Blackpool, the Paris of the north (England)

I mentioned in a previous blog my seaside holidays as a child, and Blackpool cropped up. Blackpool was nicknamed the Paris of the north, because it had a replica Eiffel Tower, called "Blackpool Tower", what else!

Blackpool was the most popular holiday resort in Great Britain from the 1930's until the 1970's. It sits roughly in the middle of Britain and is easily accessible from all over the country. It catered to the working classes and attracted miners from Wales, mill workers from Lancashire and Yorkshire and ship builders from Glasgow, plus their growing families.

The decline of Blackpool (and it was a steep decline), started in the 1970's as a result of cheap foreign holidays to Spain and France where sunshine was guaranteed. The town lost it's way but not i'ts identity, but now it's back.

As a child I loved Blackpool, and as an adult I love it even more. There's something nostalgic about the place and I find it charming and a little shabby. It's created a new brand for itself and is becoming popular again.

I've just found this promotional video by the tourist board of Blackpool. You'll see that Paris still plays a part in the marketing. Hope you enjoy it.

My desert island discs - Number 8

This week I've been obsessed with keeping cool and I'm spending more time by the sea, la mer.

On the way to the sea yestrday, I hummed the song La Mer, and it later occured to me that La Mer, would surely be one of my 'Desert Island Discs'! Now, it's unlikely that I will get an invite to share my 8 desert island discs with million of BBC listeners on the radio programme of the same name, but I can share them with you.

For the next 8 days I'm going to tell the 8 records I'd take with me on a desert island. Here's the first of my desert island discs.

The sea is a great love of mine. I have very happy early memories of day trips to the seaside at Rhyl in North Wales, and later Blackpool (the Paris of the North). Later as a young teenager I spent two weeks besides the wild Atlantic on the island of Harris in the Outer Hebrides.

When I was 17, I made my first trip across the English Channel to Calais in France. This song "La Mer" by Charles Trenet brings back those memories of France and my visits to the seaside.




Tomorrow's disc is altogether different.

Parisian fashion for dogs

One evening years ago when I was very bored and a little drunk, I carved a hat out of half a melon for my dog, it even had holes for his ears. It didn't do the dog any favours.

If you want your dog to stand out from the crowd then this little number is a must.
It's from Mon Ami Vie a Paris based designer who re-cycles and re-uses anything that comes to hand. Besides the dog dress, there are some ingenious ideas and clever designs, well worth a look.

The dog looks like it's enjoying itself.

Paris rooftops

Paris rooftops. This photograph is available from my Etsy shop.

My photograph of the Spanish roof terrace created some interest and several emails, so here's a Parisian view for you.

I like rooftops with windows. They engage me and I keep coming back to look, and try and find a face looking back at me.

I have some Barcelona rooftops for another day.