Art Or Seat?!

Well, I asked the question yesterday because I'm not really sure of the answer myself! These stone and blue glass chip cubes are along the bank of the River Chelt, and I would hazard a guess that they are designed to be used as seating. There are three different variations in total but this one seems the most impractical to sit on!

As nobody got the answer right yesterday, and the fact that I couldn't decided on the best non-answer, I'll give a link to my top three.

1. Gail's Man with "They are actually some mis-shapen Smarties that have been put in a bag of mis-shapen Polos and are for sale on Cheltenham market for 50p a 100gramm."
2. Jackie with "I think they're ground down, turned into little blue pills and offered via the medium of spam email as the solution to (ahem) size issues"
3. Dusty Lens with "It's actually Blue Number 5 nail polish. Someone dropped their favorite bottle of Blue No. 5 toenail polish onto the ground."

Don't forget tomorrow it's Theme Day and it'll also be my 300th post!

Blue Chips

I thought I'd start the week with a guessing game! What do you think these blue glass chips and stones are used to make? The winner (or best comic answer!) gets a free link tomorrow. All together now - Wooow!

Red Curtain

As Autumn takes hold the flora starts to change. The leaves turn from green to golden yellow, summer blooms depart and seeds begin to form. Many of the plants pretend to die, just to make their rebirth in the spring all the more impressive. The brilliant colours of autumn help take our minds off of the dark, cold, wet days of winter that lie ahead of us. But we know that this will soon be coming to an end when we see the tight buds and fresh green shoots start to appear early next year. For now, enjoy autumn.

Time Please!

Time has been called at the New Penny Inn for the last time. Actually it was called for the last time about three years ago but it has only just been demolished. The pub was originally named the New Inn and renamed in 1970 to coincide with decimalisation in the UK. The pub was renowned for being a bit rough and had some problems with drugs and,unfortunately, this didn't change under several different owners and landlords. It won't surprise you to know that apartments are planned for the site. Very original!

I like the fact that it looks like the demolition team just gave up when they got to the doorway, it has been like this for weeks! For more info about the New Penny Inn, and photos before demolition, go here.

Sky Watch Friday

Bridge and sky.

You can see the blue sky is trying to break through the cloud. Last weekend it won the battle. We are told the same will happen this weekend. We finally get our Indian summer. Thankfully.

This is the crisp white Honeybourne foot bridge, Cheltenhams newest bridge.

To join in with Sky Watch, and to see skies from all over the world, head over to the Sky Watch Friday Blog.

Living The High Life

Who fancies living in a penthouse apartment? I know I do. No noisy neighbours above you, room to swing a cat, outdoor space, great views. What more could you want?!

Cheltenham, like many towns and cities across the UK, has seen lots of apartment buildings like this one being built over the last few years. Of course, with the current financial situation, sales are slowing down and prices are falling. Perhaps I'll be able to afford a penthouse sooner than I thought!

Wood

I really like the age rings (is that what they are called?) and the grain of the wood in this photo. I think the black and white helps enhances the textures. This is a close up of a bench, made from wooden blocks, along the Honeybourne bike route. I guess if cyclists get tired they 'wood' be able to have a rest!

Off Your Trolley

I normally show you the nicer side of Cheltenham but, like all towns and cities, we have the usual problems - crime, vandalism, littering, anti-social behaviour. Following Knoxville Girl's lead the other day, I headed into a part of town I never walk through. It's not a particularly unpleasant part of town, in fact redevelopment of the area has just finished. The area used to be St James' train station and then a car park, it is now luxury apartments and a Waitrose supermarket. It's also where the River Chelt flows through. The riverside area (well, the stream side area!) was revamped with a walkway, seating, artwork and a waterfall. And here it is in all its glory, along with a shopping trolley for an added urban feel!

Royal Coat Of Arms

'God and my right' is the translation of 'Dieu et mon droit' as seen on the bottom of the British Royal Coat of Arms. 'Honi soit qui mal y pense' is the motto on the Order of the Garter (the bit round the shield) and means 'Evil to him who evil thinks'.

Now all of this is a bit grand to be above the entrance to Costa Coffee, but that's what's coming our way. The building that used to be the Dobells pub is going to be turned into a coffee shop. I know what your thinking - all this is a bit grand to be above the door of a pub. And you're right. The building, which faces onto the Promenade, is on the back of the former County Court and my dad reckons that this Coat of Arms is above what used to be the former entrance to the judges residence. A bit more fitting.

Another thing about the Royal Coat of Arms - on the left of the shield is the English Lion and on the right is the Unicorn of Scotland. The unicorn is chained because in Medieval times it was believed that a free unicorn was a dangerous beast, only to be tamed by virgins!

I'm not sure if all this means that Costa Coffee will have the Royal Seal of Approval!

On The Up

I showed you a model of the new look exterior of the Regent Arcade the other day, and work on that is yet to start, but the renovation to the interior is under way. Workmen have already removed a lot of the marble covering the pillars and walls, and they have rejuvenated the toilets. The next phase is to re-clad the wall high above the shopping area with wood. All this scaffolding signifies the start of that work, which seems to be done at night. I guess they don't want to squash the shoppers below with any falling debris! After this has been done the arched roof will be replaced with a flat glass one. This part of the project has been the most controversial, but it won't be long before they start, so no more complaining!

Viola

I think I'll just let the photo say it all today.

Have a good weekend everyone.

Sky Watch Friday

Here we are, another week over, the weekend ahead and its Sky Watch Friday time. This kite had a man in a buggy on the end of it, being pulled along by the power of the wind. It looked a bit bumpy as he speed across a field. Unfortunately the shots with the buggy came out all blurry but at least I got this one decent photo.

To get involved with Sky Watch Friday, and to see all of the other sky inspired photographs, head over to the Sky Watch Friday blog.

Nuts About Fashion

How could I ignore this shop window?! The White Stuff clothes shop always has an entertaining window display and it never fails to catch my eye (my profile photo gingerbread man is from this shops window.) Whoever comes up with these ideas is worth their money, but what is going on in their mind to come up with squirrel headed mannequins?!

Model Arcade

No, I haven't been flying over Cheltenham in a helicopter. This is the model on display to show how the revamped Regent Arcade will look. The work to exterior is a long way from being started but the interior make over is under way. I'll show you that another day. As you can see from the two photos, the change isn't amazing. Basically a closed in arched front. The architects wanted to replace the area at the front with a large glass canopy, but Cheltenham Borough Council were having none of it! It seems a shame that the opportunity to create a stylish facade has been wasted. But that's the way it goes.

If you want to see my other posts on the Regent Arcade, including its history, then click on 'regent arcade' in the labels below.

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

This napping canine is a regular feature of the High Street, along with his owner. They (well, the human) sell The Big Issue outside Marks & Spencers.

For those that don't know, The Big issue is an entertainment and culture magazine produced by professional journalists and sold by homeless people. They buy the magazine from The Big Issue Foundation for 70 pence, sell it for £1.50 and keep the 80 pence profit. The idea is to encourage homeless people to become vendors and earn a small wage, instead of begging for money. The publication was started in 1991 as a response to the many homeless people in London. It was initially published monthly, but by 1993 the magazine was produced weekly. The Big Issue is well known for the famous faces that appear on the front cover, and the up-to-the-minute interviews and articles. Find more about The Big Issue here.

Touching Souls

Touching Souls is the name of this sculpture at the front of Tewkesbury Abbey. It is an exact replica of the same sculpture in Tewksbury, Massachusetts. Created by sculptor Mico Kaufman, its is cast in bronze and shows four children - native-American, European-American, African-America and Asian-American, sitting on the ground, legs outstretched, with the soles of their shoes touching. It is one of the many links that bind the two Tewkesburys. Has anyone out there seen the original in the USA?

Thanks to everyone who has left a comment while I've been otherwise engaged. Normal service has now resumed!

Reflection

This is a continuation from yesterdays post. I really like all the pastel shades reflected in the water.

If you have some time today I'd like to direct you to D.C Confidential's Washington daily photo. Her series of post on the opening of the Pentagon 9/11 Memorial are well worth looking at.

Sky Watch Friday

Its that time again - Sky Watch Friday. This is a view across the River Avon, with the Malvern Hills in the distance.

To join in with Sky Watch Friday, and to see the other sky watchers weekly offerings, head over to the Sky Watch Friday Blog.

Dahlia

Another quick one today. This dahlia just says to me the summer is over and autumn is coming. I'm always amazed at how many petals make up a dahlia flower. Mother nature is pretty impressive!

Thanks for all of your comments. Normal service will be resumed at the weekend.

Old And New

This is The Bayshill pub, at the edge of the town centre, with a new shiny office block in the background, on what used to St James' railway station. The train station shut many years ago and for a long time was a car park, before the Council sold the land for building. Now the area is occupied by office blocks, flats and a supermarket. Now that's what you call an original use of waste land!

Through The Black And White Door

Now don't let it be said that I'm not obliging. Babooshka requested yesterdays photo in black and white, and her wish is my command! It helps me out too, as time is short this week and it helps fill a post! So if you saw the coloured version yesterday tell me which one you prefer.

Continued apologies for the lack of comments from me this week. I'll be playing a serious game of catchup at the weekend! I'm feeling much better, almost 100%. And Stevie Wonder was fantastic. He sang and performed for over two hours, and he's still got it.

Through The Yellow Door

Just a very quick one today. I'm not feeling too well (man flu) and I've got a lot on this week, so post and comments will be as and when. I like this photo as I think its quite arty. Phoebe spotted this opportunity. Even she is starting to get a photo bloggers eye!

We are off to Birmingham tonight to see Stevie Wonder in concert!

Wet Weekend

This photo sums it up. Its been wet, wet, wet. This group were being given a guided tour of the town and to be out in this weather must they must have been really keen. As the tour guide was getting animated about the Prom the group took shelter under a tree. It seems to have rained all week long. I just hope Autumn is drier than the summer.

Have a good weekend everyone.

Sky Watch Friday

Its the end of another week and its time to look skywards. I think today I'll let you the viewer do the talking. I would like to know what this photo makes you think about or feel.

To join in with Sky Watch, and to check out the other sky watchers offerings, head over to the Sky Watch Friday Blog.

The winner of yesterdays Name The Cat Competition is D.C Confidential, with the name Rupert. The reason? When I was a little boy we had a ginger tom called, yes you've guessed it, Rupert. Check out D.C's brilliant Washington DC blog here.

Marmalade

I know my cat normally shares his photos and thoughts with you on his own blog, but today he has let me post a feline photo here. This isn't my pesky cat, but he looks just as moody. I just saw this cat sat on the road and snapped a photo. I can't believe how well it turned out. I'm rather pleased with myself. I don't think I could have got a cat-on-the-street photo as good as this if I'd tried. I also like his funky collar!

The person who comes up with the best name for this moggy can have a free link in my post tomorrow!

Sinking Feeling

Imagine inviting your friends for an afternoon on your boat. You've packed a lunch. You've promised views of the countryside along the river. You all pile onto the jetty to show off your pride and joy. Then this.

More water in the boat than in the river is never a good start to a boat trip!

Changing View - September

To coincide with the new look Cheltenham Daily Photo, today I'm starting a new monthly photo theme. Basically, on the second day of each month I'm going to show a photo taken from the same position, to record the changes that take place. This is the view of the Municipal Offices on the Promenade. As the months go by hopefully this will turn into something quite interesting, at the moment its just a view of a wet street!

About the new look blog. I hope you all like it. I've wanted to post larger photos for a while, but had no clue how to do it. I set up a test blog and just started playing around with html code. I have absolutely no idea about computers (I didn't even know what html code was until a few months ago!) After many failed attempts I did it. Phoebe will verify that I am no computer whizz, but if I can do it you can do it too!

Theme Day - Sister Cities

Where Cheltenham is concerned it is Twin Towns. My post is a bit of a cheat but I thought it was a good chance to show this recently unveiled signpost. It stands in Imperial Gardens and shows all of the towns that Cheltenham UK is twinned with.

Cheltenham was one of the first towns to forge formal links to others in the 1950's. The town was awarded a European Flag of Honour in 1988 to rewarded its achievements in promoting international friendship. The idea of twinning is to promote friendship and understanding of cultural, recreational, educational and commercial activities between twinned towns. Cheltenham is twinned with the following towns around the world - Annecy (France), Cheltenham (USA), Gottingen (Germany), Sochi (Russia), Weihai (China) and has friendship links with Kisumu (Kenya) and Stampersgat (Holland).

There are over 140 other CDPB's taking part in this Theme Day, and I'm sure the rest haven't cheated like me. To see Sister Cities all over the world click here to view thumbnails for all participants.

Make sure you come back tomorrow for an all new looking Cheltenham Daily Photo!