A Nikon User Recieving The Gift Of Photography From Zeus

A Nikon User Recieving The Gift Of Photography From Zeus, originally uploaded by Colonel Blink.

Norfolk Wherry Vane

Norfolk Wherry Vane, originally uploaded by Colonel Blink.

I find it mildly amusing that the Norfolk Wherry has become such an iconic symbol for the Norfolk Broads; sure proof - if proof was needed - that you don't miss what you have got till its gone.

I can remember seeing the hulks of four or five wherrys rotting away at Surlingham ferry. They had just been abandoned there and allowed to sink because nobody wanted to know about them. This was less than forty years ago.

I can remember clambering over more hulks than I could be bothered to count on Whitlingham Marsh and they were still there - although flooded - at the very start of the seventies.

There are of course no Norfolk Wherries left. They are just a memory.

What we do have is Wherry yachts which bear the same relation to a Wherry that a camper van has to a tractor. Even the most authentic of them, The Albion, was quarter way built as an industrial wherry when they realised that it would not be needed and severe design changes were made to turn it into a pleasure boat.

The heritage industry, of course, doesn't care about authenticity only what sells and what doesn't. So the County that unceremoniously dumped hundreds of sailing Wherrys between 1930 and 1960 now celebrates them as an undying symbol of Norfolk along with that other symbol we have looked after so well The Bittern.

Lets pause to have a laugh.

St Andrews Kirby Bedon - Gargoyle

St Andrews Kirby Bedon - Gargoyle, originally uploaded by Colonel Blink.

St Mary's Kirby Bedon - Inside The Round Tower

St Mary's Kirby Bedon - Inside The Round Tower, originally uploaded by Colonel Blink.


The County Of Norfolk in England is blessed or cursed with more round tower churches than any other part of the country. These with round towers are popularly designated, (often wrongly) as Saxon. The county also has over a hundred ruined churches which have been allowed to disintegrate because they have no congregation to serve.

St Mary's is such a medieval church and is now a haven for pigeons and at least one pair of jackdaws. I walked into the ruin of the tower, disturbed the pigeons and fired my camera as they rose.

Other wildlife I saw signs of in the churchyard as well as numerous songbirds were hedgehogs, rabbits and foxes (the latter by smell only as I did not see them)

It's a double hander for the habitual church visitor. On one side of the road is St Mary's and directly opposite is the working Church of St Andrews. One village, two manors, two parishes and two churches. A notice in the Churchyard suggests that like South Walsham, Antingham and Reepham they may even have shared the same graveyard at some time.

If you are the kind of chap or chappette who travels with a thermos and a packet of sandwiches St Mary's would be a good place to have a picnic.

Definitely NOT Black Shuck

River Guard, originally uploaded by Colonel Blink.

This statue stands next to Bishop Bridge in one of the prettiest riverside gardens. It is the owner's conceit to dress it every week or so in a different costume. I have resisted photographing it until now preferring to tell my own rather than other people's jokes.

First Shots Fired In World Water War One.

Lilac Satanic Mills, originally uploaded by Colonel Blink.

Colman's Factory, Carrow, Norwich.

The reason that Colman's are still situated in Carrow Road has nothing to do with the company's historic links with the City of Norwich. Those links went years ago when the company was bought out by some multi-national megacoporation and even the seeds used in their English Mustard are more likely to come from Canada than East Anglia. The reason Colman's have not sold their valuable -and largely empty- site and moved to an industrial estate in the Midlands is water. The factory sits on its own private well that even with their sister company Robinson's (who share the site) drawing on it for their little box drinks and squashes guarantees them 70 years of water. With global warming, and the doom-sayers claiming that the next big wars will be over not land or oil but water this gives them a financial and competitive edge.

Ennui

How many flickr people does it take to change a light bulb?, originally uploaded by Colonel Blink.

It is a hot Saturday afternoon and I am sitting on a red sofa in a clothes shop in Norwich City centre called Rockfish or Lumpfish or something like that on Exchange Street in Norwich City centre while the memsahib looks at rails of clothes she is eventually not going to buy and young Master Menace Blink stretches out on the floor playing Tomb Raider Legend on his PSP2. It is the fifth shop we have visited today. Behind me two assistants are talking about the latest release from Keane, a popular beat combo. In the distance I can hear the sound of people watching football on the television of a nearby pub. I point my camera at the light fixture and take this photo. Does life get better than this? God I hope so

So that's what happened to them

So that's what happened to them, originally uploaded by Colonel Blink.

Temporary stalls made as part of the eighty trillion pound refit of Norwich Market being turned into garages in Trowse. As a Council Tax payer I hope the owner paid for them. (huff huff)

The Chill Play London Street

The Chill Play London Street, originally uploaded by Colonel Blink.

Not buskers at all but Norwich's very own latest beat combo sensation The Chill playing an accoustic set in London Street. Their purpose was to advertise their gig that night at the mega capacity Plough and also to promote their new CD. Oh yeah they also had "the hat" out in case anyone wanted to drop some money in it.

On their Webpage Kev says "We have always wanted to have the opportunity to take our music to the public"

"Everyone at The Chill would like to thank the shoppers of Norwich for all there support yesterday while we were doing our buskers gig. We really enjoyed ourselves"

The Chill have left the building.

YARMOUTH STREET MODELS - A Typical Yarmouth Trader

YARMOUTH STREET MODELS - A Typical Yarmouth Trader, originally uploaded by Colonel Blink.

He seems to be a strange mixture of Long John Silver and Captain Hook (Long John Hook). He is lacking the three other pirate cliches; earrings, an eye-patch and a parrot.

When did pirates become cuddly? Every Children's playground or adventure activity place seems to be festooned with pictures of these thieves, murderers and looters. Its a bit like putting pictures of Peter Sutcliffe in a nursery.

I blame R L Stevenson and J M Barrie myself.

Art Student

Art Student, originally uploaded by Colonel Blink.

Not strictly a candid but I feel it deserves a place with them.

Obviously a term, year or course project. She was floating around the Walk in Norwich while a chum (pictured below) videoed the reactions of passers-by. The views were less positive, I think than she hoped and she seemed to be getting upset.

("Did you make that yourself?" "Yes" "F***ing Hell. Why?")

I gathered she had hoped the overall effect would be fantastique rather than silly.

The final straw came when a Glaziers van parked itself between her friend with the video camera and her and then she well and truly began to lose it.

When I asked if I could photograph her she said "Yes, but you won't get on the video"

Oh well such is life, I reflected to myself, we all have to learn to live with disappointment.