observation (its depressing so feel free to skip)

Quick posting. (Actually bit of a rant)

I dont often post stuff like this... but in light of 'historic' election results.... (we still need a revolution)

We have justed stayed in a hotel overnight in Liverpool on our way to join Fred Olsen's Cruise to the Azores which Dr Fred is working as a ships astronomer with his trusty and glamorous sidekick... me! We're looking forward to this cruise because we're desperate, as everybody is, for sunshine!!! (I just want to mention that we receive no pay for this jaunt... free passage, food and bed for both of us - which we are very happy with... small daily subsistance but no salary)....

Last night we went for a walk around Liverpool City Centre and it was a very sombre reminder why we have just voted the Tories out. I haven't been in many city centres recently not even Leeds for various reasons, and the last time I walked through a city centre was in Bath. Walking through Liverpool last night was such a stark contrast to the wander I had through the vibrant streets of Bath - and I'd forgotten how many homeless people there now are, sleeping out in piles of rags - and although I heard about living in the city in a tent culture... to be honest not having been in many cities for a long time I hadn't really observed this phenomena and was shocked at the amount of tents set up and down the streets, into empty shop doorways - big shops like Marks and Spencer's and Debenhams. It really shocked me how many of them there were....

The city streets were busy - it ws early evening Friday night... people were drinking, early doors eating, out for a good time, but it wasnt a comfortable feeling... it wasnt scary but not a pleasant presence.... obviously we are not used to the big citylife anymore - sadly we have become quite naive at the impact of poverty - where we live is certainly very impoverished - its ex mining NE but different to the scale we witnessed last night.

A few tents pop up in the woods around us.. odd people beg on the local town streets.. there are no shops open anymore and its only the pubs, nail bars and turkish barbers that do any business. Drugs are openly dealt and paraphenalia is often found discarded but nothing like big city living... I worry how easy it is to 'not see' this level of poverty - its not openly on everyones doorstep... where we live 'poverty' has become what we expect... but I suspect its incredibly evident in every (northern) big city... has it become the 'norm' should we be grateful that some people are fortunate to have a tent to live in... are our 'expectations' lowered...

It feels very ironic that we walk these streets and then board a luxury cruise across to the Mediterranean.. I dont know how to reconcile it - I dont know if having one vote every few years challenges societal responsibilities enough... My whole working life was spent working in the less fortunate side of social welfare - seeing the seedier, challenging side of poverty - homelessness, sex work, drug dealing, crime, ... I shouldn't feel so shocked but I do....

Often back in the day when working - particulary at Christmas - I would find it impossible to shake the huge saddened feeling of being privileged enough to be able to come home to a warm comfortable loving family with gifts under the tree knowing what I was leaving out there... this is how I feel today.... why, as one of the richest countrys in the world, do our city centres look like this!

I took this picture to keep tabs on exit poll comparison to what actually happened - but its serving a pupose to illustrate election landslide ....

We watched the news... the media are really selling Sir Keir Starmer and the new party.... it made me feel hopeful... but this is because I'm desperate feel that way - deep down I think we are all doomed... and all I can do is be incredibly grateful that I am able to have a massive sunshine fix...

Rant over... still hard to reconcile... but this is life and as we are lucky enough to have one we must make the very best of every joyous opportunity...

Jolly cruise adventures to follow... promise to be more cheerful....

Scotland part 2

The second half of the week continued in much the same vein. We had one rainy afternoon which was actually quite nice to be holed up in the house with the rain lashing the windows. It probably wasn't quite so nice for the two visitors that came on their bikes but they're tough cookies - and its only water- but I did feel sorry for them having to cycle six miles back down the track in the wind and rain, but given Scotland, it wasn't as bad as it could be. The big quest for the 2nd half of the week was to find some deer antiers! The chap that owned the house dropped in to visit - he was a very friendly fella and was chatting about how this was the time of year when all the Stags lost their antlers (he collected them and sold them) so after that we were on the serious lookout. It's always been Fred's mission to find some dropped antlers.... The Monro baggers continued with the mission to bag the remaining three Monros... there is discussion as whet...

Vigo

We left the ship to explore Vigo. Its a much larger place then we expected... although tbh I hadn't given ut a lot of thought. Its a real mish mash of old and new and having got a map from tourist info we decided to follow the walking trail to the Monte Castro... the highest point of the town. Most of the town was pretty much as everywhere else... lots of traffic... lots of people... one or two interesting buildings and a lot of shopping. We headed to the art gallery - this has been a year of gallery visits so we we seen o reason to change now. The Museo de Marco is housed in the towns ex prison building and its very grand. In fact, I think that on this occaision the building might have been more interesting than the art.... Although the visiting exhibition by Susanne S D Themlitz was strangely compelling. It was a huge varied collection of eclectic items... found, salavaged, manipulated and arranged in lots of ways - weirdly inspiring - and mostly enjoyable to look at...

Funchal

So after three days at sea we finally hit Funchal in Madeira. An escape from the ship, and I have to say it was very pleasant indeed. First of all the weather is really splendid. Especially when you know that everybody else in the UK is suffering grim storms and vile winds.. Over here it is between 22 and 25 degrees is really quite warm. Funchal is a pretty city. It's built on a hill it with lots of lovely white houses with stunning red roofs. In order to get the best of it we walked along the sea front until we got to the cable car and we took it up the hill. It was a really good ride much longer than we imagined and it's quite weird because it goes right through the town - completely over everybody's house... So not only do you get a lovely vista of the bay but you can view the beautiful rooftops and get to look in everybody's gardens and to look at their picnic sets.. clean washing nice plants... scratty b...

Planet Ruby Starrs

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