Category Archives: street scene

Quite a turn round since Mid-Week

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Punch Bowl Scaffolding
Now that there is no longer any scaffolding to be seen round the County Hall, the Punch Bowl is taking its turn to use some.

There is a “Business as Usual” sign above the “Celebrate the London 2012 Olympics Here With Coca Cola”.
Punch Bowl Scaffolding
The Team GB merchandise could well have started to fly off the shelves by now.
Punch Bowl Scaffolding
There was a slow start medal-wise – the newspapers had begun to worry mid-week. For example, The Sun printed a large Gold Medal with the words “Wanted Gold Medal. Historic bronze for our brilliant gymnasts but please, can we have just one gold. Any sport. We’re not bothered. As soon as possible. Please, COME ON TEAM GB!”

Oh we of little faith!!! There has been quite a turn round since then led by rowing and cycling.

Olympic Ceremony View and Torch View of Abingdon

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Olympic Opening Ceremony
Thanks to Luke who sent me some shots of the Olympic Opening Ceremony. They are taken from a video sequence during which a helicopter flew over the Thames from source to London. You had to be keen eyed to spot Abingdon during the live opening ceremony. All I saw was the cooling towers of Didcot Power Station then Henley. But Luke’s screen shots show that there was aerial footage of the town.
Olympic Opening Ceremony
Luke says “Incidentally, a couple of months ago we received a letter through the door from the BBC notifying us that they were filming with a helicopter on selected dates and that they hoped this would not be of too much disturbance.”
Olympic Opening Ceremony
During the ceremony, footage was also shown of a young Abingdon School rowing team training on the river. Some of those lads could be gold medal heroes in 2016 in Rio (just 1464 days away).
Torch View
Lloyds TSB, one of the official sponsors, have created their own Google Street View on facebook, following the flame.

In it you can pick yourself out of the crowd to tag or to blur. Also, if you have two or three hours to spare you could see whether the official estimate of 15,000 people lining the streets in Abingdon is accurate. Try lloydstsb 2012 torch view as a starter. Then “Find and Tag yourself along the route.”

Waitrose are staying open later….

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The Background is Orange
Waitrose are staying open later. They have been opening earlier for a couple of months now and are now staying open longer.
The Background is Orange
This is the view from Queens Street to the Market Place. This narrow passageway is likely to be more used in future as there are taxi halts through there – intended to replace those on East St. Helen Street …
The Background is Orange
and so notices saying ‘Taxi Rank This Way‘ and ‘East St. Helen St. Rank has Closed‘ .
The Background is Orange
Perhaps cigarette bins have been there for a while but it is the first time I have noticed them on the Market Place. Some places also have chewing gum bins.

Autumn Leaves

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The clocks go back tonight and we have a very welcome extra hour in bed. It also means no daylight after work and so getting pictures for the blog gets a little bit harder.
Autumn Leaves
These liquid amber trees were not here in the spring.  They add autumn colour to The Square and war memorial.
Autumn Leaves
Only half the autumn glory on this particular building remains this year. A ‘To Let’ sign was put up earlier in the year – cutting half the vine off from its roots.
Autumn Leaves
This youth shelter at Box Hill was not there in the spring. It replaces another shelter that had seen better days.
Autumn Leaves
In the Albert Park the extensive Leylandi have been replaced by more sensitive deciduous trees. This is the second or third autumn for this very well designed project.