Your Neighbourhood

[Eichhörnchen]

http://i.imgur.com/u3xzk4B.jpg STEED at home

Whenever I look at someone's Profile page for the first time, the thing I most like to know is where they live.

Some regular contributors' neighbourhoods are already familiar, because they sometimes post about them and they are beautiful.

I don't want you to tell me where you actually live, instead I just want to know what you see when you look around outside your place of residence; do you see a busy cityscape, a quiet old town, flat farmlands (such as I do) or woodlands, or maybe you live in a shed on an allotment, like STEED, and see rows of vegetables. Think of the area say about a mile radius; what's it like where you live?

[Onkel Neal]

Great topic, pictures would be nice

[Tango589]

I live in a bog-standard 'village' in North Kent. I'm surrounded by a mix of 1970's houses, 1900's cottages built for the workers of the local paper mill and a varied assortment of decent folk, chavs and n'er-do-wells. There is motorway access just up the road, a train station 5 mins walk away, and if you want to drive for 10 mins in the right direction you quickly find yourself in the Kent countryside with fields and old country pubs in quaint villages.

[Dowly]

Surrounded mostly by flats, but also bunch of greenery; patches of forest etc.

Within a 5-15 minutes walking distance I have: a bar, grill/pub, kiosk, beach, two grocery stores, drug store and a hospital, so that's convenient.

View from the window:
http://i.imgur.com/VWAeknGm.jpg (http://imgur.com/VWAeknG)
http://i.imgur.com/q4gvq7om.jpg (http://imgur.com/q4gvq7o)

[Von Due]

After years living next door to a bunch of kids whose stereo was confiscated every Saturday morning by the police, I now live in a place where the most noisy thing is the rare lawnmower. That change sure did not hurt.

Around here there are family homes and more family homes with (somewhat) well kept gardens. Got a nice view over the river and the quay where the cargo ships (and the odd cruise ship) dock. On a better day I can see several km towards the islands down south. Hop on the bus for a 10 minutes drive to town and the shops and I say that's central enough for me. Train station 15 minutes drive away, airport about half an hour for a few more weeks before they close (thank you, politicians for playing your little games).

[Catfish]

^^ @Dowly: grill/barbecue spot looks nice :)

No photos here, but second-last house on a dead-end street, rest around is woods, one half preserve area, the other water preserve.
Half an hour to Hannover, all necessary facilities like five different groceries, six restaurants, two drugstores, also several doctors plus veterinaries, all within walking range. But no hospital, 30 minutes away by car.

All else like on Steed's photo, but the door has no hinges and it's a bit wetter (catfish like that). :hmmm:
OT if someone gets a direct message from me is it called carp DM ?

[Commander Wallace]

When I look out my front door:

I see trees of green, red roses too
I see them bloom for me and you
And I think to myself what a wonderful world.

I see skies of blue and clouds of white
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night
And I think to myself what a wonderful world.



" What A Wonderful World "

Louis Armstrong



Seriously, That's not far from the truth as I'm in the countryside.

[Jimbuna]

My place of abode (already posted numerous pictures) is situated on a small private housing estate (six cul-de-sacs) situated half a mile from a large (once industrial) river and less than two miles from a harbour entrance and the coastline.

Shops and plentiful amenities are only a few hundred metres distance and a vibrant town centre (population in and around the area is approximately 65,000) a mile or so away.

The nearest cities being Sunderland seven miles and Newcastle ten miles, the airport sixteen miles.

[Osmium Steele]

We live in a nice, small housing subdivision. The Grand Rapids metro area is north of us, about 15 minutes on the highway. East, west, and south, farmland with the occasional housing development thrown in.

We're small town, but just on the edge of the big town.

[Eichhörnchen]

http://i.imgur.com/bZlI4bO.jpg About 50 yards from my house


As you can see, it's very flat here and that's because I live on...

http://i.imgur.com/D9Y42An.jpg

The Wash, a sort of incursion of The North Sea, around which the reclaimed land is known as the fens. Reclamation began as early as Roman times, and then later the influence of the Dutch on the engineering of the landscape means that it now resembles The Netherlands, the roads often raised up on embankments with steep-sided dykes (known as drains) on either side: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wash

http://i.imgur.com/Zt8xYzw.jpg

This is a photo I took of our local bird reserve on the nearby marsh.

[Moonlight]

Much like mine Mr Squirrel. :D
10 yards from my front garden gate is the entrance to the local fishing pond.
http://i68.tinypic.com/9gx3sm.jpg
Looking back and left of the pond, typical view of my area of the village.
http://i66.tinypic.com/2ic0al3.jpg
Continue on about 10 minutes and to the right of the pond is the local golf course.
http://i63.tinypic.com/23v4o.jpg
Am I looking at images of a living death or am I already dead and this is my penance. :o

[Von Due]

@Eichhörnchen and Moonlight:
Stunning landscape there. Are you 2 aware that it is a criminal offence having access to that sort of area and not being there flying rc toys? At least it should be a criminal offence.

[Rhodes]

https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7472/15753884369_680fc18ddc_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/q17LY2)Rain Day! (https://flic.kr/p/q17LY2) by Rodrigo Pinto (https://www.flickr.com/photos/16416646@N05/), no Flickr

[Eichhörnchen]

Yes I was looking forward to your post, Rhodes. Great photography, as always.

@ Von Due... there is a thriving R/C scene up here owing, I expect, to all the defunct wartime airfields (Lincolnshire is known as "Bomber County").

[Oberon]

It's quite nice around here, a bit more people around than the last house, but we're on the edge of the estate, overlooking a playing field which is primarily used by the odd dog walker so that's nice. Block of flats on one side and the other terrace houses on the other, both sides are quite good folk, there's a couple of loud stereotypes a few doors down but compared to what it could be like it's not too bad, certainly better than where I lived briefly in Snodland which was right on a main street of a chavtastic town (back before the term chav had even been brought into the mainstream consciousness).
The local area is a fairly traditional industrial town, once for a manufacturing works (Garretts) and then for the local Nuclear Power Station which looms on the close horizon over the town (that reminds me, need to see about getting the iodine tablets that the people in this town are given for free...just in case.) There is a railway line which hasn't seen passenger traffic for exactly fifty years, but up until very recently used to get the occasional flask train to the NPP (and just my luck, the trains stopped just before I moved in, since my house is right next to the line :wah:)
One thing I do like about the neighbourhood is the prevalence of feline friends, which gives me hope for when we eventually get another cat that this is an area which is safe for them. Here's a couple of friends I made on my way back from the shops (which is a bit of a stroll, but I need the exercise) not long after we moved in:

http://i.imgur.com/cJqHNL5.jpg?1

Also...oddly enough considering how many cats there are around here...there's a pretty thriving wildlife group, including this little fella who visited last weekend, and a hedgehog who I found in the garden on the way out to work last night.

http://i.imgur.com/xUBiZ4K.jpg?1

[AVGWarhawk]

What I see in the morning from the front of my home:

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e182/Warhawk1-avg/IMAG00375_zps4j6l4ns5.jpg

The back of my home:

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e182/Warhawk1-avg/WP_20160123_003_zpsvdtsx33w.jpg

My backyard in summer:

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e182/Warhawk1-avg/WP_20150703_002_zpsmgl3qxil.jpg

[Eichhörnchen]

You lucky devil...

[Rhodes]

Yes I was looking forward to your post, Rhodes. Great photography, as always.


You know, that one is one of my lest favourite photo. I think that is badly taken and badly developed. But for some reason, many people liked it (well, instagram, al least).

My neighbourhood is a houses, since it is in one of the centrer of the city.
Know as Bairro Novo/Bairro Sta Catarina (The New Neighbourhood/Saint Catherine's) do to fact it was building after the village got the town status and so the town hall, it was opened in 1885 and forth.
I still can see the sea, from where I live, I have the bull fight square at the back of my building.
Many of the houses of this neighbourhood were like this:
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5477/9441355758_048e5b8548.jpg and this:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2039/3540582956_0839e75f4e.jpg
And the one of exlibris of the neighbourhood (art deco or nova, I think): http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VkngnkxX86s/UFY4DT3i1-I/AAAAAAAADnw/Jfje1bxyO7o/s1600/P1090487.JPG
Evolution can be saw here:
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1132347

[Eichhörnchen]

Wow... it's beautiful there; I somehow guessed you lived in such a place :)

[Moonlight]

@Eichhörnchen and Moonlight:
Stunning landscape there. Are you 2 aware that it is a criminal offence having access to that sort of area and not being there flying rc toys? At least it should be a criminal offence.
Bah!, rc toys, :o before I crippled myself my best friend and I used to fly microlights from one of the local farmers fields.
Some weekends we'd give the kids a free fly ride around the village, the looks on their faces afterwards was payment enough. :D

You lucky sod...
@AVGWarhawk and Rhodes, as Mr Squirrel said, you lucky sods. :up:

[Rhodes]

^ Thanks, I guess!:hmmm::D:salute:

But it holds more that I posted. Will try to get more photos!

[Reece]

Current view of our front yard (block is just over 1ha):

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h244/Reecehk/Front%20Yard%201_zpsbor1yjjc.jpg (http://s66.photobucket.com/user/Reecehk/media/Front%20Yard%201_zpsbor1yjjc.jpg.html)

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h244/Reecehk/Front%20Yard%202_zpsbmhjlgz7.jpg (http://s66.photobucket.com/user/Reecehk/media/Front%20Yard%202_zpsbmhjlgz7.jpg.html)

Nothing grand but it's ours!!:yep:

[GoldenRivet]

https://scontent-dft4-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13599802_618649418293155_5459221327417909709_n.jpg ?oh=55a6475ea48ab09cf03bf482ca98e547&oe=5882877E

home for me isn't really in a "neighborhood" we live outside the city limits in a 3 bedroom 3 1/2 bath home. I've rented many but this is the first with mine and the bank's name on it.

the home is situated on a one acre lot off a county road in East Texas. each of the adjoining lots is about the same size so its quiet and pretty much everyone keeps to themselves.

the back patio is screened in, and the back yard encompasses the overwhelming majority of the acreage so it is a nice place to sit and have a few drinks and a cigar after dinner and catch the sunset as the rear of the home faces west - consequently the front of the home faces east so it is nice to gaze out the kitchen window with a hot cup of coffee

perhaps one of the best features of the home is the master bedroom and master bathroom. the master bedroom has a large double door that opens onto the enclosed patio - very nice to sleep with the doors open in the fall and early spring as the temps drop into the 40s and 50s in the night.

the master bath has a massive corner shower (approximately 100 sq ft) with river stone floor which was a major selling point.

the living room has a vaulted ceiling and a 9 seater sectional sofa with three built in recliners with cup holders which makes movie night a real pleasure.

[ivanov.ruslan]

It's interesting that is visible from my home and where I like to relax
Park named General Skobelev,Pleven
http://prikachi.com/images/22/8910022B.jpg

And this is what is seen spring time from our house in Gabrovo, slightly above the ethnographic
complex Еtar
http://prikachi.com/images/644/8305644A.jpg

[AVGWarhawk]

Current view of our front yard (block is just over 1ha):

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h244/Reecehk/Front%20Yard%201_zpsbor1yjjc.jpg (http://s66.photobucket.com/user/Reecehk/media/Front%20Yard%201_zpsbor1yjjc.jpg.html)

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h244/Reecehk/Front%20Yard%202_zpsbmhjlgz7.jpg (http://s66.photobucket.com/user/Reecehk/media/Front%20Yard%202_zpsbmhjlgz7.jpg.html)

Nothing grand but it's ours!!:yep:


BEAUTIFUL! Nothing but countryside and the crickets!

[AVGWarhawk]

https://scontent-dft4-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13599802_618649418293155_5459221327417909709_n.jpg ?oh=55a6475ea48ab09cf03bf482ca98e547&oe=5882877E

home for me isn't really in a "neighborhood" we live outside the city limits in a 3 bedroom 3 1/2 bath home. I've rented many but this is the first with mine and the bank's name on it.

the home is situated on a one acre lot off a county road in East Texas. each of the adjoining lots is about the same size so its quiet and pretty much everyone keeps to themselves.

the back patio is screened in, and the back yard encompasses the overwhelming majority of the acreage so it is a nice place to sit and have a few drinks and a cigar after dinner and catch the sunset as the rear of the home faces west - consequently the front of the home faces east so it is nice to gaze out the kitchen window with a hot cup of coffee

perhaps one of the best features of the home is the master bedroom and master bathroom. the master bedroom has a large double door that opens onto the enclosed patio - very nice to sleep with the doors open in the fall and early spring as the temps drop into the 40s and 50s in the night.

the master bath has a massive corner shower (approximately 100 sq ft) with river stone floor which was a major selling point.

the living room has a vaulted ceiling and a 9 seater sectional sofa with three built in recliners with cup holders which makes movie night a real pleasure.

Sounds like a nice place to get away from it all!

[AVGWarhawk]

It's interesting that is visible from my home and where I like to relax
Park named General Skobelev,Pleven
http://prikachi.com/images/22/8910022B.jpg

And this is what is seen spring time from our house in Gabrovo, slightly above the ethnographic
complex Еtar
http://prikachi.com/images/644/8305644A.jpg



Great view!

[HunterICX]

Garden view:
http://i.imgur.com/aF1WbTH.jpg?1

[Mr Quatro]

Current view of our front yard (block is just over 1ha):

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h244/Reecehk/Front%20Yard%201_zpsbor1yjjc.jpg (http://s66.photobucket.com/user/Reecehk/media/Front%20Yard%201_zpsbor1yjjc.jpg.html)

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h244/Reecehk/Front%20Yard%202_zpsbmhjlgz7.jpg (http://s66.photobucket.com/user/Reecehk/media/Front%20Yard%202_zpsbmhjlgz7.jpg.html)

Nothing grand but it's ours!!:yep:

If your yard had for sale sign in it I would buy it ... :yep:

Great garden view there HunterICX :up:

[AVGWarhawk]

If your yard had for sale sign in it I would buy it ... :yep:

Great garden view there HunterICX :up:

No doubt!!! As I get older I hate running in the rat race in the city/suburb environment. I long for a yard like that with neighbors not very close. The crickets and the birds are you symphony. The true sense of " living in the country".

[AVGWarhawk]

Great view Hunter! Looks like a postcard!

[Eichhörnchen]

http://i.imgur.com/oUHoFG5.jpg

The view from our back garden in Winter...

http://i.imgur.com/XdPfd7g.jpg

... and from the front, looking up the road (the same Horse Chestnut trees as in my first photo post).

http://i.imgur.com/ZEK7xLD.jpg

And then Springtime! This is the crab-apple tree, whose fruit is just visible in the previous scene...

[AVGWarhawk]

Very nice. Peaceful. I always like spring and fall seasons.

[Fubar2Niner]

http://i.imgur.com/oUHoFG5.jpg

The view from our back garden in Winter...

http://i.imgur.com/XdPfd7g.jpg

... and from the front, looking up the road (the same Horse Chestnut trees as in my first photo post).

http://i.imgur.com/ZEK7xLD.jpg

And then Springtime! This is the crab-apple tree, whose fruit is just visible in the previous scene...


Very nice mate, all I got is a school opposite and the smoke :/\\!!

On the plus side, ten minutes walking distance is Epping forest :Kaleun_Cheers::Kaleun_Cheers:


Fubar

PS you sure you're not in Eire ? ;)

[Eichhörnchen]

Nope... the fens. FLAT!

[Fubar2Niner]

Yeah is why I asked if you were in Eire, very reminiscent of my brothers place, or parts of. Erm........ in a a big way. Not that my brother is big, just where he lives.......... Well some parts anyway, mostly it's flat, with the occasional mountain, and he lives on a hill. The surrounding area is flat however, at least for the most part.

Yours.

Geographically challenged Fubar :O:

[Eichhörnchen]

Is his name Moses?

[Fubar2Niner]

Close.....................

Keith, but he does have tablets.

[Eichhörnchen]

:har::har::har::har:

[Reece]

BEAUTIFUL! Nothing but countryside and the crickets!
Thanks for the comment Chris, I love your residence, the only down side for me would be the cold!!:yep:

If your yard had for sale sign in it I would buy it ... :yep:

Thanks, it is rather peaceful here but sometimes too isolated.:yep:
Forsale sign. . . Hmm!!:hmmm:

[HunterICX]

Great view Hunter! Looks like a postcard!

Thanks :)

Thanks for the comment Chris, I love your residence, the only down side for me would be the cold!!:yep:

I wouldn't mind the cold, I actually like it over the blazing summers we have here.

[Eichhörnchen]

Moira got this cool shot of a local landmark recently

https://i.imgur.com/Oh2oWIg.jpg

[Red October1984]

No doubt!!! As I get older I hate running in the rat race in the city/suburb environment. I long for a yard like that with neighbors not very close. The crickets and the birds are you symphony. The true sense of " living in the country".

I can't agree with this enough.

When I'm at home in southern MO its a lot of this. Living in the woods with my peace and quiet.

During the academic year, I live in an apartment in a medium sized city in central MO.

There's pros and cons to each. Home is on the edge of the Ozark region and where the Mississippi river used to run (many many years ago). So home is a pretty good mix of flat river bottoms and hills with lots of forest and farm land. Central MO is in the middle of the Ozark region so some mountain land and not much flat land. I like the elevation and mountains much better than down south in the bottoms.

At home I have that awful third world level internet connection 3 out of 4 weeks a month but I can stand in my yard in my underwear and fire a gun in any direction without worry of hitting anything. (Of course I do NOT do this, but the capability is there). I love all the seasons when I live at home. Especially winter when it snows and fall when it's cool. However, at home, it's a pain to get to any sort of civilization for gas, groceries, entertainment, etc

At my apartment, it's the opposite. Weapons are strictly prohibited, internet is blazing fast, everything I need is a short walk or drive away and it's generally frowned upon to stand on the sidewalk in my underwear. :har::har: Summer is nice. Spring and Winter are the worst in a city because rain/snow happens and suddenly nobody is able to effectively operate their motor vehicle anymore.

So I kinda get the best of both worlds right now. I get the city life for a few months and the country life for a few months.

[Eichhörnchen]

Great post, Red :up:

[Mr Quatro]

Current view of our front yard (block is just over 1ha):

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h244/Reecehk/Front%20Yard%201_zpsbor1yjjc.jpg (http://s66.photobucket.com/user/Reecehk/media/Front%20Yard%201_zpsbor1yjjc.jpg.html)

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h244/Reecehk/Front%20Yard%202_zpsbmhjlgz7.jpg (http://s66.photobucket.com/user/Reecehk/media/Front%20Yard%202_zpsbmhjlgz7.jpg.html)

Nothing grand but it's ours!!:yep:

I would love to see a new picture of your place Reece ... The one you had was lovely :yep:

[Red October1984]

Great post, Red :up:

I'm going to try and take some pictures of the Ozarks on my drive back to my apartment. It's definitely the best Missouri has to offer.

[Eichhörnchen]

Some old 'Almshouses' near our local church today, now private dwellings

https://i.imgur.com/jnwotdc.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Almshouse

[Eisenwurst]

I've just moved back to Kings Cross in Sydney Australia ( the old Red Light district ) after living up North in Newcastle for the past 16 years - looking after my aged parents.

God there's been some changes. All the hookers have gone, the strip clubs have all closed down, there's heaps of these Thai massage places ( tiny shopfronts ). The needle exchange is gone ( I thought that was a growth market for sure ) but the Heroin shooting gallery ( run by the council ) is still there just across the road from the train station.

The local deros/bums are 20 years older ( those still alive ), and there's a new set of "blow ins" giving the place a bad name.

The place still has it's charm ( true ), but now it's overwhelmed by "New Money". Bling,bling, bling everywhere. Rich asians flaunting their wealth - playing the Bigshot. Yuk.



Not too many years ago.

[Mr Quatro]

Current view of our front yard (block is just over 1ha):

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h244/Reecehk/Front%20Yard%201_zpsbor1yjjc.jpg (http://s66.photobucket.com/user/Reecehk/media/Front%20Yard%201_zpsbor1yjjc.jpg.html)

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h244/Reecehk/Front%20Yard%202_zpsbmhjlgz7.jpg (http://s66.photobucket.com/user/Reecehk/media/Front%20Yard%202_zpsbmhjlgz7.jpg.html)

Nothing grand but it's ours!!:yep:

I wouldn't mind being your neighbor ... that looks great :up:

[em2nought]

This thread only reinforces in my mind how much I dislike where I'm living currently. lol :hmmm: I long to be living someplace like this:
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/imageserver/image/methode%2Ftimes%2Fprod%2Fweb%2Fbin%2F8a2b1408-9c54-11e6-af4a-15a7db50bae8.jpg?crop=1493%2C840%2C4%2C80&resize=685

[Eichhörnchen]

Is that a real place?

[em2nought]

Is that a real place?

Medellin, Colombia


City of eternal spring

[Jimbuna]

Medellin, Colombia


City of eternal spring

Only twenty years ago known as the most dangerous city in the world but since appears to be cleaning up its act.

Still to dangerous for my liking.

[Aktungbby]

Only twenty years ago known as the most dangerous city in the world but since appears to be cleaning up its act.

Still to dangerous for my liking. ...FROM A MAN ABOUT TO TRAVEL TO GANG INFESTED MEXICO!:timeout:

[ikalugin]

I live in an old, pre-revolution apt building.


My area is nice, with groceries and caffees on every damn corner and with multiple metro stations nearby.


Nothing to complain about really.

[Jimbuna]

...FROM A MAN ABOUT TO TRAVEL TO GANG INFESTED MEXICO!:timeout:


Aye but nowhere near said areas...a little too 'upmarket' and well protected (hopefully).

[Eichhörnchen]

This was the view from the sea bank in our neighbourood today, looking across the salt marshes. The distant bank marks the course of the 'Haven' where it reaches out into 'The Wash'

https://i.imgur.com/Oy9cWP6.jpg

[August]

This is my back yard now:
https://i.imgur.com/eA84ZFkl.jpg

This will be my backyard when I retire and move up to Maine.

http://i.imgur.com/JRt3Nxn.mp4 (https://imgur.com/JRt3Nxn)http://i.imgur.com/JRt3Nxn.mp4 (https://imgur.com/JRt3Nxn)https://i.imgur.com/7umwm9Ih.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/JRt3Nxn.mp4

[Onkel Neal]

I thought you were moving to Texas? Make up your mind :k_confused:

[Mr Quatro]

This will be my backyard when I retire and move up to Maine.

http://i.imgur.com/JRt3Nxn.mp4 (https://imgur.com/JRt3Nxn)http://i.imgur.com/JRt3Nxn.mp4 (https://imgur.com/JRt3Nxn)https://i.imgur.com/7umwm9Ih.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/JRt3Nxn.mp4

I thought you were moving to Texas? Make up your mind :k_confused:

Looks like Texas to me flooded river and everything :yep:



IF U R KIDNAPPED AND HELD FOR RANSOME WE'LL ALL HAVE TO CHIP IN TO GET OUR MODERATOR-IN-CHIEF BACK...WHICH COULD GET MUY DICEY AS JEFF GROVES WILL BE HANDLING THE TRANSACTION!! :O: :haha: :har:

You left out the alcohol can't be trusted in Mexico either they do something horrible to it and it could even kill you, except for moderate drinkers that is.

Lets keep harping on him Aktun we still have three weeks and four days till he leaves on vacation. :up:

[Jimbuna]

I'll be safely esconced in the yellow coloured area on the east coast.

[vienna]

A bit of a word of advice for Jim: Even the most well-surveilled and/or patrolled areas in Mexico should be treated with caution. Here in Los Angeles, not far from the Mexican border, there are often travel warnings given about bad conditions for tourist of all nations in Mexico. The low-lifes, and that does include some of the local Mexican LEOs, like to victimize tourists because the likelihood of their victims to actually carry through with prosecution in courts, if they are caught, is extremely small. When you are down there, best stay with any group you may be with or join and best stay within safe areas. I haven't been in Mexico since the 60's and, even then, I didn't want to go at all and I certainly don't have any wish to go now. The horror stories we get up here in LA from many of those who traveled to Mexico make it seem as if that whole country exists just to fleece or victimize tourists. I do wish you and yours the best of luck in Mexico, but do keep an open eye when down there...









<O>

[Jimbuna]

^ Appreciate the advice vienna, I doubt we'll be leaving the resort.

https://www.tui.co.uk/destinations/caribbean/mexico/mexico-caribbean-coast/riviera-maya/hotels/tui-sensimar-el-dorado-seaside-suites-and-spa.html

https://www.karismahotels.com/hotels-and-resorts/el-dorado/el-dorado-seaside-suites/highlights

https://www.eldoradosparesorts.com/seaside-suites

Also looking forward to the first class upgrade and the flight on the Dreamliner.

[Eisenwurst]

After a bit of prompting, I'm posting some pics of where I now live. It's got a reputation for being dangerous, but if you go looking for trouble you'll find it, whereas if you're sensible you can avoid trouble and have a good time.:)

Good old Kings Cross - the old ( now just a memory ) red light district of Sydney Australia.

http://i.imgur.com/VZADgt1.jpg

Juanita Nielsen's house. The poor girl was a community activist opposed to the indiscriminant ( my spelling's not the best ) development on Victoria Street, she was also quite wealthy and influential.........she made some enemies......and "disappeared".

http://i.imgur.com/jjqyokA.jpg



The iconic Coca Cola sign in it's latest incarnation. Back in the 80s it used to put on a 15 min strobeing display - all sorts of different patterns, at nighttime. It was great to watch.

http://i.imgur.com/L5sFJum.jpg

Looking down William Street towards Sydney CBD. It used to be thronged with hookers late at night in the 80s. I lived in a small apartment block where the billboard is now. Only 8 units, noisy as hell. A guy that lived on the first floor was a chef at the Centrepoint tower and every Sunday he'd lay on a meal for everyone in the building ( free just bring beer ). Mustapha, Moroccan guy, top bloke.

http://i.imgur.com/K4pRJE4.jpg

Kellett Street. Back in 1984 we had an axe murderer. He killed 2 people in one week and a week later he was attacking his third victim when the "victim" turned on him and gave him such a hiding that he was glad when the cops arrived and saved him from being beaten to death.

Said "victim" received a bravery award. Richly deserved.

http://i.imgur.com/XC6tF7C.jpg

Where the old "Astoria" restaurant used to be. Everybody ate there, the food was excellent and cheap - $2 t bone steak and chips, big bowl of home cooked delicious soup with bread roll 40 cents. A Greek family ran it. The Staff from the Bourbon and Beefsteak across the road used to eat there much to the chagrin of their bosses.

Now the site is a pokey little cafe much frequented by poseurs.

http://i.imgur.com/6Wr61Wg.jpg

What's left of the Famous "Bourbon and Beefsteak", an iconic restaurant much frequented by R & R troops during the Vietnam War. The owner, an American, Bernie Houghton loved the place and really doted on it. He died and a wealthy Chinese gent bought it and completely changed everything about it.

http://i.imgur.com/1wPKkKA.jpg

The famous "El Alamein" fountain. Our ratbag city council wanted to get rid of it but there was such public outrage that after a long legal battle we kept the fountain.

http://i.imgur.com/A8V3j0t.jpg

One of the local Sacred Ibises, nice guys , I feed them whenever I get a chance.

http://i.imgur.com/CWkCzP5.jpg

The old "Sweethearts" building. "Sweethearts" was open 24/7, never closed, when every other place had shut for the night you could always go along to "Sweethearts" for a coffee/light meal whatever. Nice Cafe/Restaurant.

Back in '86 in a matter of a couple of weeks, there were 2 very public murders in the place - full of customers each time. And "Sweethearts" closed. Now the building is a doss house for backpackers. Very Sad.

Quite a long post but I hope you enjoy it.

[Eichhörnchen]

Sure did enjoy that, mate... thanks for a fabulous post (after all the arm-twisting) :yeah:

[Schroeder]

It's been 20 years that I've been to Sydney.:(


Guess I need to find a better job.:yep:

[Jimbuna]

Great post eisenwurst :yeah:

[Eisenwurst]

Thanks guys :) .

There's a bit of "material" left for a part 2 if you want.

Some of you might come down here one day and need to know what to avoid.

[Eichhörnchen]

Okay go ahead, e

[Dirk Gently]

I live in the middle of a forest. Trees on all sides but close enough to the ocean to smell the salt.

[em2nought]

I feel a strange desire to visit Sydney late at night in the 1980s. :D

[Mr Quatro]

Thanks for the pictures eisenwurst :up:

Doesn't look that bad in the day time :o

[Eisenwurst]

As promised, Part 2.

A bit of name dropping, but it makes for an interesting post.

http://i.imgur.com/ijjyiOT.jpg

"Harry's Cafe de Wheels". Very popular for generations. Good no nonsense Aussie street food. Pies, Sausage Rolls, Chips, Hot Dogs. Cheap and really tasty. It's been that successful that franchises are now available. They're in many cities in Australia, and some even overseas.

http://i.imgur.com/uqRE9ap.jpg

Harry's "Tiger", Steak pie with peas, mashed potato and gravy. Good value for $7.

Below, some of Harry's customers over the years.

http://i.imgur.com/QEVyYL5.jpg

Pamela Anderson.

http://i.imgur.com/bV4Ry8q.jpg

The Ab Fab girls.:)

http://i.imgur.com/8TtH09k.jpg

Sir David Martin. A Real Man. He died from cancer, but worked up till his dying day. I remember news footage of him taking the salute at a Naval march past. There he was in full uniform, gasping for breath, standing proudly. A lot of sailors had tears in their eyes as they marched past.

http://i.imgur.com/FVGenhC.jpg

The Colonel didn't mind a pie or two when he was in town.

http://i.imgur.com/GgfdRJX.jpg

Adriana Xenides, Aussie TV Star. For years she told doctors that she was very sick, but they didn't believe her..... She died and they're like " Oh well looks like she was right after all".

http://i.imgur.com/zxDyKYi.jpg

Poor Charlotte Dawson in happier days. She was hounded to death by an organised troll army. Truly tragic.

https://i.imgur.com/PMIsiPm.jpg

just a local girl ( yawn ) . They all look alike :)

https://i.imgur.com/axwWFTz.jpg

The Finger Wharf at Woolloomooloo ( hard to spell ).
It's looks boring but this is Serious Real Estate. Big Name Actors have places here and drop by from time to time ( to Harrys :D . )

Recommended you come here.

https://i.imgur.com/J6VTmWr.jpg

Pretentious Artwork not taken seriously by locals. Quickly dubbed "Poos on Sticks".

https://i.imgur.com/RYDUdm5.jpg

The "Tropicana". If you ever come to "The Cross", this place might be recommended to you. Don't go. It's very popular with the Theatre crowd and is one of THE places to be seen. And the staff have a real superior attitude, which doesn't help the vibe if you do go.

https://i.imgur.com/gYPdkXC.jpg

The "Coluzzi Bar". A sidewalk espresso bar. This was THE place to get noticed/be seen ( if you're that vain ). At least now they've got tables and chairs now, used to be just milk crates. A hangout for the Socially Desperate.

https://i.imgur.com/z3Ru8n0.jpg

The entrance Kings Cross Railway Station. A SERIOUS warning.Statistically this used to be the most dangerous place in all of Sydney. Quite a few people have been killed here in recent years. Not by guns or knives, but in your face, toe to toe fist fighting. Take care.

https://i.imgur.com/GaR7jW5.jpg

"The Medically Supervised Injecting Clinic". The Heroin Shooting Gallery.

Taxpayer/Ratepayer funded. Staffed by Quacks and Shrinks. When you're a petty crim/junkie the PC crowd really look after you.

Across the road from the Train Station entrance. Don't hang around here.

https://i.imgur.com/pxhTvNN.jpg

The rooftop of good old "Maccas". One of the little known Gems of The Cross. Back in the 80s there were little fountains, beautiful flower beds, lovely garden atmosphere, it's been badly neglected and allowed to deteriorate. Sad. But still a great place to watch the colourful goings on in Darlinghurst Road. Today was about 100 degrees F, so everyone was downstairs in A/C comfort.

https://i.imgur.com/REGOmqf.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/3WxAyjO.jpg

Last pic, Tommy's place in Victoria Street. "Bang Tang" A great place to eat, good vibe, and Tommy's a real nice bloke. When I eat there I always have the ......"Hun Bastard" - great name.

Quite a long post, but like I said in Part one, if you're sensible you should be alright. It's mainly on weekends at nighttime when there's trouble. Young guys out to prove their manhood etc.

It's a very compact area, about 40,000 people in 2 sq miles, and there are some truly beautiful places to go and see ( all walking distance ).

I hope you enjoyed the post. :)

[Onkel Neal]

Wow, man, great job! That's what this thread was intended to be. I feel like I've visited there now. :Kaleun_Thumbs_Up:

[Jimbuna]

Aye, great update eisenwurst :up:

[Eichhörnchen]

Amazing post, buddy... thanks for such a great tour :Kaleun_Thumbs_Up:

[Eisenwurst]

High Praise indeed from some Heavy Hitters. Thanks guys :) .

And speaking of "Heavy Hitters", I left out/forgot about "Battleship Corner", a patch of footpath ( not really worth a photo ) where heavy hitters from local pubs used to settle their differences.

[Eichhörnchen]

https://i.imgur.com/wk2H0jx.jpg

A view across the fields from outside our place earlier this evening; no sign of any snow

[vienna]

Ever since this thread was started, long ago, I have been looking for something that would give a sense of what Hollywood like; mst of the clips I found were either of just the 'touristy' bits of Hollywood or were not really representative of the 'feel' of the area. The 'main drag' of Hollywood, sort of its 'downtown' is the part of Hollywood Blvd. between the famed intersection of Hollywood & Vine and the far end of the commercial strip ending at La Brea Ave., about a mile west of Vine St. I just found this clip, posted to YT last May, 2016. The person who shot it gives a good POV of his walk down the Blvd; it starts out at the far west end heads east to Vine St., where he crosses the street and walks back to his starting point. The clip appears to have been shot on a weekday; on weekends, the sidewalks are more crowded, and, during the summer vacation months, June thru August, the sidewalks become an obstacle course. For those of you who have never been to Hollywood Blvd and have only heard of it as a famous place, well, hate to disappoint y'all, but, as can be seen, its a pretty mundane place. Now, if there had been a similar clip done, say, 30 odd years ago, it would have been much more vibrant and interesting...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAcs5NE874A













<O>

[Eisenwurst]

Thanks vienna. That was really good.

Some impressions:-

Wow, how clean the place is. Virtually no rubbish on the footpath, no graffitti, I only saw one beggar, and no "homeless" people sleeping rough. Sure signs of great Civic Pride :Kaleun_Salute:

All those stars on the footpath 1000s of them, I didn't think that there were that many celebrities in the whole world let alone the Silver Screen.

I don't think I'll ever get there, but it looks a lot like Waikiki and also funnily enough Bondi Junction here in Sydney.

Down here in "The Cross", there's rubbish everywhere, poo ( dog AND human ) on the footpaths and in doorways, aggressive beggars, blow ins from the country sleeping rough, drugged/drunk euro backpackers....

[Eichhörnchen]

:Kaleun_Salute: Thanks, guys

[Torvald Von Mansee]

What I see in the morning from the front of my home:

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e182/Warhawk1-avg/IMAG00375_zps4j6l4ns5.jpg

The back of my home:

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e182/Warhawk1-avg/WP_20160123_003_zpsvdtsx33w.jpg

My backyard in summer:

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e182/Warhawk1-avg/WP_20150703_002_zpsmgl3qxil.jpg

You also live in the greatest state in the Union, too, if I do recall.

[Torvald Von Mansee]

This is the prettiest place near my house:

https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Brookside+Gardens&FORM=HDRSC2

[em2nought]

poo ( dog AND human ) on the footpaths and in doorways, aggressive beggars, blow ins from the country sleeping rough, drugged/drunk euro backpackers....


I was amazed too, Hollywood must ship all their homeless to San Francisco. :hmmm:

[Eisenwurst]

Not much happening down here at the moment. The trains aren't running, bad internet connection, hot and humid, a gazzillion tourists - Indians, Chinese, Americans etc , a lot of cafes shut down for Easter ( bummer ), if it wasn't for Macca's there'd be mass starvation :03:

A short while ago I did a trip to the Art Gallery of New South Wales - about half a mile away - close neighbourhood? :) The place is amazing. A beautiful Neo Classical Colonial building.....with modern add ons of course. Inside there's lots of Galleries chock a block full of beautiful paintings and sculpture from all periods. Rembrandt, Rubens, Eichhornchen, Rodin. There's a Fine Dining restaurant serving all the posh food, and a cafe for us hoi poloi :) .

A lot of security people standing around bored to tears and always glad of a conversation.

https://i.imgur.com/02EXfM8.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/3VUVI1a.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/UU5TWtW.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/jzevtu3.jpg

A bit blurry that one .i don't know what happened, a pretty girl must've walked past.

Just 2 of the Galleries, but it gives a good feel for the place. Some of the paintings are HUGE.

https://i.imgur.com/Qk11mrA.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/gf4nexL.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/cHJKjtX.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Od4MW4c.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/E5zyGjm.jpg

And outside. this lady asks her eternal question.....

[vienna]

Thanks vienna. That was really good.

Some impressions:-

Wow, how clean the place is. Virtually no rubbish on the footpath, no graffitti, I only saw one beggar, and no "homeless" people sleeping rough. Sure signs of great Civic Pride :Kaleun_Salute:

All those stars on the footpath 1000s of them, I didn't think that there were that many celebrities in the whole world let alone the Silver Screen.

...




I was amazed too, Hollywood must ship all their homeless to San Francisco. :hmmm:


Hollywood Blvd. is part of what is called here in LA a "BID", a Business Improvement District, a coalition of local businesses who pool funds to pay for services either not provided by the City or to augment provided services; in Hollywood, that includes private security patrols to supplement the LAPD presence, power steam street cleaning, and graffiti abatement, among other things. There was once a Courthouse open on Hollywood Blvd. but it closed due to budget cuts; one of the creative sentences petty offenders received in that Courthouse was doing community service cleaning up trash and graffiti all around the Hollywood area; it wasn't unusual to see some person cleaning up the streets and gutter outside a club they had partied at and then been busted for public drunkenness a day or two earlier...

The homeless are around in Hollywood, but have mostly been chased off the main Blvd. and are mostly found on side street areas. Just in the past few weeks, a "no Vending Zone" has been established on Hollywood Blvd. and the surrounding side streets for several blocks to the North ans South of the Blvd., in order to remove street vendors; this has also had the added effect of reducing the homeless presence...

Hollywood Blvd. is officially on the National Registry of historical places an, as such, is protected from the wiles of property developers who would just love to tear it all up and put up more high-rises and Starbucks...


The "Walk of Fame" stars are for more than just films; they are also placed for TV, radio, musical recording, and stage performance. They also encompass more than just the celebrity talent: producers. directors, agents, writers, makeup artists, costume designers, and many others are among those who get trod on daily:


Official Website for the Hollywood Walk of Fame --

https://www.walkoffame.com/


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollywood_Walk_of_Fame


Some persons have more than one star, if they are known for work in different areas of entertainment; the person with the most stars is the old singing cowboy, Gene Autry; part of the reason is because Autry was also a major businessman in Hollywood, owning, among other things, one of the first TV stations in the US, so the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, who administer the Walk, was more than willing to give Autry as many stars as they could. There are also "special stars" placed on the Walk, usually for some tie-in with corporate donors. There is one, or, rather, four stars that are unique on the walk: at all four corners of the famed intersection of Hollywood Blvd. & Vine St., there are special "moons" placed to commemorate the First Lunar Landing (appropriately with the "TV" icon):


https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a7/HollywoodWalkOfFameMoonAtHollywoodAndVine.jpg/800px-HollywoodWalkOfFameMoonAtHollywoodAndVine.jpg


I have seen several of the ceremonies that accompany the installation of stars over the decades; the most pleasantly recalled was the ceremony for Raquel Welch that I literally walked in on as I was leaving a movie theater; she was just a couple of feet from me and I recall she was rather more petite than I had imagined...


There were sad ones, too; the great character actor Forrest Tucker was to have gotten his star and, though he was gravely ill, he insisted on being at the ceremony; the organizers even rented a mobile dressing room trailer he could wait in until the ceremony started, however, he collapsed before the start of the ceremony and was rushed to the hospital and passed away a couple of months later without having seen his star...


There is one star that is not on the sidewalk: Muhammad Ali jokingly stipulated that if he were to get a star, it would not be on the sidewalk, since he didn't want people stepping on him. The Chamber took his 'request' to heart and placed his star on the wall of the building that house the Dolby (formerly Kodak) Theater, the site of the Oscar awards:


https://1fpypn35pt1l3uwyne14018c-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Stoen_180519_0039.jpg


There are still fans who leave flowers at the base of the star on The Champs birthday and on the anniversary of his death...









<O>

[Rockstar]

you wouldn't happen to be the vienna who operates vienna's classic hollywood blog?

[vienna]

No, I'm not, but I do appreciate the find. :up: ...

I had no idea there was such a blog out there and, since, I do like to read about Old Hollywood, this is a new resource for me...


Thanks again...









<O>

[Rockstar]

I found the blog a few days ago. There's a good number of stories films and familiar faces to peruse. You are most welcome sir :salute:

[Eichhörnchen]

Wonderful posts, guys (and I saw what you did there, Little 'e' :haha:)

[Rockstar]

must be drinking from the fountain of youth or something to be named among the 'old masters' :)

[Eisenwurst]

Time Traveler :)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgbdDI_ikkM

http://i.imgur.com/2LffUJ8.jpg

[Catfish]

Wonderful posts, guys (and I saw what you did there, Little 'e' :haha:)

Yes they are, enjoyed them very much :up:

(And also saw that.. Eich's art exhibited in the Art Gallery of New South Wales :yep:)

[Eichhörnchen]

https://i.imgur.com/QjOcJq6.jpg

One of my paintings in the style of Edouard Leon Cortes, roughly depicting the Rue Madeleine (6X8 inches acrylic on panel)... my ideal neighbourhood

[vienna]

I'm just adding this a a bit of a supplement to my Hollywood post; there was an unusual convergence of ceremonies today when the Walk of Fame star ceremony for Lucy Liu was held on the same day the cast of The Big Bang Theory became the first TV actors to have their hand prints in cement added to the forecourt of the TCL (formerly Grauman's) Chinese Theater on Hollywood Blvd. I've seen several of both sorts of ceremonies over the decades and I don't recall the two events happening at the same time...

The Walk of Fame ceremony below is typical, with various persons speaking about the honoree(s) and then the unveiling of the star, itself; this ceremony is longer than a lot of the others since the recipient is a major star; if the honoree was, say, someone of lesser fame, the ceremony would be shorter. It used to be, when I first moved to Hollywood, there would be a banner hung over the street near the location of the star a couple of weeks early to announce the ceremony; now, it is rare when there is any broad announcement at all, except for a day or two previous...


Lucy Liu - Hollywood Walk of Fame Ceremony --




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUJ18w6QbsM


The Chinese Theater forecourt ceremony is pretty much as shown below, although group ceremonies are rare; even rarer, it is the first time the cast of a TV show has been so honored. Chinese Theater ceremonies are well publicized and are considered to be a far greater honor than a Walk of Fame star. This clip is from the only local, or network, TV station still headquartered in Hollywood; the sound cuts out after the cast speaks; I think this may either be due to the fact the stars weren't miked and the there really was no need to continue the ambient sound, or the audio was deleted because it was just the reporters at the station commenting...


Big Bang Theory' Stars Imprint Hands at Chinese Theatre --


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZeTwiHFdDo


While ceremonies of this type may be fascinating to those outside of Hollywood, once you've lived here for a couple or more decades and seen more than a few of them, the fascination wears off; its more like "Oh, great, they've blocked off the sidewalk, again. Now, I'll have to cross the street, walk to the end of the block, and cross back again to get to that store..."...








<O>

[Eichhörnchen]

https://i.imgur.com/Qd9HNm7.jpg Jaded! :haha:

[vienna]

Ennui... Ennui... Ennui...


http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D4UH_GhScVI/TaQfTZcyN2I/AAAAAAAAAPU/_PNY5e3C2As/s1600/avatar3.jpg











<O>

[Red October1984]

. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVSJO94WnCs)

Here is one of my favorite places near where I live.

Geologically significant, if you're into that sort of thing, but I've just always loved this valley in MO. I've never lived more than an hour and a half away from it. A lot of the money that supported the state of MO came from mining lead and granite in this area. Lot of history and lot of beautiful nature. Lots of fun roads to drive if you're into cars and lots of peace and quiet.

I'll stubbornly defend that Missouri is the best of the Midwestern states in the US for a lot of reasons, but the nature here is awesome.

[Eichhörnchen]

I loved the look at the waterfall at the end. Drone cameras are giving us views of our own neighbourhoods hitherto unseen, except by local microlight fliers and birds (maybe also the odd squirrel)... rather like a giant kneeling down to examine our small world below

[Red October1984]

I loved the look at the waterfall at the end. Drone cameras are giving us views of our own neighbourhoods hitherto unseen, except by local microlight fliers and birds (maybe also the odd squirrel)... rather like a giant kneeling down to examine our small world below

Drone cameras give us some amazing capability. The waterfalls in the valley are fantastic. Especially after recent rains.

There's a lot of nature that's relatively untouched in the area just because of the sparse groundwater resources. Not a lot of population density out there, but lots of history.

With everything developing these days, it's nice to find some peace and quiet.

[Catfish]

^ Wonderful place to be! :up: :)

[vienna]

One thing about Hollywood, there never seems to be an end to the stories yet to be discovered; there is an intersection near my home, Sunset Blvd & Gower St, known to people here in the neighborhood as "Gower Gulch"; it got its name from the early days of Hollywood when the roughly one mile stretch from Sunset Blvd along Gower St south to Melrose Ave was lined with movie studios both large and small. A goodly number of the studios specialized in low-budget cowboy/Western films and was the launching pad for the careers of actors like John Wayne who made a slew of "oaters" before he became "The Duke". Famed Old West hero and icon Wyatt Earp lived for a time in Hollywood and was a regular at Gower Gulch as he tried to turn his legend into a film career:


Wyatt Earp in Hollywood: The untold story of how Wyatt Earp got ripped off by outlaws in the last outlaw town --

https://truewestmagazine.com/wyatt-earp-in-hollywood/


I always knew, in general terms, about the cowboy connection to the intersection, but didn't know a whole lot of the particulars. A fair sized strip mall, constructed to emulate a Western movie set stands now at one of the intersections corners; the pharmacy where I get my prescriptions filled is located there; I also posted, in another long ago thread about how said pharmacy devised a method of shooing away transients and panhandlers by playing Barry Manilow songs 24/7 from external speakers (it worked like a charm, garnering national news attention, but the Manilow is no longer playing having been replaced by what sounds like John Williams compositions, which also seem to be working). While waiting for something to finish running on the computer, I decided to do a look up of the history of Gower Gulch:


Gower Gulch and the sort of beginning of Hollywood --

https://ericbrightwell.com/2012/10/27/gower-gulch-and-the-sort-of-beginning-of-hollywood/


How a Cowboy Standoff Gave Hollywood’s Gower Gulch Its Name --

https://www.kcet.org/shows/lost-la/how-a-cowboy-standoff-gave-hollywoods-gower-gulch-its-name


The Forgotten History of Gower Gulch, Hollywood’s Western Strip Mall --

https://atomicredhead.com/2019/05/01/the-forgotten-history-of-gower-gulch-hollywoods-western-strip-mall/


There is a whole lot of such stories about various locales in and around Hollywood and they never seem to end. Hollywood can be an interesting place to live, but as gentrification starts to set in, a lot of the Old Hollywood is vanishing...

BTW, the reference to LA as an "outlaw town" is not without merit: until about the late 1920s. LA had a reputation for lawlessness; at one point at the turn of the 20th Century, LA was nicknamed "Devil's Town"; there is an old photo of a street sign in Downtown LA warning passersby of possible danger from gun play..




Tombstone vs. Los Angeles

In 1924, legendary actress Lotta Crabtree died, leaving behind an estate of $1.2 million and no known heirs. During a 1926 deposition about one of the alleged heirs, Carlotta Crabtree, who lived in Tombstone, Arizona, Wyatt Earp testified. His answer to one of the questions says much about Los Angeles in the 1920s:


Lawyer: I would like to ask you to state your observation of those times and tell us what the condition of this community [Tombstone] was for law and order?

Wyatt Earp: It was not half as bad as Los Angeles.












<O>

[August]

This is the river that runs out back of my place in Maine last weekend.
https://i.imgur.com/4gPoRDjh.jpg


Almost the same angle just a month ago
https://i.imgur.com/yuqjiSXh.jpg

[Eichhörnchen]

Beautiful

[JU_88]

Goddamn you, August!:)

That is very special indeed, nice one :up:
Since your a Mainer, what do you make of this guys assessment? (not that he is picking on Maine, he has the same top 10 vid for every state)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-z8JofL-dcw

[Eichhörnchen]

https://i.imgur.com/FYRMUjX.jpg ^ https://i.imgur.com/FBump!YRMUjX.jpg

[Eichhörnchen]

https://i.imgur.com/5s8QOti.jpg

Love them or loathe them, our local hunt (the South Wold) stopped at the end of our road over the weekend. They come out in the Autumn for pre-season practice

[Reece]

http://www.reelworldtheology.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/bsad006-335x200@2x.jpg
There just a bunch of city slickers!!

[Eichhörnchen]

Truth be told, most folk who ride with hunts are farmers and other country-working types... the idea that they are a select bunch of gentry is mostly untrue nowadays

[vienna]

“The unspeakable in pursuit of the uneatable!”

― Oscar Wilde







<O>

[Eichhörnchen]

https://i.imgur.com/MY1v7Jo.jpg

The view West over our garden hedge last evening

[Reece]

Spooky but nice! :up:

[Mork_417]

Oh that is pretty. Looks like a good stargazing spot too.

[Eichhörnchen]

Yeah not much light-pollution out here in the Fens :)

[Eichhörnchen]

Out on the fields shown in my photo we often see fallow deer gathering. Arriving home the other day I looked hard at one of them as it seemed so different from the others... even at such a distance. With its short legs it looked more like a large dog

Then yesterday my neighbour asked "Have you seen the pig?" It seems that a young wild boar has fallen into company with the deer and goes with them to forage in the local maize fields... we never had maize here until the last couple of years and this year it's been left unharvested for some reason... maybe too wet

If I get a chance I'll take a picture

[Moonlight]

You're going to post a picture of the local maize fields Mr Squirrel? dear me, it must be a slow news day around your part of 'Bollock-Acher Wood'.
You should pay us another visit to "Fookhall Copse" old boy, the squirrel renegades are getting restless again and my squirrel senses tell me there'll be weasel and stoat pie on the menu very soon. :D

[Eichhörnchen]

You been out boozing with those badgers again?

[Moonlight]

No, no, no, no drinking in Fookhall Copse allowed Mr Squirrel, it was concussion, as you know turf wars can get nasty.:yep:

[Eisenwurst]

A lot of birds hang around my place.

http://i.imgur.com/DftVUyO.jpg

Rainbow Lorrikeets. Very friendly, but will attack and beat up BIG Cockatoos and steal their bread :arrgh!:

http://i.imgur.com/O1Tq1Re.jpg

Some "Cockies" down on the pooldeck. The birds ( human ) on the groundfloor leave food and water out for them. Nice girls, attractive too :D

http://i.imgur.com/etwLu4e.jpg

The Lorrikeets have left, so it's safe for the Cockatoos to say hello.

http://i.imgur.com/Bk1jlNb.jpg

[Eichhörnchen]

Thanks for sharing, mate :Kaleun_Salute:

[Red October1984]

Lived in two different states throughout 2019 and I will say, I do miss living in Texas sometimes.



As some of you may remember, I live in the middle of nowhere in Missouri and I absolutely love it :haha:


But I took a job working underground in San Antonio, TX for the summer and lived there for three months and some change. I always thought I would hate living in the city, but you know what? It was kind of nice.



The upcoming summer will be my last summer as a student intern since I'm set to graduate in May of 2021 so I'll get the opportunity to live somewhere new once again. Rumors of New York, South Dakota, Colorado and Alaska.


We'll see how it goes, but I figured this would be the place to talk about how much I miss living in Texas sometimes lol.


The food, the scenery, the culture, it's all great. Been through El Paso, Amarillo, San Antonio, Austin, DFW and a lot of places in between. Each area of Texas has it's own personality, but they all fall in behind their love of Texas.



If you've never been, I recommend stopping in sometime. I worked 60-90 hour weeks when I lived there but I get down there about once a year for various reasons.



If I had to leave Missouri, I'd love to be in Texas.

[Eichhörnchen]

https://i.imgur.com/GH15p7h.jpg

New lawnmower arrived today so I had my first tidy-up out front

[Mr Quatro]

Current view of our front yard (block is just over 1ha):

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h244/Reecehk/Front%20Yard%201_zpsbor1yjjc.jpg (http://s66.photobucket.com/user/Reecehk/media/Front%20Yard%201_zpsbor1yjjc.jpg.html)

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h244/Reecehk/Front%20Yard%202_zpsbmhjlgz7.jpg (http://s66.photobucket.com/user/Reecehk/media/Front%20Yard%202_zpsbmhjlgz7.jpg.html)

Nothing grand but it's ours!!:yep:

Yours is a nice country setting Eichhörnchen, but

I still want to be Reece's neighbor :up:

Isn't that beautiful :yep:

[Eichhörnchen]

https://i.imgur.com/6ATcodU.png

https://i.imgur.com/uwv0AjB.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/b1Zk6Ve.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/6cZ98y4.jpg

We walked here on Wednesday... not far from our house... to about where the red X is, and my photo looks over toward the narrow finger of land which runs out into The Wash alongside The Haven... the artificially widened lower section of the tidal River Witham. This takes the big ships into the port of Boston

The area to the right of this sea bank is the edge of the saltmarsh... then it's the sea

Very near by is "Scotia Creek" the spot in the river where the Pilgrim Fathers made their first attempt to escape to the New World, before they were consigned for a while into Boston Gaol

[Eichhörnchen]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alford_Windmill

https://i.imgur.com/mSP0TbG.jpg

We pass this beautiful thing whenever we drive to the coast (Moira's photo)

[Mr Quatro]

We walked here on Wednesday... not far from our house... to about where the red X is, and my photo looks over toward the narrow finger of land which runs out into The Wash alongside The Haven... the artificially widened lower section of the tidal River Witham. This takes the big ships into the port of Boston

The area to the right of this sea bank is the edge of the saltmarsh... then it's the sea

Very near by is "Scotia Creek" the spot in the river where the Pilgrim Fathers made their first attempt to escape to the New World, before they were consigned for a while into Boston Gaol

I like that ... more maps or charts too on where you live. Not that I could visit you :o

You could surface a submarine in that bay :yep:

[Eichhörnchen]

You certainly could, and maybe take it all the way up the Haven to Boston submerged

[Catfish]

Don't give Ikalugin ideas :haha:
Or us :hmmm:

[Eichhörnchen]

https://i.imgur.com/3j63tgG.jpg


https://i.imgur.com/skIHHd0.jpg

2 photos of our neighbourhood taken by my wife Moira

[Eisenwurst]

http://i.imgur.com/5lEdyAK.jpg

The building is "Del Rio" a 1920s addition to the area. Sadly they don't make 'em like that any more.

Some pics of a small local park, much loved.

Once part of the Estate of the 19thC Colonial Secretary Alexander Macleay.

An interesting man. Heavily into Science and Natural History. He had massive collections of all sorts of Curios and a great lover of Beauty. He also went broke, and his collections now furnish a few museums and libraries around here in Sydney.

"Elizabeth Bay House" was his, and had extensive beautiful landscaped gardens. The Colonial Government took it over, and over the years the gardens have been "shrunk" to only a few patches here and there. But they're still very impressive.

One such "patch" is "Arthur Mcelhone Reserve"...it's won all sorts of awards and is a living testament to Alexander Macleay's good taste.

http://i.imgur.com/qVg4GeD.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/qW2NZFX.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/a77oPbx.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/J90jqSR.jpg

A lot of my friends have had their ashes scattered here.

P.S. Not my photos but from the Web. I'm "socially distanced/isolated" still.

[Eichhörnchen]

https://i.imgur.com/JGH9OOF.jpg

About 50 yards from our place

[Eichhörnchen]

https://i.imgur.com/xNHL5R4.jpg A windswept chaffinch just now

[Eisenwurst]

One of the local birds, feathered variety.

Billy the Cockatoo. "Wot, no vegemite??"

http://i.imgur.com/La6zCKb.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/gdH9dX6.jpg

"Nevermind, nom nom nom".

http://i.imgur.com/8GxpZLr.jpg

Me..."Smile for the camera Billy".

He's a happy, friendly guy.

[Onkel Neal]

Love your pictures, Eichhörnchen :up:

[vienna]

One of the local birds, feathered variety.

Billy the Cockatoo. "Wot, no vegemite??"

http://i.imgur.com/La6zCKb.jpg

...

He's a happy, friendly guy.


https://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/2/9/7/1/3/ar122082553031792.jpg


I've always envied those who live in greatly bio-diverse parts of the world with exotic (to us) wildlife; I spent a summer in Central America, a good part of it up in the mountains, and saw all kinds of beautiful, and, occasionally deadly, wild life; I particularly remember the birds as they were incredibly colorful and plentiful. A long time ago, I was walking here in LA when I heard a sound I hadn't heard in years, but immediately identified: Parrots. Looking up into nearby tree, I saw dozens of the birds flying in and landing on the branches, squawking up a cacophony not normally heard amongst the urban noise. The bird's brightly colored feathers flashed as they flapped their wings. It was a spectacular sight. That's when I learned that there were large flock of parrots throughout LA County; I have heard and seen them many times since, including one time when I had a sort of humorous encounter with a single parrot: while I was walking down a street, I heard the sound of a parrot flock coming in and they settled into trees just a few paces away from me; the birds were feasting on some of the fruits and buds in the upper branches; there was one parrot, on a lower branch, who seemed to be acting as sort of a lookout for the others; as I approached its tree, the parrot moved further down the branch towards me; I stopped close to the bird and we eyed each other for a few moments; apparently satisfied I was no threat, the parrot gave a small squawk and moved back to its 'guard post'...


Wild parrots fill the soundscape in Los Angeles --

https://elementalreports.com/urbanization/2018/06/08/parrots-fill-the-soundscape-in-los-angeles/





<O>

[Eichhörnchen]

^ Hmm... an interesting idea: to embrace the incomers. At the moment, plants and animals that make incursions from outside are all too often labelled as "alien" species, to be eradicated

[Mr Quatro]

You've been voted top contributor to this thread Eichhörnchen :up:

Get you badge now :D

Oh wait a minute you already have one :yep:

http://www.subsim.com/radioroom/image.php?type=sigpic&userid=329818&dateline=1428780552

[Eisenwurst]

Lorikeets want equal time.

http://i.imgur.com/APgKcGp.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/7Gl3Xgo.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/HlXHfs9.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/UnvRKgH.jpg

These little guys - Lorikeets - are VERY feisty for their size. Friendly - not tame - but will sit on your shoulder and arms and walk around with you.

But will bully the Cockatoos and steal their bread.

The Cockatoos are 2 flocks. One City flock that's been here for like forever, and a wild flock that flew in from the inland about a year ago. The local ones are very friendly ( again not tame but trusting and good judges of human character ) will sit on your head!!! arms and shoulders and walk around with you. The wild ones are potentially dangerous and can take a finger off if you're not careful.

The young ladies downstairs feed them morning and night and have great fun doing so. :) Maybe photos later.

[vienna]

Lorikeets want equal time.

...

These little guys - Lorikeets - are VERY feisty for their size. Friendly - not tame - but will sit on your shoulder and arms and walk around with you.

But will bully the Cockatoos and steal their bread.

The Cockatoos are 2 flocks. One City flock that's been here for like forever, and a wild flock that flew in from the inland about a year ago. The local ones are very friendly ( again not tame but trusting and good judges of human character ) will sit on your head!!! arms and shoulders and walk around with you. The wild ones are potentially dangerous and can take a finger off if you're not careful.

The young ladies downstairs feed them morning and night and have great fun doing so. :) Maybe photos later.


We Yanks have 'imported' a bit of OZ here in LA in the form of your lorikeets:


Aqaurium of the Pacific: Lorikeet Forest --

https://www.aquariumofpacific.org/exhibits/lorikeet_forest


The vivid colors of the lorikeets would suggest they are near the top of their native bird food chain and do not require the more overall green hues of their cousins for protective camouflage, much like the scarlet Macaw of south America who have a rainbow of brilliant colors and the advantage of a one meter wingspan and near equal length; the fact the lorikeets are feisty is also probably a good reason they are able to defend themselves; it is sometimes surprising how some seemingly size disadvantaged bird species can be some of the most aggressive and resilient fighters when threatened; I once saw a group of about four hummingbirds confront and chase off a red tail hawk that had apparently come too close to their nesting areas among some homes and trees in a nearby neighborhood; some of their tactics would have impressed Top Gun...



<O>

[Eisenwurst]

Yes vienna mate, the Lorikeets here in the city range over a large area, and have interacted with their human neighbours for hundreds of years.

And while not tame, they have picked up snatches of English, which they will use. Sometimes in an unexpected manner :o

I've seen them perch on tourists posing for photos ( expecting to get fed ) and when no food is forthcoming.....it's "F... Y.." or "B......t".

But when they know you from long experience, it's..."I love you" or "kissy kissy", and nibbling on your ear.

They're cheeky and intelligent.

[Eisenwurst]

Other cities have taller towers, but we're proud of ours.

https://vimeo.com/68755576

Sadly I don't think the world will get back to how it was even only a year ago - free travel between countries.

Local attractions are slowly opening up down here but with heaps of restrictions, and threats of reclosures. So I thought I'd take some local trips and photo what I can for you guys before it all comes crashing down again.

http://i.imgur.com/oRqjuJR.jpg

Don't look down. :o

http://i.imgur.com/PMzQLeK.jpg

On a clear day you can see forever.

http://i.imgur.com/oPNVaCP.jpg

The Finger Wharf at Woolloomoolloo ( sic ? )

Woolloo...etc used to be a neglected part of town, but was heavily redeveloped a generation ago and now is VERY upmarket.

http://i.imgur.com/3vW2nKX.jpg

The National Maritime Museum at Darling Harbour ( more later ). Looks compact from a distance but it's quite spread out and requires a lot of walking. They've got a destroyer, submarine, and tall ships.

Started with Lorikeets, so lets finish with them...

http://i.imgur.com/trWhnis.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/eHd3zXC.jpg

[Eichhörnchen]

Great photos, mate... makes my neighbourhood look dull

[Eisenwurst]

No Eich. I've seen your photos, you live in a beautiful area. You're an artist, you're in tune with your environment.

Beautiful sweeping vistas, gorgeous sunsets, moors and heathland. Wildlife we don't have down here, Deer, Boars, Squirrels, Wild Ponies etc etc.

Beautiful Medieval towns, History going back to before the Romans. Robin Hood, Hereward the Wake, more etc etc.

I'm only a bird in a gilded cage. At the beginning of the covid emergency, a lot of "low risk" mental patients and petty crims were released into the community and they all gravitated to "The Cross"because of the brilliant infrastructure we have down here and also the "do gooder" charities ( Wayside Chapel, Wesley Mission ).

It's become decidedly dangerous at times.

If things get back to "normal", I'll shout you a trip down here and show you around. You'll be safe. :)

[Mr Quatro]

No Eich. I've seen your photos, you live in a beautiful area. You're an artist, you're in tune with your environment.

Beautiful sweeping vistas, gorgeous sunsets, moors and heathland. Wildlife we don't have down here, Deer, Boars, Squirrels, Wild Ponies etc etc.

Beautiful Medieval towns, History going back to before the Romans. Robin Hood, Hereward the Wake, more etc etc.

I'm only a bird in a gilded cage. At the beginning of the covid emergency, a lot of "low risk" mental patients and petty crims were released into the community and they all gravitated to "The Cross"because of the brilliant infrastructure we have down here and also the "do gooder" charities ( Wayside Chapel, Wesley Mission ).

It's become decidedly dangerous at times.

If things get back to "normal", I'll shout you a trip down here and show you around. You'll be safe. :)

I agree Eisenwurst :up:

You know what we really need a "this is my desk thread" or this is, "my man cave" thread :yep:

[vienna]

...or a "This Is My Thread" thread...




<O>

[Jimbuna]

I agree Eisenwurst :up:

You know what we really need a "this is my desk thread" or this is, "my man cave" thread :yep:

And so it came to pass :)

Putting my pictures on it now.

[Eichhörnchen]

https://i.imgur.com/T99MuKn.jpg

This fabulous photo was taken by a friend & neighbour. It shows the beacon lit in nearby Frampton and visible from our place across the fields

[Catfish]

^ strange, i did not see any bonfire here, around the House of Hannover :hmmm:

But, we planted a tree. A. TREE.

"As part of their partnership in the "Queen's Green Canopy" initiative, the British Ambassador to Germany and the Association of German Nurseries (BdB), together with the Hannoversch-Britische Gesellschaft e.V. and the Herrenhäuser Gardens, have dedicated a pedunculate oak to the Queen.

In the Georgengarten in Hanover, British Ambassador Jill Gallard, Markus Guhl, Managing Director of the Association of German Nurseries (BdB), Dr. Catrin Kuhlmann from the Hannoversch-Britische Gesellschaft e.V. and Prof. Dr. Anke Seegert from the Herrenhäuser Gärten dedicated a freshly planted oak (Quercus robur) to Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain. The tree planting in Hanover is the result of an initiative of the Hannoversch-Britische Gesellschaft e.V. and the Herrenhäuser Gardens. The tree was donated by the Association of German Nurseries."

https://www.presseportal.de/pm/126784/5244429

[Eichhörnchen]

^ The beacons are/were an alarm system from ancient times, to spread word of invasion - each beacon is within sight of others so that a fiery warning can be passed along. Now they're just used in celebration of some great event

[Eichhörnchen]

https://i.imgur.com/ZMgiXTo.jpg

Horse chestnut, or 'conker' trees, 100 yards from our house - this was taken a couple of Spring-times ago and this year may be the last time we can walk up the road and see them, since we are going to have to move away from our home of the past 37 years

[Catfish]

^ very beautiful, around here they call those "fruit stands" (seed hats?) "Kerzen" or candles.
Your new neighbourhood is far away from your current one?

[Eichhörnchen]

^ Yes we call them candles too

Our new place will be in the next village, about 4 miles away. Needs must, I'm afraid: we've seen too many friends & neighbours become stranded out here once they are no longer fit & healthy so we're looking ahead. Losing the car recently has just been a foretaste

[Jimbuna]

Will the nearby village come with electricity and running water?



:O:

[ET2SN]

Don't forget the angry peasants with their pitch forks and torches. :yeah:

[ET2SN]

https://i.imgur.com/ZMgiXTo.jpg

Horse chestnut, or 'conker' trees, 100 yards from our house - this was taken a couple of Spring-times ago and this year may be the last time we can walk up the road and see them, since we are going to have to move away from our home of the past 37 years

One of the biggest things that shocked me when I was stationed in Japan, was walking along the Sasebo Ginza in the fall and seeing............ chestnuts being roasted outdoors on charcoal grills. :o

:Kaleun_Salivating:

[Catfish]

re Jim
In Germany we already had running water before roman times.
Right down the (inner) walls.

[Skybird]

Horse chestnut, or 'conker' trees, 100 yards from our house - this was taken a couple of Spring-times ago and this year may be the last time we can walk up the road and see them, since we are going to have to move away from our home of the past 37 yearsThere is melancholy in your words. It is sad to have to give up a beloved place, a beautiful apartment, a familiar house. The familiar view out of the window, the view of that landscape, that one path that you like to walk. Having a good home is so important. Always being mobile, having to move all the time, never being allowed to put down roots, I couldn't do that anymore, and even in the past when I had to, it was hard for me.
I hope you have found an alternative place where you feel comfortable.

[Eichhörnchen]

Thanks, Marc - my wife is very tearful now reading your words; yes a great deal of melancholy, and especially since the time here has gone so quickly. We always knew we'd have to leave one day, whether we liked it or not, but it's come around so fast. Thank you for your kind wishes; we do already have a "second home" in the in-laws' house (which is where we'll be moving to) but it's not in the country and we'll just miss the hell out of all the nature and vistas we have here

@ Jim - there's even buses and a mailbox there, right by the house :yep:

[Skybird]

Eichhörnchen,

this full movie, just for you and your wife. Its bitter, its sweet, and there is a beautiful truth in it that is beyond words. I have a feeling of that it fits in here. One of my top favourites.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcR76EhOdgc

[Eichhörnchen]

^ Thank you - Moira just told me that this is one of her favourite movies & that she will now have to watch it again! :Kaleun_Salute:

[Jimbuna]

@ Jim - there's even buses and a mailbox there, right by the house :yep:

Careful young fella, if the illegals learn of this they'll soon be moving inland :)

[Eisenwurst]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZS-L6UTTsY

A nice "walking" video ( not by me ) of my neck of the woods. Through the lovely Royal Botanical Gardens through Woollomoolloo ( even I can't spell it ) , up the Man o War steps ( locally known as "Heart Attack Steps" ) and up and down various streets in "The Cross".

Filmed about a year ago, Post Lockdown.....but where are all the people ????

Very slow paced but beautiful scenery. :)

[Eichhörnchen]

locally known as "Heart Attack Steps"

:har::haha:

[Eisenwurst]

25.38 :o:dead:

[Eichhörnchen]

Here is a photo I took of the "Meridian Zero" marker which is very near to our house

https://i.imgur.com/5Hdleol.jpg

[Eisenwurst]

http://i.imgur.com/PxE7cjs.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/1JZnSKP.jpg

"Red sky at night, farmers/ sailors/ ( insert appropriate profession here ) delight....." I know a rude version :) but I won't post it here.

I thought the sky looked very nice just now, so I took a couple of snaps for my buddies at Subsim. Been thinking about Life "here today gone tomorrow" theme, so many people I've known have passed away.....And finding out about Francoise Hardy's demise really brought it home.

The poor girls funeral was gate crashed by paparazzi and autograph hounds, clapping and cheering and booing :o the arriving celebrities. Very sad and disrespectful.:nope:

The photos might be a bit blurry....I'm no longer Steady Eddie but more like Shakin' Stevens'.

[Eichhörnchen]

Well this thread is still kicking thanks to you, mate - what a fantastic sky there!

[Jimbuna]

First time I've seen a yellow Magpie but this has been visiting us almost daily for a month now since we returned from Mexico.

Apologies for the poor quality of the photos but my iPhone camera was all I've had time to take them with.

https://i.postimg.cc/jS0zs86Q/101.jpg (https://postimg.cc/w72t2QG7)
https://i.postimg.cc/cJTYB0pX/102.jpg (https://postimg.cc/Ffd795sL)
https://i.postimg.cc/WzqkVrhH/103.jpg (https://postimg.cc/fSZLjV7c)
https://i.postimg.cc/w3KsjvNT/104.jpg (https://postimg.cc/rRJphqgv)
https://i.postimg.cc/nzg1qnmN/105.jpg (https://postimg.cc/ygh9H4vT)

[Eisenwurst]

Well this thread is still kicking thanks to you, mate - what a fantastic sky there!

Hi Glynn, thanks mate. I thought about you when I saw the sky effects, "it would make a nice watercolour". I said to myself :)

We've got Winter down here and all the Aussies are rugged up like eskimos, while the backpackers are running around in shorts and t shirts. Cold weather makes for pretty skies.

The Art Gallery extensions have finally finished. Unfortunately not named "The Eichhörnchen Wing"....I did try mate to influence the naming :yep:

I gather the whole joint is predictably VERY Woke in concept and presentation. I'll make the effort and do a post from there :O:

@ Jim. wow a yellow Magpie, we've only got black and white ones down here. I love it when they sing....lovely warbling songs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6uRhXQGj2U