Twinkle Twinkle

Some of you may say that this photo is blurred, but I say its soft focus! Everything looks so bright, colourful and festive at the moment - shops, houses, windows, trees - its lovely. These are the lights in the Beechwood Arcade. Yes, I took the risk of being told off by that security guard again. Luckily he was nowhere to be seen. Probably stuffing his face with mince pies. Anyway, the photo looked clear on the camera screen but on the computer it was a different story. I still thought it was worth posting though.

Enjoy your weekend.

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Colourful 200th

Today is my 200th post! How time flies when you're having fun!

I thought I would go for a bright, colourful photo today to celebrate. This is a close up of some of the sweets from my photo trip to Beechwood Arcade, the one when I was asked not to take photos! I hope these gobstoppers don't mind their image being posted (any complaints to the Legal Department.)

Many thanks to everyone who visits this blog, and special thanks to all those who leave encouraging comments. It is greatly appreciated. I hope you all continue to enjoy seeing what Cheltenham has to offer. Now what shall I post for my 300th?!

Sweet Injustice

I hope you all appreciate this photo. Its the photo that got me a warning! I could have been banned from the Beechwood Shopping Arcade!

On my trip to take photos on Monday I went for a wander round the Beechwood Arcade. I came across this newly installed sweet and toy vending station, and I thought to myself 'that'll make an interesting post...' so I started snapping. The next thing I know a security guard is heading my way. He asks me to stop taking photos. I reply 'Oh...' He says 'the Centre management don't like it.' I say 'Oh.' And, like a good boy, I put my camera back in its case and walk away.

Then I began thinking...I don't remember seeing a 'No Photography' sign...if I was a parent taking a snap of my children would the same of happened?...if I was a teenager with my mates, messing about with my camera phone, would I have been told off?...doesn't the half empty Beechwood Shopping Centre want a bit of free global publicity? Obviously not.

This is the first time anything like this has happened to me while taking a photo. I know this issue has been discussed before on other CDPB's, but what do you think?

One final thing - The best photo would have been when I left the Arcade and I saw the security guard enjoying an ice cream. But I thought I'd better not push my luck!

Beechwood Shopping

Here is the building with all those reflective windows I showed yesterday. The Beechwood Shopping Centre, on the High Street was built in the early 90's and replaced the old Co-op department store. The shopping arcade has several big stores like Next and Debenhams as well as many smaller chain stores and some independent shops. The Centre also has the fountain I posted for Theme Day and the garden under the glass roof I showed on the 2nd April. Unfortunately Beechwood Shopping Centre is not as well used as Cheltenhams other shopping centre, the Regent Arcade, and has several empty units inside. I think Beechwood is a much nicer place but I still find myself shopping in the Regent Arcade. Old habits....

Jungle Fountain

Today I thought I'd show you the whole of the water feature that I posted part of yesterday. The fountain stands between the up and down escalators at one end of the Beechwood Shopping Arcade. The water bubbles gently at the top of the fountain and fills the bowl. The water then runs down the chains and fills the pool. This then pours out into a stream that runs through the arcade. The arcade has a glass roof and at the centre of the building is a small garden with this fountain, the stream, plants and several benches to sit on and rest shopping worn feet. When the shopping centre first opened the garden had many large trees and tropical plants, but due to the greenhouse like setting they grew and grew and grew! In the end the large jungle plants were removed and replaced with smaller varieties. It was OK to have all these large plants at first but when shoppers had to start swinging on vines to get from store to store it all got a bit too much!


Come back tomorrow and I'll show you my other choice for yesterdays Theme Day!

Theme Day - Water

Its Theme Day time again and the theme this month is Water. Cheltenham doesn't have a huge amount of choice for this theme (apart from the floods last July!) We have the lake at Pitville Park, ornate fountains around town and the Lido open air swimming pool, but I went for this. Its part of the water feature in the Beechwood Shopping Arcade. I like the movement in the photo, hope you do too!

Over 170 City Daily Photo Blogs are taking part in this Theme Day. Take some time today to see Water all over the world!

Adelaide, Australia by Gordon, Albuquerque (NM), USA by Helen, American Fork (UT), USA by Annie, Anderson (SC), USA by Lessie, Ararat, Australia by Digger, Arradon, France by Alice, Ashton under Lyne, UK by Pennine, Athens, Greece by Debbie, Auckland, New Zealand by Lachezar, Austin (TX), USA by LB, Bandung, Indonesia by Guntur Purwanto, Barton (VT), USA by Andree, Belgrade, Serbia & Montenegro by Paja, Belgrade, Serbia & Montenegro by Bibi, Bellefonte (PA), USA by Barb-n-PA, Bicheno, Australia by Greg, Bogor, Indonesia by Gagah, Boston (MA), USA by Sarah, Whit, & Leyre, Boston (MA), USA by Cluelessinboston, Boston (MA), USA by Fenix - Bostonscapes, Brighton, UK by Harvey, Brookville (OH), USA by Abraham, Budapest, Hungary by Isadora, Budapest, Hungary by Zannnie and Zsolt, Canterbury, UK by Rose, Cape Town, South Africa by Kerry-Anne, Chandler (AZ), USA by Melindaduff, Chateaubriant, France by Bergson, Cheltenham, UK by Marley, Chicago (IL), USA by b.c., Christchurch, New Zealand by Michelle, Clearwater (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Clearwater Beach (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Cleveland (OH), USA by iBlowfish, Coral Gables (FL), USA by Jnstropic, Cypress (TX), USA by Riniroo, Dallas/Fort Worth (TX), USA by A Wandering Soul, Dunedin (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Durban, South Africa by CrazyCow, East Gwillimbury, Canada by Your EG Tour Guide, Evry, France by Olivier, Glasgow, Scotland by Jackie, Greenville (SC), USA by Denton, Grenoble, France by Bleeding Orange, Guelph, Canada by Pat, Gun Barrel City (TX), USA by Lake Lady, Hamilton, New Zealand by Sakiwi, Hampton (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Haninge, Sweden by Steffe, Helsinki, Finland by Kaa, Hobart, Australia by Greg, Hyde, UK by Old Hyde, Inverness (IL), USA by Neva, Jackson (MS), USA by Halcyon, Jakarta, Indonesia by Santy, Jefferson City (MO), USA by Chinamom2005, Jogjakarta, Indonesia by Jogja Portrait, Joplin (MO), USA by Victoria, Juneau (AK), USA by Gwyn, Katonah (NY), USA by Inkster1, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia by Edwin, Kyoto, Japan by Tadamine, Lake Forest Park (WA), USA by Azure, Larchmont (NY), USA by Marie-Noyale, Las Vegas (NV), USA by Mo, Lisbon, Portugal by Sailor Girl, Lisbon, Portugal by Maria João, Lodz, Poland by ritalounge, London, UK by Mo, London, UK by Ham, Mainz, Germany by JB, Maple Ridge, Canada by Susan, Marseille, France by Alex, Mazatlan, Mexico by Kate, Melbourne, Australia by Mblamo, Melbourne, Australia by John, Memphis (TN), USA by SouthernHeart, Menton, France by Jilly, Mexico City, Mexico by Carraol, Mexico City, Mexico by Poly, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Mitch, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Greg, Minsk, Belarus by Olga, Monrovia (CA), USA by Keith, Monte Carlo, Monaco by Jilly, Montego Bay, Jamaica by Ann, Monterrey, Mexico by rafa, Moscow, Russia by Irina, Mumbai, India by Magiceye, Mumbai, India by MumbaiiteAnu, Mumbai, India by Kunalbhatia, Nancy, France by yoshi, Naples (FL), USA by Isabella, Nashville (TN), USA by Chris, Nelson, New Zealand by Meg and Ben, New Orleans (LA), USA by steve buser, New York City (NY), USA by Ming the Merciless, Niamey, Niger by Dinabee, Norfolk (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Norman (OK), USA by Chad & LaCresha, Norwich, UK by Goddess888, Nottingham, UK by Gail's Man, Odense, Denmark by ania odense, Omsk, Russia by Nataly, Orlando (FL), USA by OrlFla, Oslo, Norway by Lothiane, Paderborn, Germany by Soemchen, Paris, France by Gordio, Paris, France by Eric, Pasadena (CA), USA by Can8ianben, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia by Murphy_jay, Pilisvörösvár, Hungary by Elise, Pont-à-Mousson, France by Tintin-j, Port Angeles (WA), USA by Jelvistar, Port Elizabeth, South Africa by Sam, Port Townsend (WA), USA by raf, Port Vila, Vanuatu by Mblamo, Portland (OR), USA by NWgal, Portland (ME), USA by Corey, Portsmouth (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Prague, Czech Republic by Honza03, Quincy (MA), USA by Cluelessinboston, Riga, Latvia by Prokur, Rotterdam, Netherlands by Ineke, Saarbrücken, Germany by LadyDemeter, Saigon, Vietnam by Simon, Saint Louis (MO), USA by Strangetastes, Saint Paul (MN), USA by Kate, Salem (OR), USA by jill, Salt Lake City (UT), USA by Eric, Salt Lake City (UT), USA by atc, San Diego (CA), USA by Felicia, San Francisco (CA), USA by PFranson, Seattle (WA), USA by Chuck, Seattle (WA), USA by Kim, Seguin (TX), USA by Thien, Selma (AL), USA by RamblingRound, Sequim (WA), USA by Eponabri, Sesimbra, Portugal by Aldeia, Setúbal, Portugal by Maria Elisa, Shanghai, China by Jing, Sharon (CT), USA by Jenny, Singapore, Singapore by Keropok, Sofia, Bulgaria by Antonia, St Francis, South Africa by Sam, Stavanger, Norway by Tanty, Stayton (OR), USA by Celine, Stockholm, Sweden by Stromsjo, Stouffville, Canada by Ken, Subang Jaya, Malaysia by JC, Suffolk (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Sunshine Coast, Australia by bitingmidge, Sydney, Australia by Sally, Sydney, Australia by Nathalie, Székesfehérvár, Hungary by Teomo, Tacloban City, Philippines by agnesdv, Terrell (TX), USA by Bstexas, Terrell (TX), USA by Jim K, The Hague, Netherlands by Lezard, Tokyo, Japan by Tadamine, Toruń, Poland by Torun Observer, Toulouse, France by Julia, Turin, Italy by Livio, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina by Jazzy, Twin Cities (MN), USA by Slinger, Victoria, Canada by Benjamin Madison, Vienna, Austria by G_mirage2, Virginia Beach (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Wailea (HI), USA by Kuanyin, Washington (DC), USA by Rachel, Wassenaar, Netherlands by Rich, Wellington, New Zealand by Jeremyb, West Paris (ME), USA by crittoria, West Sacramento (CA), USA by Barbara, Weston (FL), USA by WestonDailyPhoto, Williamsburg (VA), USA by ptowngirl, Willits (CA), USA by Elaine, Yardley (PA), USA by Mrlynn,