Things you see

Here's some photos I took on 17 Apr 2009

Taken today

Pixrobin Brilliant, an almost unbelievable picture, thank you.

“Coventry Boy” meets “St Michael and The Devil”

Coventry is on the move! (original image - Google Streetview 2019).

Some new street art has appeared on the canal just north of The Moorings. It is #tagged Coventry2021.

Just as well you caught those works of art Peter, in another year they'll be a mile away Seriously, how on earth did you spot the distance changes on the signs?

I was walking past and noticed that the numbers had been taped over. There was no reason to do it unless something had changed so I had a look on Google Street View to see what was there before. I wonder what prompted them to change (and how long until the tape falls off)? The sign has been there since at least 2008 when the junction was last updated.

I wonder if it's something to do with the ever-shifting boundaries, practice loved by estate agents, to make a downmarket area sound posher. I once had a meeting in London. the address given said the area was Kensington. Very upmarket. I expected to get the tube to one of the Kensington stations. However, when I looked at the map, my venue was nowhere near. It was actually in Shepherd's Bush, near one of its then two stations with the same name, albeit on different tube lines. Shepherd's Bush immediately brings Steptoe and Son to mind.

For the first time in months, I visited Coventry city centre yesterday. I decided to park at Canley and get the train, for several reasons. Not only is the journey quicker, at £1.65 return it’s a lot cheaper than petrol and wear and tear. It also avoids the stress of being stuck behind ditherers and at red traffic lights. And it avoids having to hunt around to find parking a space, or being ripped off by parking fees. I did not receive a normal train ticket, or tickets, you know, the thick paper ones about the size of a debit card that fit neatly into your wallet. Instead, I received two huge, thin paper tickets that were much larger, about 144 x 78mm. The paper was about the same thickness and grade as the old Izal toilet paper (for those old enough to remember that horrible stuff which was often described as sandpaper). As I walked through Broadgate, an oldish chap in a cloth cap was playing a saxophone. I should say attempting to play. He was murdering Gershwin’s beautiful Summertime. His playing consisted of unintentionally syncopated runs up and down a minor scale (occasionally a major or chromatic one), until by ear he hit the correct note; or nearly hit it before starting another run of notes to find the next note. The sound produced was an approximation to the real tune. The only saving grace was that he did not have an amplifier, so the noise was not deafening. As I walked across the piazza by the Transport Museum, a couple of “grown” men were playing with a remote-controlled battery-powered buggy, which was about 18” long and had four chunky tyres. It suddenly started to move with phenomenal acceleration from one side of the piazza to the other, before returning as quickly and crashing. I estimated that it reached 50mph in little over one second. I did not see one single nutter on an escooter. I went to a newsagent shop in Pool Meadow to purchase a newspaper. I asked the lady about where Coventry was on the government’s let’s-confuse-the-nation-with-a-multitier-system. She thought Coventry was still Tier 1, but might be about to go onto Tier 2, or already Tier 2, but wasn’t certain. It was now about 1130, and as I walked down the Burges (I insist on using the definite article!), a reffish-looking bloke was urinating against a wall where the taxis line up. I went into Downtown for a pint or two (ok, three actually) whilst reading my paper. I was pleased that the excellent John Smith’s is still only £2 a pint. Amazing. It’s getting on for double that price in the county of Warwickshire. Walking back to the station, a woman in Broadgate asked me if I could help her with a roll-up. I explained that I did not smoke. (I’ve never rolled a cigarette.) She said “don’t worry, I’ll ask someone else”. As we went on our different ways, I noted that the saxophonist was murdering a different popular tune. Train occupancy by passengers remains at an all-time low.

Back in the 1970s, there was a big sign erected at the start of Stoney Stanton Road that said URBAN CLEARWAY. It wasn't long before someone climbed up and, very neatly and professionally, it must be said, using black tape, added a letter T at the front of URBAN. It took the council several weeks to realise and remove the offending letter T. Last year, I was amazed that not only was the original sign still there, but a "ghost" of the letter T has reappeared! Obviously the sticky stuff from the tape has remained on the sign, and attracted dirt and dust.

Found this one having a rest this morning on the birdhouse and it let me stroke his/her back. Does anyone know how to tell a male from a female, and please don't tell me to turn it upside down. I don't like the look of those nippers on the end!