Best Bike Ride in the World !
This year for the first time ever, riders will have the opportunity to detour through the Blackpool Pleasure Beach via North Gate. Riders who wish to detour into the Pleasure Beach will be greeted by a live DJ set; Nickelodeon and Blackpool Pleasure Beach characters and will be open from 7pm-10pm for cyclists only. The Pleasure Beach staff have kindly volunteered their time to give people this fantastic new experience. All shapes and sizes were riding bikes,some were decorated,children were laughing with delight ( as I was!) Strangely not everybody wore crash helmets,apparently not legally required in the UK ( as they are in Australia) Cars have been banned for the whole 5 mile ride (7pm till 10pm) the famous Blackpool Illuminations were also turned on and the whole atmosphere was electric !! It was a fantastic well organized family affair and I only wish I had a bike !! Blackpool lately has been full on this season and reminiscence of the 60,s,maybe affairs overseas are once more driving people back to this wonderful holiday town on the Irish Sea coast
Last weekend was also a Bank Holiday ( Public Holiday) and the town was buzzing,Will Smith did a promenade show to a massive crowd and the show ended with a fantastic firework display that could be seen from my flat window.Next weekend is also a “biggie” with the annual official switch on of the world famous Blackpool Illuminations with the theme involving the might Star Trek Series.I,m worn out !!!
The 3 Piers of Blackpool featuring South Pier
Once again using my much valued free Transport Card I caught the promenade Tram at Uncle Toms Cabin (now Ma Kellys) and traveled around 5 or 6 kms to the South pier,passing North Pier first then Central Pier.I will concentrate on the South Pier today and as I walked along the heavily arcaded structure it was easy to figure our why it is so popular and there are many side shows and amusement arcades for the young ones and a few scary rides for the bigger kids.South Pier is across the road from the Pleasure Beach and this particular area is where as kids we had a ball!! Unfortunately there is now a surcharge to enter this area of £5 and because I consider myself too old for the rides I didn,t go in! Next to the Pier is the very large indoor wet area consisting of swimming pools and various slides (hoping to go in at Christmas) the Wet Area is considered to be one of the biggest in the Northern Hemisphere and is built on the old Boating Pool (another area we used as kids) and the Boating Pool was famous for the Beauty Comps that were held annually .My mind is regularly flashing back to my very happy misspent youth I had in this area (we used tin rattlers to skate between the piers and loved it) The pier head theatre was demolished and replaced by a white knuckle ride in 1998. The pier now contains numerous rides including dodgems various rides consisting of a Waltzer,Laughing Donkey Family Bar, which has live entertainment,a Kiddies Ride Arena,as well as the Adrenaline Zone which houses: Skycoaster, a free falling swing at a height of 38 m (124 ft 8 in); Skyscreamer, a Reverse Bungee ride; Spider Mountain, a multi-storey climbing spiders web; and Maxibounce, an acrobatic, safety harnessed trampoline.I thought my move to Blackpool after living in Australia for nigh on 35 yrs would have been traumatic,but,I am pleased to say I am loving it and making most of my new enjoyable life
The last picture is really helping a very serious problem with culprits owners being heavily fined IF they dont clear up after K9s deposits !!
Intermission and Birds (Winged Variety)
I,m currently cleaning out my Hard Drives and came across some pics (all taken by me) of some of the amazingly coloured birds I have come across.Unfortunately I cant put names or breed to some of these and somewhere hidden deep in my drives I have other pics and will put them on in further Blogs down the track
A friend of mine breeds and sell birds and is an expert on Birds .I will tackle him down the track to put names to the above collection (knowing his sense of humour he will probable give them all girls names!). FRANK you have been named !!
Sunny Blackpool and the Red Arrows
On a Glorious Saturday Sunny afternoon I ventured to the North Pier (using my well worn by now Bus Pass) and squeezed in with thousands of other spectators waiting for the world famous Red Arrows to appear.I have never seen Blackpool Prom look so busy since the pre Benidorm etc cheap holidays were invented! The atmosphere was electric and the patriotic atmosphere that was generated when the Red Arrows finally appeared was actually an emotional moment heightened by the very enthusiastic crowd cheering and clapping ,a great pity that the pilots do not get to see or hear the adulation they so richly deserved.North Pier was full to capacity (I didn’t venture on to it) and on this day people paid £3 entry fee (the pier is feeling a lot tired these days and the money is badly needed for maintenance fees) It is still in regular use, despite having suffered damage from fires, storms and collisions with boats. Its attractions include bars, a theatre, a carousel and an arcade. Built in the 1860,s and is a Grade 2 listed Building.Trams were in full use and I am amazed no one was hurt by these electric giants.People round about were very friendly and children were extremely bored probably by having to stay in one positional area for too long! All sorts of vehicles were still using the promenade roads and I am amazed at the number of Motorhomes passing by ( of which I have some great memories) Hopefully Blackpool would have made lots of holiday makers money and the pubs were full (Blackpool has many of them) One particular lad was dressed in a gigantic Nappy an I assume it was his Stag “do” sadly too many people around for me to capture the moment on film (pity digital camera’s were not around when I was a lad,so much history missed and the memories my generation have lost) Show up to the eventual appearance was awesome even Tiger Moths with people standing on top on the wings! most pilots could be seen waving to the much adoring audience below.A Lancaster Bomber did it for me ( I have recently watched Dunkirk) The day went so quickly I decided to have an early night and went to he pub at 7 o clock instead of 8! and that in itself was entertaining ,the Air show is on again tomorrow ( Sunday) and a brilliant FREE show is guaranteed
This picture below is current and I have “borrowed” if to show the very talented people who put on a fantastic Air Show,Well done Pilots, a great day had
Sunny Days & Blackpool Fun
I decided to use my Bus/Tram pass and walked to the stop at the end of my street (Uncle Toms Cabin a regenerated pub OR The Boating Pool atop of the man mad cliffs) jumped on a very packed,friendly tram and got off at North Pier.Weather today is great nice and sunny and NOT to hot and walked between piers North & Central and beyond,tide is in and the new sea wall is a credit to the town council for such a splendid wall ( as a nipper the walls were vertical and built with cobblestones as brave young couldn’t die kids we actually jumped of these walls into the brownish Irish Sea,such fun) Vendors were out in force today selling drinks,hot dogs,ice cream,kites and much more.Tide was IN and no sandy beach to be seen on what is known as the Golden Mile ( NOT the Kalgoorlie GM I have visited a lot) Seagulls were out in force and are not afraid of humans,lots of people walking about (no where near the crowds I knew before Spain etc and cheap overseas holidays were invented) nevertheless it was comfortable moving about freely in the crowds.Next was the obligatory ice cream in a cornet and what a messy face I ended up with !! Having a small beard doesn’t help neither,but being the age I am I wasn’t bothered about making a public spectacle of myself and it was delicious! Catching the tram back I decided to check the newly refurbished Ma Kellys out (ex Uncle Toms Cabin) and the outside looks terrific (interior not open to the public until Saturday (tomorrow) and it is definitely on my Must Visit Venue.At home I switched my computer on and read the Daily Express and a story of adopted children featured (also on the TV) from over 50 yrs ago and my goosebumps went wild because I actually knew the lady (deceased) in the story ,what a memory jogger it was for me and a very happy ending for the half brothers to be reconciled.Using yet again my treasured bus pass I went to my local pub (which is starting to get busy on a Thursday Night) and came second in the quiz night.All in all a very mixed and somewhat emotional day BUT a terrific day and I haven’t got time to be bored yet..Coming up soon a new car and the Red Arrows.Life is Good
On the Promenade in front of the Tower is a huge tiled area dedicated to past Blackpool performers and includes some of the sayings/jokes etched into the tiles,this area is huge and is best observed in its full glory from the Tower Top and on the opposite prom route are the famous side shows.amusements ( Mericans call them Penny Arcades?) Rock stalls and much more inc SeaWorld and Madame Tussauds. Further p where the South pier is there are lots more attractionns and I will write about that area in upcoming Blogs…Time for a pint
Memories of the Desert and Bush
Travelling around Australia ,I came across this wonderful Aboriginal artist,we camped up,had a few beers and I bought a couple of Paintings of him.He showed me his carved Didgeridoo and said it is insured for a phenomenal $10,000 ! Mine was just a boring eaten out plain tree branch with NO painting on it.Tommy took it off me played it ( I accompanied him on his didj,yeah right) he got a great tune out of it Ididn,t BUT he disappeared in his tent and came out with my redesigned Didj and what a brilliant job he did PLUS he signed it and should increase the price if I ever ecide to sell BUT I have bequeathed it to my Grandson Will.My didj has followed me to the UK and at the annoyance of my fellow flat residents I occasionally try and play it,sadly I can’t circular breath SO I do play in segments .Hopefully the Video.s I put on will work.Thanks to Tommy Crowe ( I was in Darwin at this time)
All things Bright & Beautiful
Keep bumping into friends from my past and bumped into a lovely lady from our happy past days and reminiscing about plenty !!..I,m still struggling what car to buy..should it be Lease? Buy? or PCP ( I think) which means a monthly rental is paid and it is handed back to seller OR option to buy..Shopping is getting to be quite an adventure and getting to know more and more and people.The old banger I got is still reliable for short trips except the passenger door has now ceased and cannot be use,my nephew has redone springs and other bits enabling me to stay on the road !! Next weekend should be a hoot as I will have 4 passengers ho I will be taking to the brand new pub that is opening ( it is a refurbished pub that was named Uncle Toms Cabin) and in days gone by people used to take other peoples partners to that pub in the hope nobody would recognise them ! After all it is a wee bit of the beaten track deep in the North Shore area.Tuesday has gotten to be regular movie night and I wear my large overcoat so I can hide contraband ( toffees/lollies and drinks thus NOT paying exorbitant prices and the Cinema kiosk! I am feeling very comfortable now I have some of my gear from Australia set up and I can now actually use my digital radio I have had for years ! ( Hervey Bay not equipped for the technology yet) Although single life is agreeing with me I am starting to put weight on,even tho I climb a bloody mountain daily to get to my flat ! Perth is planned for September and hopefully closure will be empowered on my banking and other things, i need to be 20 yrs younger !! I am hoping winter will produce some snow especially around Christmas when my daughter and family arrive and the nights are drawing in (Darkness around 9 .15 pm till 4.30 am)
Punk and Social Gatherings
My love for my home town of Blackpool get stronger by the day,there is so much to see and do and this weekend is no exception! The Punk Rockers are in town est numbers around 400o and they have a yearly gathering at the famous Winter Gardens.Punk Bands play constantly over the 4 day event and there are lots of different bands playing.I was almost tempted to pay to get in but balked at the £60 daily entry fee !! Age is certainly no barrier I saw seniors in their late 70s displaying all that is Punk,even balding men style whats left of their hair and the colours are even better.I got friendly with a group and hung around with them for about 30 minutes and to see young “normal” people asking how they coloured their hair and how they made it so stiff ! I couldn,t resist and told them to watch a movie called “Something about Mary” for those that know the film you will understand. Blackpool was busy so I ventured out early with my camera and managed a couple of good people shots.Buskers were around and some were really good.One bloke even did a handstand with his head in a bucket? With bus fares being free I am able to scoot around town and over the next few weeks I will be out and about. Saturday night about a dozen of us got together and had the usuak laff a minute night.I am trying to organize a trip to a new pub that opens next weekend and is at the end of my street.Its sister pub in the town centre attracts people from all over and entertainment i provided from noon till early next day hours and is popular with stag parties etc.If in Blackpool do pay a visit to Ma Kelly,s you will not regret it ( assuming you dont get into a fight!)
Trivia,Football and Pommie Politicians
Thursday night is popular in my local pub with Quiz night followed by Bingo (British traditional addictive game that fortunately I dont play) Quiz was a toughie tonight involving British Politics I have NO chance ! and Anagrams (oh dear) and picture of a Football manager (should have put me headphones on and listened to music) Our team didn,t do very well tonight and the Quiz was the toughest yet . Bingo was won by people in our group and as usual the whole evening was a big laugh! Bar staff is reduced to one on this busy night and she deserves a round of applause in the way she managed to keep the customers happy ( with just a few kicking off in the “vaults” who were all handled brilliantly.During the day a “wake” was held for a past regular and we were invited to join in with the excellent food that was provided.Some of our gang are heading off to Benidorm in a few weeks,this is a regular away cheap holiday held twice a year.Coming up this weekend is the famous Punk Rock Gathering here in Blackpool and I might take my trusty camera downtown
IMAX & Trafford Centre Manchester
If in the Manchester area a visit to the Trafford Sopping Centre is a must see,its not the cheapest place around but it is a magnificent building to explore.Ew did a round trip of approx 100 miles from Blackpool to Manchester simply to visit the IMAX Cinema based in the heart of the Trafford Centre (there are 20 yes TWENTY Cinema,s in this massive complex.The Centre is well maintained and the decor throughout is splendid.Food Hall based within this mammoth multi floored is brilliant altho a little on the expensive side,I had a simp;e hamburger and we get to choose the toppings and the Hamburger alone cost £7 but was sufficient to fulfill my refueling needs ! and drinks purchased at these food outlets were OK to take into the Cinema.Showing to a very busy audience was DUNKIRK and altho “supposed” to be based on fact in m humble opinion it did not come up to my expectations! IMAX boasts a whopping 26.3 x 18.8m giving a total screen size of 495m2!! and I have heard other screens in the UK make this one small? Picture clarity was fantastic and the sound SO awesome it felt as if I was in the middle of the actual Battlefield and I was so glad I didn’t have my hearing aids in ! Next up in the near future we will return to this very Cinema to view Valerian in 3D,the only problem visiting the IMAX is the £16 entry fee ! (and that was pensioners rates) Great day out,made better still by the very quiet roads into and out of Manchester
Watch me play Didgeridoo
Geoffs Life After Work ! 