April 7th, 2008
In honour of a wee trip recently made to Northeast England and its beautiful scenery, I have posted a small I have posted a small gallery of images that feature the Angel of the North.
This sculpture, designed by Antony Gormley and located in Gateshead (near Newcastle) was controversial when it was first constructed, but in its ten years of towering over the A1 motorway, it has become an icon of England’s Northeast.
With that in mind, I am putting this up as the first of a few galleries to come from a recent trip in that direction.
My expectation was that I wouldn’t like the winged giant, but standing beneath its massive wings, I was impressed. I hope I can share some of its grandeur with you. See the photos here.
February 23rd, 2008
One year ago today, I left my hometown of Calgary, Alberta, Canada to move to Manchester, England. It’s a Maniversary! I’ve made some great new friends, had some fantastic times and learned a ton. I’m happy to be entering another year here in sunny Manchester.
Cheers to everyone who has made this a good year. And another cheers to those friends of mine spread around the world - I miss you all and we’d be happy to have visitors in the Sawchuk manor.
January 16th, 2008
Some people think it’s weird, but I have a thing for old cemeteries. I find them peaceful and beautiful and I don’t analyse it too much beyond that.
The cemeteries in Europe easily trump the ones where I grew up in Canada - their age alone makes them more fascinating just because there is so much history. Not to mention that there just isn’t the same kind of craftsmanship exhibited in newer graveyards - the quality of the sculpture here far surpasses anything I knew in my hometown.
So, in Manchester, Southern Cemetery makes for a good place for me to visit as it’s expansive and filled with lovely monuments. I took my new camera out for a test drive there and I now have a gallery up showcasing the results.
Check out the photos here.
December 22nd, 2007
A little Christmas present I’ve given myself is some time to actually work on a few photos. This has given me the chance to put together this gallery of photos of Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall. It’s a striking bundle of glass-and-steel angles and I imagine it’s a fine concert venue. I’ve never had the chance to take in a show there, but I look forward to getting the chance sometime. For now, I will content myself with gazing upon it’s fine exterior.
November 10th, 2007
I’ve just posted a new gallery of photos. This time it is a big batch of pictures of Castlefield, the urban heritage park on the edge of Manchester’s downtown core (and a short walk from my home).
It’s one of my favourite areas in Manchester and not just because it’s close to where I live. Apart from the trains passing overhead, it’s a strangely peaceful place for the middle of a busy city. The canals filled with geese and barges are soothing. Watching the locks open and spill out their contents is a patient beauty. The sunlight bouncing from the water into the arches of the many bridges is hypnotic. And all the regenerated red brick architecture is especially pleasing in the brief moments when Manchester sits beneath a blue sky.
Add to all the sense of history that lingers at each turn. The Roman Fort’s remains, the canals, the warehouses and now the updated buildings all speak of different eras in Manchester’s past. It’s a treat to be in the presence of a past that lives on so visibly and has been so carefully integrated into the present.
Please have a look at the photos here.
September 8th, 2007
With the tiniest scrap of free time, I’ve had the chance to put together a gallery of images of Beetham Tower, Manchester’s tallest building and home to the Hilton hotel.
It’s one of those buildings that seems to polarize its viewers. Some enjoy its soaring form while others loathe its discord with the surrounding area. Add to that its height and you can’t escape a view of the tower. That, however, can be a boon when, like me, you live near it and are lost in Manchester - you can always orient yourself to it’s giant rectangular shape.
On the 23rd floor, the Hilton operates a bar/lounge that, apparently, affords some great views of the city. The cocktails cost as much as a meal anywhere else, so I haven’t yet made the trip up (though I could probably get away with not buying a thing…). I’ll have to make the trip sometime though - there are few tall buildings in Manchester with any public observation floors and I’d love to see this city from above.
Check out the photos here.
August 28th, 2007
Pick afros, purple speedos, gold glitter, rainbow flags and a huge party. The essence of a gay pride parade and Manchester’s 2007 festival had all of them. Though getting into the spirit of it all when you’re not dressed the part might seem difficult at first, (and I’m never really dressed for that part…), the celebrations and exuberance of the parade’s participants makes it easy to pick up a rainbow flag to wave.
Of course, the colourful characters make for some fun photos, so I have just put a gallery of some of the fun faces of the parade. Check out the photos of the pride parade here.
June 28th, 2007
While I already have a number of photos available here of the exterior of the Manchester Town Hall, the building’s architectural wonders do not cease once you step inside. The first two floors of the building (at least the parts open to the public) make for a particularly good wander and I now have a gallery of photos of the interior to prove it.
A couple years ago, my wife brought two of her co-workers over to Manchester for a visit. They both worked in the city hall of the small city of Ichinoseki in northern Japan and they were blown away by Manchester’s building. I’m told they turned green with envy because the Ichinoseki city hall, well, it lacks some of the grandeur of Manchester’s municipal headquarters. Not that a Victorian Gothic building would make much sense in small-city Japan… Still, it’s nice when architects give the occupants of their buildings a treat.
June 12th, 2007
In a country so rich with history, the UK has ample opportunity for historical re-enactments and the rarely fail to pass up on the chance. A popular target for British nostalgia is the 1940s and its wartime significance. Near Manchester, the towns of Rawtenstall, Irwell Vale and Ramsbottom (I can’t think of joke I should use for that one) hold an annual tribute to that defining decade and I recently got to photograph the events in Rawtenstall.
The main event was the re-enacted battle at the Rawtenstall railway station. Dozens of military men in full 1940s uniforms battled it out on the rail platform in what was actually a startling display. In a way, I found it a little unsettling - sure I’ve seen plenty of WWII movies, but there was something about being able to actually feel each gunshot’s sound in chest that made this display sometimes feel a little too real. More than anything, it drove home how lucky I am to have never had to personally endure a war - I’m pretty sure I’m not cut out for it!
Mortar blasts, detailed makeup for the wounded, smoke grenades and an Avro Lancaster flying overhead added to the extremely well-choreographed re-enactment.
The battle was tricky to photograph due to so much movement taking place in so many places at once, but I managed to get a few good captures. See the gallery of photos here.
June 8th, 2007
A semi-hidden gem here in downtown Manchester is the Barton Arcade shopping mall. Tucked in between Deansgate and St. Ann’s Square, the arcade doesn’t show much of itself from the outside, especially on the Deansgate side. But once you step inside, it reveals a beautiful glass and iron roof that fills the hall with light.
It’s always nice to cut through here even just for a glimpse when walking in the area.
See the photos here.
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