West Yorkshire

[limey]

Thanks for thinking of me for the hare, Sundae. I'm glad they didn't have one,though! I'd not want you to send yourself to the debtors' prison for my sake! This looks a fabulous place!


Sent by thought transference

[Sundae]

First photo
I couldn't see anything I could afford in this shop (unless I wanted buttons) But it was pleasing to the eye.
It was on a street of similar establishments, although many of them sold food on the hoof. I can only assume that the people who actually live and work in Saltaire - because it is still a real place to live, not a museum - do so in the vicinity of Victoria Street.

Second photo
Not believing that sick workers were malingerers fit only for the poorhouse, Titus actually had a hospital for those who had work related injuries. Like pregnancy and stuff.

[Sundae]

I am not a materialistic person. But I am acquisitive. Those on the Cellar who have met me will attest to my magpie impulses, although I generally manage to restrain them. The impulses, not the Dwellars.

First pic - some gorgeous horses, which I think of as Corsican.
However there is a RadioActive (radio comedy show) connection that may make me think this. But they were beautiful.

Second pic - this was an independent jewellers. Even the priced items made my eyes widen, but they're obviously all one of a kind. Most of them were POA though. If you can't afford, don't ask. I'm sure they're lovely people, and they are definitely artists. I just liked their window displays. And their sparklers.

[Sundae]

Now this struck me as a real The League of Gentlemen moment.

I did lose my glasses, and I'm sure Carrotchops does not have them (replaced now and with a different prescription)
The fact I have never been to Saltaire before doesn't matter, the poster says nothing of that. Part of me thinks it's guerilla spam (what an idea!) but how lovely if it's genuine.

And the next is the first pic of your genial host, but hopefully setting the landscape behind in context.

[Sundae]

Titus laid the grid of streets out named for his family.
This one seems fairly modest, so perhaps it was for Titus Junior?

A shot of the back alleys, which even now look decent and wide.

[Sundae]

I went up to the main road that runs through the village.
The only really useable shot was a window full of cocks...
Okay, okay hens and chicks.

There were some lovely places to eat; a French place in particular, but a child was having a meltdown inside while I read the menu in the window. Oh no, no thanks. I am not having a super-extra-special treat I can't really afford with that soundtrack. I can get screaming temper tantrums for free every day in Otley library.

Also a slightly kitsch cakery.
It's a recurring theme with me that I worry I will pay over the odds and the cake will be stale. And that was all I could think of! Their wares looked beautiful, and I'm sure they were fresh and moist (and the cakes, fnar, fnar) but I wanted something more solid.

I very nearly went into a place called The Hop, because the building was some sort of beautiful conversion and it had a wood-fired pizza oven. But they made a big deal out of their drinks selection, and being out on a sunny day with pizza I know I would have ended up having a beer or twelve.

So I went and bought a lottery ticket instead, on the understanding that virtue may be its own reward, but sometimes the Universe does pat you on the head and say Good Girl, Cherry. Which must be confusing for the rest of you not called Cherry. It's for the Euromillions draw tonight.

The only out of business place I could see was a KFC, and from the condition of the signs in the window it had been closed for a while. But as I walked past it still smelled of fried chicken and the Colonel's secret blend of herbs and spices. I wonder why a retail unit in such a prime location hasn't been re-let yet...?

I walked back down towards the station because I'd passed a slew of take-out sandwich/ lunch shops. And if this was the street where the locals went to during their lunch breaks, it was good enough for me. Cheaper than sitting and eating in (by at least £10!) and no temptation to feel all grown up by having a glass of wine with my lunch in the sunshine.

I was pleased with the place I chose, although one of the ladies at the back making the sandwiches to order coughed onto the back of her hand twice just while I was there, and simply carried on without washing her hands. I'm not disgusted by that, and although my immune system is now compromised I wasn't overly worried either. But I don't like to see it, because it's cheating. When I think of my extensive hygiene training, and how we lived in fear of inspection, to see someone cough onto their hand and just carry on is like thinking about your Grandad having sex with your Nan - you know it happens, but you still don't like it.

So I bought my baguette and an apple juice and tripped merrily down the hill to the park, to sit out in the sunshine (sunshine!) and feed my face. It wasn't the healthiest of meals, but I was at peace and that counts for a lot.
Pastrami, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard.

[Sundae]

The part of the park I saw was all you'd want it to be on a sunny afternoon.
A huge expanse of manicured grass thronged with families eating and playing games too big for the back garden. A tea shop (possibly even shoppe) with seating outside. A river with greedy ducks. A noisy and creative adventure playground. And paths winding off upwards into no doubt even more beautiful locations.

As I wasn't actually there for nature, and was on a restricted timetable, I didn't wander the park. But I can't deny the attraction.

[Sundae]

What's this?
A boat trip?
Okay, it's pricey. I could have bought a bottle of wine for that. You know what? I'll go on the boat trip.

The slightly amusing part was that the boat has such a small open air section, which everyone wanted to sit in yesterday because the sun was shining. I'll bet most of the time people sit inside!

It was just a lovely pootle up to the closest lock, then the boat equivalent of a three point turn, and back again. But the ducks knew the boat meant food and came out to greet us, and the view of the banks was suitably bucolic, and the ripple and reflections of the water suitably hypnotic.

[Sundae]

I saw a squirrel run down the branches of a tree overhanging the bank for a good long drink. The canal is silty, hence the colour, as opposed to the natural river which runs next to it through the park, which is clear because it runs over a pebble base.

[Sundae]

The trip included duck food. It wasn't as good as the stuff I buy at home, but better than bread at least.

I was jammed in next to a little girl and her Auntie. Auntie was some sort of foreign European (I'd have guessed Dutch, but she didn't talk about canals, so maybe not) and she was one of these women who think children are more important than adults. She mentioned a few times that it was such a shame thet weren't at the front of the boat. And how much nicer the photos of her niece would be there. And did [niece] have enough room? Which was cheeky given the perfectly sweet and well behaved child had a knee in my back the whole time.

I was in front of them in the queue. That's it.
I might have considered swapping places had she asked politely. But she didn't. Anyway, I was calmed by the slow slap of water against the boat.

[Sundae]

I know quite a bit about barges, narrowboats and the canal systems. Partly from my friend Terri in Leicester, partly from learning about it with the children when I was working in school.

There is something hypnotic about the slow chug chug chug of the engine, the little twitches on the tiller, the passing landscape. One of the many, many trips I would love to take one day is to have a holiday on a narrowboat. The only problem is that you really have to have a wonderful companion, because the quarters are so small. And lovely weather, otherwise you may as well be in a little caravan in Skegness. And money - it costs so much to hire one that you need to fill it to the gunnels with people, which takes 99% of the pleasure of peace away!

I'll stick to the occasional tour I think.

[limey]

If Mr Limey and I get round to such a holiday you can be our crew.

Sent by thought transference

[Sundae]

Of course there are other ways to use barges.
This one was doing a roaring trade in ice creams. But I did overhear someone who I assume comes to Saltaire on a regular basis, ordering a coffee and talking about mooring fees.

The owner said this was their their first week "back". They moor up elsewhere during the Winter because they pay so much for their premium pitch that they can't cover the costs for five months of the year.

He was hoping for a good Summer like last year, they were able to make necessary repairs because of it. Such is the precarious world of the canal trader.

[Sundae]

Originally Posted by limey

If Mr Limey and I get round to such a holiday you can be our crew.

Thank you! There are few people I could possibly enjoy holidaying with in close proximity. I've trialled you. It works

I'd bet on Carruthers too.

And we would def have to moor up and meet Dani & Carrot somewhere.
We could lope along the towpath together and let the boys drink tea and steer.

[Sundae]

On to Salt Mill.
It's on the river, the canal, the railway and is the reason the whole place was built.

Obviously it is not a mill any more.
But they have done well by the building. Not as well as I would have done of course, because I would have made it into another Dwelling, with slides and caves underneath and a miniature indoor railway for delivering meals to more private Dwellars.

But they chose to use it differently. How odd.