A Little Light Reading

I know there's no such thing as 'too many books' but having just moved house sometimes it felt that way.  It took a lot of effort to give my wee library a new home.  Public libraries have the same problem on a larger scale.  This beautiful addition to the main library in Liverpool not only provides a home for thousands of volumes, it also creates a beautiful, cathedral-like workspace for the bookworms of the city.

Solid State

It's getting colder. The morning commute is extended by the time it takes frozen fingers to scrape a frozen windscreen.  This torrent, by virtue of its volume and speed, managed to stay liquid.  Everywhere the water slowed down, however, was glazed with beautiful icy jacket.

Stone Cold Drunk

The British are famous for being a little disparaging about our European neighbours, but how could you fail to respect a nation that encourages drunkenness in its statues?  This tipsy lady is trying hard to stay on her plinth outside the Louvre in Paris.

At Least 40 Shades

Spain - and days of endless sunshine - seems like a distant memory now.  The Scottish version of summer involves a bit less sunshine and a bit more rain.  Actually, quite a bit more rain.  The silver lining to this particular cloud is that the countryside stays pretty green throughout the year.  Some friends are returning from Spain soon and will have this palette of greens to gaze out upon.  I hope it makes up for the lack of sunshine.

Knobs and Knockers

I'm sure that somewhere, tucked away in a dusty office in an ancient university, is the world expert on Spanish 17th Century door furniture.  However, I don't think we need to disturb any experts to understand what the creator of this door had in mind when this church (!) door was commissioned. This could be the front door to every house in every 'Carry On' movie.

There be Dragons!

One of the most refreshing things you can do on a hot summer day in southern Spain is walk up a water-filled gorge. Unless you walk for seven hours, but that is another story and the current subject of much domestic discussion...  Anyway, it turns out that humans aren't the only ones who enjoy the cooler environment at the bottom of the gorge.  This dragonfly enjoyed a brief rest on a stalk of grass from what seemed like a very busy life.

Confession time: my insect recognition leaves a lot to be desired. This may be a damselfly rather than a dragonfly...

Olives and Milk

There are many things to get excited about during a holiday in Spain; perhaps a lack of light is one of the less obvious ones.  The dark skies of the Spanish countryside allow the stars to glow beautifully, providing views that are denied to us in built-up areas.

Here the milky way galaxy arcs over an olive grove, with just a hint of civilisation lighting up the distant horizon. 

Fight to the Death

It's easy to imagine that all of the great life and death struggles of the animal kingdom take place on the searingly hot plains of Africa, but this battle took place in a slightly damper and cooler environment.  If you look closely enough, the coastal forest of northern Scotland is teeming with life; it's just on a much smaller scale.  Which is good - walking the dog wouldn't be much fun if there was a reasonable chance of being eaten.

This moth encountered a small spider and, despite the obvious size difference, the spider decided that it had found lunch.  The spider attached itself to the tail of the moth and clung on as the moth tried every trick in the book to dislodge its unwelcome passenger.  I'm guessing that some form of poison was injected by the spider though, as the relatively enormous moth succumbed in surprisingly quick time.

New Kid on the Block

This magnificently complex gothic edifice - Liverpool Anglican Cathedral - looks as if it has towered towards the heavens for many centuries.  In fact, that couldn't be further from the truth.  Construction was started a year after man's first powered flight, and wasn't finished until nine years after the first moon landing.  Famously, it is connected to the city's Roman Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral by Hope Street (more by coincidence than design unfortunately).  It is the longest cathedral in world and if you're fit and free from vertigo, its huge bell tower provides tremendous panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. 

The All-Night Sunset

I thought that this was particularly forward-thinking of the Maltese government: capture the sunset and pop it on top of a long pole so that people who miss the actual sunset can enjoy it all night.  Okay, that may not have been exactly what was going on here but if it wasn't I think I might head down to the patent office...

...And If You Look To Your Right...

Looking for all the world like spectators at Wimbledon, these Gentoo penguins were basking in the last rays of the sun on Bertha's Beach in the Falkland Islands. The beach is named after a sailing barque called the Bertha, which was wrecked on the shore many years ago.  As you wander among the resident penguins, it's still possible to spot timbers from the unfortunate ship in the dunes.  Unsurprisingly, the penguins don't seem to care much about maritime history.

The Downward Spiral

I spent a great day at the Museum of Liverpool perusing exhibits which tell the many different stories of this great city.  Some exhibits were plain and unassuming, while others were a bit more ostentatious.  But for me, the most eye-catching thing in the whole place was the central staircase.  Every angle brought a new view; and every view brought a new angle.  It's part lighthouse, part seashell and - at the risk of sounding like a staircase headcase - I could have wandered around it for hours.

Close Encounters on the Beach

What would an alien look like if he landed on Earth and decided that his first priority was a bracing stroll on the beach?  That probably wasn't the question sculptor Antony Gormley was asking as he placed dozens of these figures - made in his own image - on the beach at Crosby, near Liverpool.  Each figure is weathered differently by the sea, wind and weather and consequently they all seem to have adopted slightly differing personalities.  The statues stare out to sea in silent contemplation, encouraging mere humans to do likewise.  And just to bring the whole thing back down to Earth, this chap's 'spaceship' is the roof of the local leisure centre.

Last Light of the Evening Star

This is the fishing vessel Evening Star settling into the darkness of the North Sea.  Her crew is already safe, warm and dry on board the rescue helicopter as she rolls onto her side.  The last rays of our own evening star - the sun - glint off of her beam as she prepares to slide out of sight for the last time.

There is something deeply moving about watching a ship sink.  It evokes feelings that are quite different from those brought to the fore by any other kind of disaster.  I distinctly remember my last view of the Evening Star: the Scottish flag on her bow muted by a few feet of sea as she sank from sight.

Siesta

What do you do if you're a black rhinoceros and the African sun just gets a bit too much for you?  Well... there are worse things you could do than find a shady tree and have an afternoon snooze.  This beautiful animal was hand-reared after his mother fell victim to poachers and, as a result, he didn't mind a mildly petrified photographer interrupting his siesta.  I was introduced to him by his trusted human friend, who stayed close enough to ensure that this incredible encounter went smoothly.

Dying Light

There is plenty of light on the Western horizon but all of it is coming from the dying sun and none of it is coming from the distant lighthouse which, sadly, has already died.  Advances in maritime safety and navigational techniques meant that the beautiful structure was no longer needed to announce the dangers of this rocky coast.  The light was finally extinguished in 2012 but the local community wasn't ready to say goodbye, so bought the lighthouse and - after much refurbishment - it is scheduled to open to the public this year.

Water, Water (almost) Everywhere

As storm 'Doris' batters the UK, it's easy to forget that not everywhere enjoys our ready access to a plentiful water supply.  If you're building a palace or fortress in Southern Spain for instance, you could do worse than afford yourself the luxury of a few ornamental fountains.  Nothing too ostentatious of course - leave that to the Italians.  Just a gentle trickle from a beautifully simple source, coloured to reflect the surrounding terracotta roofs, with just enough of a babbling sound to echo around the sunlit courtyard.

Daily Commute

I've just been to Malta for the first time and was completely enamoured with the place.  It was a working trip and our daily commute began and ended with a water taxi across the harbour.  Being on the water as the last rays of the sun painted the magnificent sandstone architecture of Valletta was the perfect end to a busy day.

The Tiny Disappearing Act

One of the nice things about photography is that it gives you the opportunity to observe and understand the world around you.  So this scene was particularly frustrating.  I've got no idea what was going on here.

Dozens of these rocks were lying in the River Avon and each rock had one - and only one - sunbathing passenger.  As I moved in closer to photograph this individual, I was amazed at how close I could get without it scuttling off to safety.  On closer inspection, however, it was obvious that there was nobody home.  The previous occupant of the insect suit had carefully unzipped it and gone off to somewhere else, dressed as something else.  Perhaps the aftermath of an insect fancy-dress party?

Blooming Housing Market

When I was a poor student, luxury accommodation consisted of a room with a window and access to a toilet that was shared with fewer than a dozen other students.  Things appear to have moved on a bit and most halls of residence here come with en-suite bathrooms and state of the art cooking facilities.  This building even looks quite good from the outside - and the view over a wildflower meadow must make even the most appalling hangover seem just a little more bearable.