Sunday 19 December 2010

Places, faces and food in York



York is the principal city in Yorkshire. I booked a train ticket for today (11th December 2010) not knowing what I would find. I managed to get a wide variety of images that I will show early in the New Year.... but need to categorise them into posts.

"December is the time when J_on_tour can be a bit distracted on the tour but can also get a bit of focus for the journey."

This month is always the time when thoughts are taken up with family and friends. This particular year, I have a new set of friends and without mentioning any names of followers, today my thoughts were with those that live in certain countries and areas as I travel around the World ..... in York.

Spain.... "can I just check the recipe again?'
France.... "smell that !"
Germany
Italy.... " hey that stall seems more exciting over there ! "
Romania
... & more specifically

Poland
Russia... " Oh, hello Santa"
South East Asia.... what I chose for lunch
It was time to leave the International Christmas Fayre and look for more points of interest. Whilst passing the nearby shops,  I came across a cookie shop which reminded me of a phrase used in the UK and could possibly be so in the USA and I was wondering if the two cookies were meant to be sold as a pair....


A few streets away, I arrived to find an Ice Sculptor about to create some magic ......

Let's begin...



Mario .... welcome duties at the slug and lettuce !!
Minnie.... watching Mario

Photographic interest.... "hey, will you leave me alone"

"I'm so cold and angry , I'm breathing ...err ...something white, are my lungs this cold? !"
Angel with some peace

Party over.... time to go home.... almost.......
Tall story or ...... high expectations for Christmas? !!
You may see my blog as a little unique or a bit deep and in a sense, like myself, it might be. In December, people do some strange things that mark their character that usually involve such things as possibly music.  I'll finish with something a bit different that I have never done before with a unique band that you have never heard before. One of my favourites with a meaningful alternative December / Christmas song with a great hidden punchline.....  may the journey continue .......

Keep warm, keep strong and I'll see you all before Christmas.



24 below zero and the wind is freezing.....
such along time since I saw the daylight
don't want to sleep no more
I've had enough of this night.

Waiting for the morning, waiting for the dawn.

Just another winter and another December...
There under the ice under the frozen ground
There are the seeds
and there's life to be found.

Waiting for the morning, waiting for the dawn.

Don't call this place my home, it's just a place where I was born...
So I dreamed last night there was a distant shore
and I saw someone coming over
It was me that he came for.

Waiting for the morning, waiting for the dawn.

(Mikko Kuustonen and Q stone. Royal music 1990)

19 comments:

  1. The food pictures are awsome!!
    The December song sounds indeed unique.
    Thanks for both the food and the music.

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  2. I would love to have attended the Christmas Fayre. It all looks so wonderful and intriguing.

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  3. Yes, I'm waiting for Monday morning dawn / don't want to sleep no more/ I had enough of this night...
    I think is a full Moon!
    I have been to the Christmas Fayre yesterday (Sunday), (here in Bucharest), a cold December day - waiting for Rudolp and Santa to come... but no chance! They have had an evening show and perhaps even an ifon to call on Dwarfs...ha ha
    I'm listening Q. Stone during watching your story and images...
    Yes, just another winter...
    I follow you through all this festive atmosphere of Christmas wondering how people can be the same all over the world...preparing for this celebration in the same way...
    I really enjoy the ice sculptures and the evening (I guess) sun light passing through...

    Thank you for your photo - gift, it was a real surprise...so even Santa is still missing he has his place in our heart!
    Thank you and I wish you a wonderful week toghether with your family and friends there!
    My regards!

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  4. A grand city is York. I never realised there was that much going on though. look forward to the rest. I'd have missed the vapour trails well spotted.

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  5. Very interesting post and beautiful pictures.
    Greetings Andrzej.

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  6. York seems to be the place to be at - looks a great Christmas Fayre- a lot better than the poor excuse for one that we have here in Bournemouth.

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  7. Looks like you had a great day! I just love the Christmas markets here in Europe! Maybe someday I will make it your way to experience this beautiful and festive market!
    Happy Holidays, J!!

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  8. we have the food cooked in a big apn but never that huger before. goodness

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  9. Lovely pictures form this market.
    Wishing you and your family a merry christmas, and all the best in the new year.
    Christmashug from Berit.

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  10. Hi Jayz, At long last I can follow your blog (only been trying for 6 months!)
    Lovely pictures and you have inspired me to try a few different ideas.
    Wishing you all the best and thankyou for following me Karen (walkiesandcheescake.blogspot.com)

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  11. YOu know I like me some of that German food!

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  12. I frequently visit your blog to browse through your photos- I love your photos and am always interested in seeing other countries. Just spent the past 20 minutes reading through your last 5 posts.

    Thanks for your comment on my blog. With 4 kids I don't get to try out my camera as much as I would like. It is my goal to take a photography class someday.

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  13. Looks like there was some delicious food at the York International Christmas Fayre. I've never seen pots that large. The ice sculptures are beautiful. I would love to watch one being made.

    You're right, I'd never heard of Q Stone, but I think they are very good. I enjoyed the song - thanks for posting it.

    I hope you and your family have a very Merry Christmas!

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  14. I love your international post - why I'm not surprised that Poland is represented by bigos:):):)
    The sculptures in ice are....I don't know...magical?

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  15. I was impressed by the huge dish like paella or noodles !
    I think you selected the noodles, good choice, I would have done the same ! LoL...
    The ice sculptures are really beautiful, they're incredible artists ! Thank you for this post very rich and I wish you a merry christmas ! :))

    Bye**

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  16. Delicious and interesting pics! I wish you a merry christmas and a happy new year! Hugs from Luzia.

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  17. Yep, Santa just loved the blue sweatshirt (he thought it made him look a little thinner) and he adored that strange bird on the front of it. What else could he do except become a Kansas Jayhawk too! Loved your international pictures, and the ice sculptures were great. Have a Merry Christmas with friends and family.

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  18. I love your post about York Christmas Fayre.
    Very interesting for us!!

    Wish you a Merry Christmas with your family!
    Hugs,
    Monika

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  19. Duta... Thanks, something a bit different for a change possibly inspired by one of your Prague posts !

    Farmchick... Strangely enough, this one was mainly food with only a few stalls offering items for sale. There was a stall that sold wooden ornaments- the dog in the "Shops, Alleyways and a bit more" post.

    Wind... Here's hoping that the weather is going to warm up for you now. It was difficult to catch the sculptures right as there were too many distractions and people... they get in the way !! ha ha. I had to bend down low and look up at the sky... I got some very strange looks from them.... the people that is, not the ice sculptures ! Thought you might appreciate the picture of your flag :-)

    Adrian... Apart from Durham, York has been my standard city for visiting for years with the camera, maybe it's the tourist in me though. I was extremely lucky with the vapour trails as I only spotted them afterwards as I can to be a contortionist to get that picture with no obstructions in the way. I was going to edit out the messy bit but it was taking too long in December when life is too short so I left it in.

    pietrzyk... Thanks for nice comment.

    Trevor Woodford... Always plenty of action in York all year round, a bit too much some would argue. I've only been to Bournemouth once, it was in June and a long time ago... I remember the beach briefly, the pier and the railway station that I used quite a lot for trips to everywhere from Weymouth to Portsmouth. The shops don't stick in my head but I do remember it was a large place with lots of classic cars about.

    Debbie Smith... Most Christmas markets have a similar atmosphere. I suppose this one was different as it was food and internationally based. The problem was which dish to choose as I only have one stomach !!

    Lily Riani... Yes I thought the pans would make good photos. I see that quite a lot now in different festivals and special markets in more recent years.

    Berit... Thanks, I hope Christmas was good for you and your family.

    Karen... I appreciate that you managed to find out how to follow. You were one of the first 5 that I followed when I joined the blogging world. You have given me the inspiration to follow variety bloggers and keep a balanced view of what I do. I had issues with myself when I first started on who was going to follow me as I wasn't a specialist blogger as such.

    Kae Lani... There was plenty of that German food on the stall. I had to wait a good 5 minutes for that photo !

    Denise... Thanks for your comment. I learned a few basic things from a simple book on how to use a camera... foreground and background interest and subject. It's a matter of developing what you see through time and always having a third eye looking for a shot if you have your camera with you. I have learned in more recent times to learn to wait for the photo.... something that is difficult to do if there are people with you. One of the problems with this blog is the concept of always being on the move and I am very often with people so the pictures are a bit hurried at times. This set in York I had more time as I was on my own and most of the waiting composition time was for people to either leave my viewfinder or stand the way I saw in my head of how they should be in the scene.

    Sweet Virginia Breeze... Thanks, the ice sculptor attracted a large audience, it was difficult to get the right angles here but it was interesting as I hadn't seen it done before.

    Joo... Despite the way the picture looks, the Polish food was popular on the day.

    Mahon... Thanks, I thought the food was great too, pity I couldn't sample bits of everything.

    Luzia... Hope your Christmas was good and have a Happy New Year.

    Forgetmenot... Thanks, hope you enjoyed Christmas.

    Bitch... Thanks, wishing you a Happy New Year.

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