead road, so I was going in the wrong direction. Nice walk though in the sunshine.
R.Spencer. |
thomo
Barlick Born Old Salt
2021 Posts
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Posted - 08/03/2011 : 17:56
Those Michael Portillo programs are quite good and have a knack of highlighting bits of the country we don't see often, the Julia Bradbury Walks are the same. One of our favourite walks used to take us to the Admergill area Barlick, up Brogden then Weets Hill, down to the Moorcock and cross over down into the valley and the Watermeetings, Barrowford onto the canal towpath over the top to Foulridge, towpath again to Greenberfield and back up the lane to home, just under 18 miles. My earlier reference to Agnetha, Annifrid and Benny were before they became ABBA.
thomo |
thomo
Barlick Born Old Salt
2021 Posts
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Posted - 09/03/2011 : 15:08
Here and There, or in this case, There.
New Orleans. Probably one of the most vibrant and exciting cities I have ever been to. My ship arrived off the mouth of the Mississippi at 0600 on a day in February 1973 after a difficult trip that had seen us enduring one of the worst storms ever in the North Atlantic, there was a dense fog and so in company with HMS Devonshire we anchored along with 150 other ships all waiting to go up river. At about 0830 we moved off and took our place at the front of this armada. I spent the first four hours at my station, so by the time I got to have a look at the river it was a beautiful day. I must point out that there is something special about approaching a country for the first time, its the smell, wherever you go, its always different. We arrived at our berth at Pauline St Wharf just after midday, this put us about a fifteen minutes walk from Canal St, which is at the heart of the city and the French Quarter which is on its Eastern side. Being an avid Jazz fan, this was the zenith for me. Our walk took us past the Jackson Memorial Church, one of the cities landmarks. The French Quarter is where its at, wall to wall Jazz. Bourbon St, Royal and Rampart, all overlooked by ornate first floor balconies and rich music coming from every angle. In one club I was challenged to a game of pool, I had never played pool and told them so, there was a bet made, and upon winning I was accused of "hustling" I may never have played pool before but I was a better than average snooker player!. We spent the rest of the day taking in the sights, massive musical fountains with flames coming out in time to the rhythm, we were shown the building that inspired the film "Towering Inferno" and yes some did jump from the top landing on smaller buildings across the street, and a few survided this. Late evening found us in the Sazerac Lounge of the Fairmont Roosevelt Hotel with a crowd of WW2 Veterans, and I finished up with the heaviest woman I have ever met, on my lap, Pearl Bailey, who along with her husband and his band were the nights entertainers, the show was interupted for a time as one of the cities "Street Bands" came in and played, pure magic! My duties finished each day at 1200 hrs, so on day two we were back in the city PDQ. It may have been February but it was up in the 70s and the air was heavy with the smell of Oleanders and Strawberries, whilst taking liquids on board and in conversation with a fellow imbiber, we were asked "Have you been to Fat City yet"? we hadn't, he was going that way home, and offered to take us. Fat City is about 40K out of New Orleans and is pure entertainment, lounges and restaurants, non residential, he took us to a bar gave us over to the care of the place and left us with drinks and a meal, I have to say that whilst Americans can be hard work when out of America, they more than make up for it with their generosity at home. Fat city doesn't come alive until about seven in the evening, after that it becomes spectacular, so we drifted in and out of the bars and lounges and by midnight then had to think about getting back to New Orleans. This problem was solved by a couple who introduced themselves as Dale and Danny Bohiem who were going back to the city, on arrival they took us to a club near the Wharf, Danny was East German and had escaped from there many years before, had come to America and joined the US Marines, now he was the owner of a shoe factory on Pauline St, they had a young Son who was mad about ships,and so I invited them to come on board the next day. Day three, and at the appointed time I was waiting by the gates oblivious to the large black limo that was parked opposite, the driver, a stunning young woman called across and I went over, it was them, the driver being his PA, after touring the ship they took me into the city and I had my first encounter with a full sized American steak, then came a tour of the sights including a ride on "The Streetcar Named Desire" which runs out into the suburbs, we finished off the day at their club and I was taken through the large variety of different pool games that are popular there, when they dropped me off at my ship I was told that the driver, a Miss Janice Adams, was to be at my disposal for the rest of our stay and would pick me up daily at the wharf, to go wherever I wished, or she suggested and all expenses paid. Its a hard life being a Jack Tar, but has its compensations. Right now I have a pie to make, so I will post this and finish it later.
Edited by - thomo on 10/03/2011 11:27:19 PM
thomo |
thomo
Barlick Born Old Salt
2021 Posts
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Posted - 09/03/2011 : 17:05
New Orleans cont, it used to be that British Ratings going ashore in a foreign country had to wear uniform, there were always some who for their own reasons who couldn't wait to get out of it and would take their civvies ashore in a grip and change at the first opportunity, at which point they become just another person, and encumbered by a grip. I found that the rig of the day got me into good places and good company. Day four, and Janice collected me in her own car, a VW Beetle, but with a not so subtle difference, there was a Chevy V8 where the back seat had been, she took me out onto a big raft on Lake Pontchartrain, a big lake on the city suburbs, the raft was off to one side of the highway bridge which connects the city to the opposite side, so long that in the middle you cannot see either end. On this raft was a lounge Named"The Bounty" the bar was as if someone had made a replica of the ship and cut it in half lengthwise, it was remarkable both in detail and purpose. I was the first Jack Tar ever to go there in uniform which led to a party of biblical proportions and it was early the next day when we got back to the ship. Later that same day Janice arrived and said that the Bohiems were having a BBQ and would I like to go? yes please!! Their home was a vast bungalow just off the Chef Menteur highway and by the big lake, arriving before the other guests I was shown how they make their own ice cream and given the grand tour of their home, big, comfortable and airy, I didn't think much of the TV however, it may have had over a hundred channels but the picture quality was only about 350 lines where as at home we had 625. Then I met Bob, Bob was the Chef for the event and had come down from Tennessee, he was a butcher by trade and had brought the meats with him, also a considerable amount of Jack Daniels Bourbon, at about six the other guests started to arrive, first was Anne Margaret the redhead film star, then Connie Stephens of 77 Sunset Strip fame, and last but by no means least was Carrole King, this one I was unfamiliar with at first and it wasnt until they played some of her music, that the penny dropped, here was someone who wrote for Elvis, I have never been to a BBQ since that could match that one. I came away with a signed copy of Tappestry and a very large bottle of Jack Daniels, finally collapsing into a deep sleep at Janices place. The last day was spent with Janice and the Boheims, sightseeing and wining and dining. I saw more of the City and more of its people than you would get from a preplanned holiday and came away with very fond memories of Dale, Danny and Janice, and New Orleans. As such it was terrible to see the devastation wreaked by Hurricane Katrina, and try as they will, I cannot see New Orleans as ever being the same again. The Jack Daniels soon went, consumed by myself and shipmates on a beach banyan on Virgin Gorda, the record, I still have.
The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway.
Opened in 1969 this replaced the earlier one and is 24 miles long. Man made islands were built across the lake and then linked to form the causeway, the Bounty Lounge was attached to one of these islands and others had dwellings on them. The great hurricane Katrina caused serious damage to the causeway, it appears that the Bounty was one to be swept away.
Like all big Cities, New Orleans had its darker side and it was said that on average ten people a week go missing, most end up in the river Mississippi and downstream of the city there are many alligators, we saw a good few basking on the riverbanks as we went down on departure. Janice always made sure that we were out of certain areas by six in the evening. On leaving one the staff were already preparing, I thought they were putting sawdust down on the floors, it was actually crushed peanut shells of which there is a great abundance in the area.
Edited by - thomo on 10/03/2011 5:29:58 PM
thomo |
Bradders
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Posted - 10/03/2011 : 20:04
....and the mention of Lake Pontchartrain reminds me of this...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ad8RVexRUoQ&feature=related
........ ! ! !
BRADDERS BLUESINGER |
frankwilk
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Posted - 10/03/2011 : 21:32
I like this one Bradders it looks like we have good music in common.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuq7RYQ8Wa0&feature=related
Frank Wilkinson Once Navy Always Navy |
belle
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Posted - 10/03/2011 : 22:43
It's one of my favourites too.
Life is what you make it |
Bradders
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Posted - 11/03/2011 : 00:45
Yes Frank ...We all have common ground , somewhere , if we look for it....
thanks for that link ! ......
It's given me an idea.......
BRADDERS BLUESINGER |
thomo
Barlick Born Old Salt
2021 Posts
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Posted - 11/03/2011 : 13:55
And thanks to both of you, nice to know that someones having a look at this.
When I was in New Orleans (Big Easy) there were three tramway systems, two of these were obliterated by Katrina and the third lost power. My trip on "the Streetcar named Desire" may not have happened as the route was given over to buses in 1948 prior to which Desire St was the destination for electric cars in that area, the line that I went on is a replica built on neutral land alongside Rampart St. The French Quarter was busy 24/7 and in the evenings most streets were closed to all traffic except horse drawn vehicles. One of the first people I spoke to on the first day was a Cop, looking very much the part sat astride his parked Harley, we didnt get a look at the much vaunted Magnum however "I only draw it when i'm going to use it" being his response.
Most of the interesting places that I visited were before some of them became holiday destinations and as such will be has I recall them, not as they are now. Finally, in all my time in New Orleans, I never once saw anyone pushing a pram, an odd observation maybe, but noticable nontheless.
Karachi. in Pakistan. Twice I have been there, and unless it's changed a lot will never become a "must see" for tourists. I spoke earlier of the wonderful experience of approaching a country for the first time, the smell of the place, this place was different. The ship was anchored 8 miles out with the Americans running a shuttle sevice in "Pig Boats" for those going ashore. Even at that distance the odour was strong, not tropical vegitation and exotic plants, rather it was that of the big Scotch Glue factories behind the docks. The first trip ashore included riding into the city in a horse drawn Garry, the poor animal was beaten repeatedly by the driver and would have continued had he not been told to stop or he would be doing the pulling. On arrival in the city we were stopped for some time in a narrow street the sheer volume of people and animals ahead making progress impossible, an open sewer ran down the street and we were on top of it, trying not to retch. To one side there was a group of women sat around a horse trough scraping bits of meat from bones stolen from the glue factories, sharing this trough were two goats and a camel, this is the reason that I could never eat a curry!! Technically they drive on the same side of the road as we do and we arrived eventually at a big roundabout by the Continental Hotel, here the traffic went clockwise, everywhere else the driver uses the side of the road with the least number of holes in it. Our final destination was the Merchant Navy Club to which we were invited, and a touch of normality at last. Here were sailors from all over the world, a good atmosphere and copious amounts of liquid at low cost. I got into converation with the young woman behind the bar, asking what she was doing working in such a place when in that country it was frowned upon. She told me that she was from the North near the Indian border and was of a different faith, also she did the job to earn money for education, her ambition was to be a news reader on TV, I do know that she made it, as she has been here as a part of her career. Always keen to see a bit of local colour we were taken in the evening to a club where there were displays of tradional dancing and such, the club was owned and run by a very old Scotsman with red hair, this chap had worked on tugboats at Plymouth, taken to the sea and clued up in Karachi, he was it later transpired, the skipper of the tug that used to work my Fathers ship in and out of Devonport Dockyard prior to, and after WW1, it really is a small world. Our first visit was short, but we were to return. More about that later.
thomo |
HerbSG
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Posted - 11/03/2011 : 16:00
Thomo, like your aircraft topic very interesting keep up the good work.
cheers
HERB
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thomo
Barlick Born Old Salt
2021 Posts
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Posted - 11/03/2011 : 17:02
After leaving Karachi we took part in exercise "Midlink" along with units of the American, Indian, Iranian, Pakistani and Thai navies, only three years earlier India and Pakistan had been at war during which the Indians had attacked Karachi dockyards twice, and with a good deal of success, this may have been the cause of the dereliction in the port area. We returned to Karachi in due course and this time we were in the harbour. From a ship point of view it was like an enormous museum with pride of place going to what had been HMS Achilles of Battle of the River Plate fame, and now the INS Delhi, for which I have a cap tally. There were ex British Hunt, Battle and V & W class destroyers in abundance. This time on going ashore we took handkerchiefs soaked in aftershave to ward off the evil odours, we only had a couple of days free time ashore so it was serious sightseeing time. There was one street of shops that had for sale just about anything you can imagine, one sold "flip flops" and all the spare parts to repair them, another had on display a large collection of "Jade" artefacts, from small ornaments to dining suites, all absolutely beautiful, it was outside here where an old man tried to sell us his four year old Granddaughter, at the mention of police they both disappeared like smoke in the wind. I left there with a very ornamental "Hookah" a hunting Knife that would be illegal back home and a collection of wood carvings, most of which split on returning home. We dined on board and set off for an evenings culture!, having been earlier informed that several areas of Karachi were "Off limits" we found out that what we sought was in one of them. Good Sailors are adventurers at heart and Stokers even more so, Work hard, Play hard. So eighteen of us, including Officers departed in the direction of Napier Rd. Every building exuded exotic sounds and smells so we picked the best one and entered. We were all seated cross legged on large cushions around a small dance floor, and supplied with the tipple of our choice eagerly awaiting the display of traditional dancing as promised. We were not disappointed, the band had all the right instruments ie, talking drums etc, and the dancers were not only gorgeous but skilled in their art, several times during the routine I had made eye contact with one particular dancer and as the show finished she detached herself from the rest and rushed over with a cry of "Peter Sahib" landing in my lap with much enthusiasm, and hilarity from my mates. Yes it was the barmaid I mentioned earlier, this being another one of the four jobs she had, and could we give her a lift back into the city. Anyone seeing the dancers who are not only highly skilled and adept at what they do, can only be captivated by the art, when I see modern youngsters here dancing I always feel a bit sad! Then the fun begins, unknown to us a "Shore patrol" has just arrived outside, and as we leave we are confronted by an Iranian CPO, fortunately for us he not only has a sense of humour but I had met him on the first visit, "Get this lot out of here, and you are coming with me" he said "and bring the dancer". So whilst my mates departed in taxi's I was taken back to the docks, on arrival he burst into fits of laughter "you should see your face" I was of course fearing severe retribution having been caught inflagranti delicto as it were in an off limits place. But we didn't go to my ship, we went to his and made very welcome on board. British Warships are by definition austere, everything is functional, it is not a cruise ship! This one was a modern frigate, one of three in the harbour, the Chiefs mess resembled a conservatory with an abundance of pot plants and we were to dine with them, luxury in any form did not however extend to the menu which was basically standard at all mealtimes, cold goatburger, cold chips, and smothered in ketchup of unknown origin, I felt humbled and asked him if he would care to dine with me the following day aboard Blake, he accepted. I took my dancer, who had enjoyed the meal!! back to the Merchant Navy Club where she told me of her life and the terrible events that had overcome her and her family. On board ship I used to write daily for the "Oily Rag" a daily magazine for the Maren Branch, often in the form of a poem, and somewhere I have a copy of what I wrote that day which I will put here later. The following day, a call for me to attend the "brow" was announced, it was my guest. the Iranian CPO, it was clear from the outset that something had changed, but it wasn't until after a meal the quality and proportions of which he had never sampled, and whilst having a drink in my mess, that he broke down and told me what had happened at home in Iran. Put in a sailors terms it was simple, go home and you die, if you do not, your family will die, enter the Ayatollah Khomeini!!! By this time there were only sufficient men left to crew one of the ships, the others having gone in the night, he was not going home and as such he had drawn all monies entitled to and was going to try and get to the West, but before that "You and I are going to have a party ashore" and he meant it. We parted that night with much sadness and at the end of one hell of a run ashore, his final words"We Will meet again", His passion for what had happened and the memory of him still abide within today. He was a good man. The young woman kept in touch and became a news reader, she had survived great loss, but had remained intact in all respects, on my part, I have no desire to return to Karachi.
thomo |
frankwilk
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Posted - 11/03/2011 : 17:15
With Thomo's New Orleans theme above, this brought back my own memories of that part of the world. We used to live in a town called Starkville, Mississippi home of the MSU and of course the Bulldogs college football team.
One Saturday afternoon I went to a game and with all the Razzmatazz of marching bands etc before the game the Band Leader said now please stand for the National Anthem of the Finest Country in the World. I turned to Joey who I was with and just said wow I didn't know you sang God Save the Queen before your Games, well it brought the house down all around us and I didn't buy a beer all night.
Starkville was on Highway 45 so we could drive down to Jackson and pick up the Interstate down to New Orleans we used to go to Bourbon Street for a Saturday night out. New Orleans was OK but not as good as Memphis which was another alternative weekend destination. Walking on the Beale and going to see The Hollywood along with WC Hanley's Park for the free shows was magic. So yes we have done Gracelands and Peabody's for the Duck Parade. Tupelo used to be a Saturday afternoons shopping trip so we would always take visitor to the Shotgun shack Elvis was born in.
The other destination was of course taking the Natchez Trail and going up to Nashville through Chatanooga to see who was on at the Crazy Horse or the Ole Opre. So thanks Thomo for this thread brings back good memories.
Seeing so this is also about eating first place I ate Alligator was in New Orleans
Edited by - frankwilk on 11/03/2011 5:16:29 PM
Frank Wilkinson Once Navy Always Navy |
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Out and About, Here and There.
