Another week and yet more sun. 25c today, as it has been for most of the week. Gardeners and farmers are praying for rain but the rest of us are just enjoying it. Not much is happening – after the flypast the other day. Note that I didn’t do a post for the flypast. Normally, for the Trooping of the Colour, the flypast goes right across our apartment block but this time – for security reasons (?) – it crossed the Orwell down near the bridge so the images that I was able to get were so small. See this one of the RAF Sentry AEW aircraft.
We did get a bit of excitement when the biggest collection of RAF Typhoons (Eurofighters) flew right across us. In fact, it was such a surprise that I didn’t get them on camera until they had passed over.
Anyway, back to the weekend. Valerie and her mother went down to the Aurora for an orange juice sitting in the shade. I intended to join them and then go on a photo journey around the waterfront. On my way down to the restaurant, I went to take a photo of theThames barge “Melissa” when I realised that the camera battery was dead! Back I went for a new battery. That would have made the trip a little bit pointless, don’t you think? I finally got to the Aurora and had a big glass of orange juice and some really good Eggs Benedict (well with smoked salmon rather than ham). After that, I tootled of.
My intention was to get some updated images of the Winerack and, along the way, get some other shots of the ever-changing waterfront. I hope that I succeeded. First off, here is the Winerack in its current state.
These next two are for my friend Dan, who likes this sort of stuff.
I then went round on to the Island and got a nice shot from just by The Last Anchor restaurant there.
We noticed, last night, that there were now some lights showing at night on various floors of the Winerack. I will try and get some pictures later.
The rest of my time was spent getting photos of the other aspects of the waterfront.
First off is the Thames Barge, Victor, which is always berthed here.
This is the old CustomsHouse – Now the main office of ABP, the owner of the port – from the island. I like the two barges in front – Thistle and Victor.
This is probably the next building to be part of the rehabilitation. However, I love the different colours and shapes. I especially like the peeling paint on the columns supporting it and hope that they will preserve these – some hope!
As part of PhotoEast, I suppose, there are murals on the walls further along. This is one of them.
What a nice day it was. It was so nice that I stopped off at the Dance East cafe for a flat white and a danish. Mind you, I only chose that cafe as they offer a student discount and my Open University card is still valid!
This little thing was hiding in the lower entry doors to the Customs House.
There is a gully between the path and the walkway for the boats on Neptune Marina. That wall, on the left, looks very original!
Later that day, we went for a drive down to Felixstowe – more about the beach there in my next blog – for an ice cream. Jessie had a plain cornet, Valerie had a 99 – I have explained 99s to my American friend before – and I had a super salted caramel double scoop! It was very busy down there.
After the ice cream, we went on round to Languard Fort – you can read the history HERE. We (I) went there because you get a great view of the cranes in the port. Expecting to get a shot of a line of cranes, I was a bit disappointed (!!) as there was a huge container ship berthed and being unloaded.
Well, that’s it from a hot day in Ipswich.
