8 November 2016
With our Icelandic adventure imminent, It occurred to me I should probably be thinking about getting some Christmas presents this week. Frankly, I’m a little bah humbug about the whole Christmas thing. When the boys were little it was fun but, these days, it all seems too much like an excuse to spend money on things people probably don’t even want and eat too much. To my mind we should all buy one Christmas present for ourselves and leave it at that. Unfortunately, the rest of the world doesn’t agree with me though so this morning was mostly about buying presents.
As CJ and I walked across Northam Bridge we noticed there was a new ship on the river. It was pale blue, slightly rusty and just sitting there seemingly abandoned. We stood on the embankment and peered at it for a sign time trying to make out the name on the side to see of we could find out any more about it but, squint as we might, we couldn’t make it out and the photos I took didn’t help any.
The scruffy little boats that have been littering up the edge of the embankment nearest the bridge have disappeared since I last walked this way. Sadly, the piles of rubbish the occupants left on the bank have not gone with them. As they are above the normal tide line they probably won’t get washed into the river but they’re a real eyesore. I do wish people would clear up their rubbish.
The next hour or two was spent wandering around shops with Christmas music blaring and getting into our brains. Some presents were purchased but not as many as I’d hoped. There are only so many Christmas songs I can hear before I suddenly understand why Van Gough cut his ear off and start thinking it might be a good plan. When that happens it seems wise to go home.
Before we headed back towards the bridge we stopped off to look at the progress on the new Watermark building. It’s due to open in the next couple of days and, as I shall almost certainly be otherwise occupied then, I thought I’d have sneak preview. It’s changed a fair bit since I last had a look at it. The outside has now been clad in a kind of wire cage with curving lines like a wave. It’s an interesting looking building and puts me in mind of Olympic Park in Barcelona.
Lights were on in some of the cafes and restaurants. Although they’re not open yet I suppose the new staff are inside getting things ready. We climbed up onto Arundel Tower to get a better look at the plaza between the new building and the old walls. A young seagull seemed as interested as we were. Perhaps he was thinking about all the food scraps he could get when the place is open?
The plaza was filled with workmen in hard hats and high vis jackets. Pallets of paving slabs and wheelbarrows full of paving blocks were scattered about all over the place and it looked as if there was still a lot of work to be done. This is the part of Watermark I’m most looking forward to visiting but, at the moment, I can’t quite visualise what its going to look like.
On the Bargate battlements Santa’s sleigh is poised ready for Santa’s evening visit. I may not be the biggest fan of Christmas but I did enjoy seeing Santa flying through the sky last year and the looks on the faces of the children were priceless. Sadly, I don’t think we will have to time see it this year but I’m sure the children will enjoy it just as much as they did before.
My Christmas shopping jaunt wasn’t my last outing of the day. Tonight I went down to the Woolston waterside with the fancy pants camera to practice taking night time photos. I began with a few practice shots of the feather with its coloured lights.
The night was foggy with a slight drizzle, not the best for photography but it might stand me in good stead if the Aurora Borealis decides to play nicely when we’re in Iceland. It was a little surreal walking through the fog and for a moment or two I felt slightly nervous about the expensive camera around my neck. Down by the old Itchen Ferry jetty the masts of ships with a backdrop of light from the stadium where a match would soon be starting was so enchanting I soon forgot about worrying and began experimenting taking different shots with different settings.
The fog added an ethereal quality to the photos, at least the ones that were worth saving. The coloured lights on the Itchen Bridge and those along the shore of Ocean Village became brightly coloured scribbles on the river.
After a while I walked back towards the old Floating Bridge slipway for a change of scenery. With no tripod it wasn’t easy to get crisp shots and some turned out far better than others. My favourites were the ones of lights on the water, especially those with the arches of the Itchen Bridge. As practice for photographing the Aurora, I’m not sure how useful it was but I did learn that it’s worth taking as many photos as possible in the hope of getting one or two decent ones. If I’m lucky enough to see the Northern Lights I think this will be my strategy.
Please see my copyright information before you copy or use any of the above words or pictures. * Members of the Itchen Spitfires Running Club may copy and use any of the above photos.
I love that the Spits are holding bottles of Spitfire beer. It’s an acceptable brew.
The photos are lovely. A friend told me that the way to get better is to practise every day. Sadly, it’s advice I’ve ignored so far. Firstly, I need to get into the habit of carrying a camera whenever I leave the house, as you do. I’ve been away for a couple of days and saw a few things that I thought were worthy of recording, but had nothing to record with. Lost opportunities. I’m hoping to develop new habits in the New Year.
The advent of camera phones has certainly changed the way I walk. My phone is always in my pocket even if my fancy camera is at home and the photos it takes are fairly good quality. Without it many of my posts would be all words and no pictures.
Sounds like a great party.
It was a fun evening.
I agree with you on buying presents. We’re stuck in a gift card rut here so everybody knows what they’re getting before they open it anyhow.
Night shots can be difficult but you did well with these! I used to shoot the candle lit Jack O Lanterns when we had the pumpkin festival and it took a while to get it right.
We have cut back on the presents a lot this year, especially for each other. With the trips to Cyprus and Iceland there hasn’t been a great deal of time to buy things, which, in my opinion, is a good thing. Night photography is difficult but I got plenty of practice last week with only four hours of dim light each day. I’m still going through the photos now but some don’t look too bad.
Love the atmospheric photos. Also love the ‘feather’ and the new building. My Christmas shopping is reduced to a bare minimum. Kids and their partners, hubby, mother in law, and that’s it. So I’m a terrible aunty and a useless sister, but you have to draw the line somewhere!
Every year we buy less and less and eat less and less rubbish. Every year I also say, we won’t do it at all next year. All the excess seems to miss the point in my eyes.