Long and Curvy

 See It on A Postcard's Thursday Postcard Hunt looking for long and curvy bridges

PHQ Card - 2015: Bridges

The Peace Bridge curves and snakes over the River Foyle joining the two communities of Derry/Londonderry in Northern Ireland and opened in 2011.  The Protestant Unionists on the east bank will refer to the city as Londonderry and the Catholic nationalists on the west side as Derry.  The BBC gets around this problem in their news broadcasts by always referring to it as Derry/Londonderry.  The bridge however has been a great success, becoming a beloved part of the city and it features in New Year and numerous other celebrations. Even the Dalai Lama has visited and walked across it.

Now travelling by postcard over the water to the city that is sometimes jokingly called 'the second capital of Ireland', Liverpool. Many of those emigrants from Ireland may have worked on the building of  its Overhead Railway and definitely worked in the docks.

Liverpool Overhead Railway Poster

As well as carrying millions of passengers Liverpool's overhead railway was a tourist attraction, this poster from the the 1930s invites a visit for "unrivaled views of Dockland Shipping"

Originally opened in 1893 it was the first overhead railway in the world to be operated by electricity. Rather ironically one of the factors of its eventually decline was due to the corrosion of the corrugated iron decking caused by the steam operated Docks Railway plying its trade underneath some of the sections.  The cost of repair was too much and it closed in 1956.  Once known as the  'Dockers Umbrella' its 7 miles (11km) was demolished in 1957/8.  I have two photo cards of the railway but only this one has a postbox. Spot it near the link bridge.

France from Above

 

1951: Architecture - Buildings (Pic du Midi de Bigorre)

High in the French Pyrenees is the Pic du Midi Observatory which concentrates on looking to the skies but also has  a spectacular view of the Pyrenees from its elevation of 2,877 m (9,439 ft). One can visit by a series of cable cars eventually leading to a panorama terrace and it also promises "suspended above the void a 12 metre metal footbridge with a glass end skims the clouds with a vertiginous view". I might be heading for the observatory dome instead. Being France of  course there is also a panoramic restaurant with local cuisine.

1949-50: Cityscapes

Or how about a city break in Lille. The largest belfry in France can be seen on the stamp. Once you have climbed the first 109 steps there is a choice of a lift to the full 104 metres or continue to walk up to enjoy the panorama of the city at the top. There is a massive annual flea market in the city called the Braderie de Lille  which happens to be next weekend (14th September), I love a flea markets, for this one comfortable walking shoes and a large bag are recommended.

1949; Views - Les Andelys, Seine Valley

On a hill dominating the scene is the 12th Century Chateau Gaillard built by Richard the Lionheart which controlled the Seine valley in his battle against the French king. In today's more peaceful times there is an annotated view point up by the castle.

1954: Views

After all those quests for aerial views maybe its time to relax on the beach at Royan.

Sunday Stamps theme this week is - aerial views - See It On A Postcard

Stone Bridges

See It On a Postcard's Thursday Postcard Hunt is crossing bridges and today mine are sturdy stone ones

Culbone Lodge Pottery, Exmoor

This inherited card has a fine postmark which  shows me it was posted on the 29th May 1985, all that is missing is a stamp!  The people who had not affixed a stamp were my aunt and uncle who were enjoying a walking holiday in Exmoor and possibly the reason they chose this card is because the inscription on the back describes the many paths that can be taken to Culbone Lodge. The sandstone building was constructed in the late 19th century in an arts and crafts style, the adjoining bridge crosses over a sunken roadway.  

The card's inscription also says the picture shows the pottery, house and garden display of pots with Waistel and Joan Cooper and their tame ducks. These names meant nothing to me but discovered Waistel Cooper was a renowned potter. Even better I discovered the Culborne newsletter article "Secluded Culborne" which has a paragraph about them - "Two of Culbone’s best known inhabitants were Joan and Waistel Cooper. Joan, an American, with a Doctorate in Psychology married Waisel a potter in 1957 and they lived in a cottage in Culbone by a stream. Joan practised and taught Yoga for West Somerset Community Education. She was also a Lay Reader. She died on June 2nd 1982 and was buried in the little church’s cemetery. The whole area was packed for her funeral and a little dog sat by the edge of her grave during the service. Waistel, born in 1921 in Ayr, was instrumental in the introduction of modernism into ceramics and was a major figure of the studio pottery scene. He set up in Culbone on his return from a commission in Iceland and worked in his studio there for 25years. Following Joan’s death he moved to Penzance in Cornwall and remarried. He died in 2003. His work commanded very high prices"

Travelling north to the England's most northerly town, although not in the period when it was part of Scotland. The last time it changed hands it was in 1482 and despite the border change today the football and rugby teams play in the Scottish leagues.  

Top  - the 'Old Bridge' which replaced a wooden one in the 17th Century when I suppose it was just called Berwick Bridge // Royal Tweed Bridge or the 'New Bridge' built in the 1920s but as it is built of concrete it is an interloper in this post

Bottom - The Royal Border Bridge and as I am a fan of railway viaducts here are more pictures of Robert Stephenson's bridge

Watendlath Bridge in Winter

One of the many packhorse bridges in the English Lake District crosses the stream in the little hamlet of Watendlath. I remember people ice skating on the nearby tarn but we rarely get those sort of winters anymore. The bridge is from the 18th Century but

Coniston Foxhounds on Sweden Bridge, Ambleside

Sweden Bridge is 17th Century packhorse bridge but  isn't Swedish as the name comes from the Middle English word 'swidden'/Old Norse 'svithinn'.  I see there are two lakeland terriers that have joined the hounds in this bridge photo-shoot.  Foxhunting in the Lake District was done on foot (not a horse in sight), but in the present time after a long battle foxhunting with dogs is banned in Britain.  The hounds have never gone away for a popular countryside pastime for a couple of centuries in the Lakes is Hound Trailing. The dogs race a scented trail over the fells.

Food

1953: Food Production

Wheat is Australia's biggest grain crop

 but I have never associated Australia with butter however they produce many varieties of cheese

1989: Food and Farming Year

but possibly not the 700+ varieties the cheese loving UK like to tuck into and then there is the addition of imported cheeses. Never far away from a cheese board.  Like all things moderation is recommended in a diet (not easy)

1976: Healthy Eating

although one can eat unlimited amounts of fruit and veg.

2003: Christmas at Sundborn.

Start the day with a hearty breakfast This is called 'Martina with breakfast tray' a detail of a painting by Carl Larsson most loved by Swedes for his watercolours of  family life around his home and garden Sundborn  (now a museum). His muse was his wife Karin who had also trained as an artist but turned her talents to textile and interior design along with raising eight children.

Sunday Stamps theme -Food - come to the table at See It On A Postcard