h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Z's taking snapshots of the Forth Bridge every day for the month of February for the Create challenge. ( A87739780 ). An interesting take on it!

I've decided to half-inch his photo-a-day idea and run with it. So tomorrow I'll start the Belfast Nooks and Crannies Project. A photo a day from in or around the city. The one big rule is that it must not include a single tourist brochure standard.

So no big yellow cranes ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/11287317@N04/3157850840/ ), no city hall ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Belfast_City_Hall_2007.jpg ), no Crown bar ( http://www.crownbar.com/gallery_details_2.html ), and definitely no big glass dome of that accursed shopping centre ( http://www.phdaccess.com/images/zoom/dome3a.jpg ). Beyond that anything goes!

Should be interesting, 'cuz I have no idea what it will consist of myself, yet.

Since I missed day 1, I'll cheat and do two tomorrow.

OOh that sounds really interesting I look forward to seeing the photos.

Have you popped along to create to tell them that you're doing the challenge? 360?thread=36022556" >F22122556?thread=8289729&latest=1

Yes, do (I'm subscribed to your journal KB, btw. I hope that's ok)!

That does sound fun. I found myself squatting in a very contorted manner yesterday trying to take a oddly angled shot of a London landmark. I like the idea of eschewing landmarks altogether.

Sure, welcome Sol.

This challenge is going slightly farcically so far, so maybe I won't sign up officially. Four days into Feb I've taken two photos which are stuck on my phone and I can't get 'em off it.

Ooh I don't think it has to be daily.. Do you have a iPhone? I end up e mailing them to myself?

Nah, I've an aged Samsung with a personality like HAL out of 2001 - I think I've worked something out now though...

Doesn't have to be daily at all. Mine isn't. About twice weekly or with bursts of activity if we go out somewhere. Sort of thing.

Go on, I was looking forward to some Belfast pix.

Hey, if you do we represent England, Scotland and NI. Who do we know in Wales?

Isn't Geggs in Wales? And Woodpigeon has some marvellous photos on his blog (Ireland).

Day 1:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/52205837@N06/6819594601/

Right on the west bank of the Lagan is Elliot's, which has been a Belfast institution for decades. If you have cause to dress up as a bondage monk waving a scimitar, this is the place to go.

Elliott's is two shops in one. The left-hand side of the house contains everything you need to pose as a member of the Village People, while the right-hand shop contains ball gowns, tuxedos and evening-wear for hire.

I'm told many of the guests at my parents' wedding hired their outfits here. I was never told from which half of the premises they bought it, though.

Day 2:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/52205837@N06/6819594753/
A trip along the coast today to the seaside town of Bangor. Being a seaside town, they are quite proud of having invented ships, and they put them up all over the place to remind themselves of how cool they are.

The building behind that is the Post Office, which has a claim to fame in that the bronze plaque marking its opening bears an "ER VIII" crest: the only one like that in existence, as it was opened during the short-lived reign of King Edward VIII.

(Sorry for the keek photo quality, btw. I think I'll use my camera rather than relying on HAL the phone in future...)

Great images, and I love the fact that their are interesting stories. For so many of us all we know of Belfast is what we saw on TV during the troubles, and it's amazing to see it as a modern living city.

Belfast at its best is absolutely inspirational, Z. People might get the impression that it's just a city of bigots, but it's not.

I really did have that impression. When I was applying to university I didn't even consider going to Belfast because it seemed just too dangerous. I really throughly enjoyed my trip their with you, Mala, Beatrice, and KB!

Since then of course the troubles have ended, but to those of us on the other side the Irish Sea Belfast can seem very alien. It's really important to give another impression of it.

Well to give a wee snapshot of what I mean by Belfast being inspirational at its best: They boycotted sugar in this city because it was produced with slave labour. And when the first legal catholic chapel opened, their neighbours "on the other side" lined the streets and wished them well.

I think we should do an entry on the Earl Bishop of Derry - he was an Anglican who allowed the Catholics to worship secretly inside his house!

Bit of a nut-job too, if I recall correctly!

Mmm, yes, allegedly made any priests applying for a higher office run races naked in the bogs... And received the news that he was now the bishop while playing leap-frog with his friends in the garden. Why haven't we got an entry on him?

Yes, I think we could do with one...

7th Feb: From the city that brought you Milk of Magnesia!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/52205837@N06/6837946475/

Nowadays, Bridge Street has a taxi stand and about four bus shelters. It's impossible to walk down it without gagging on the cigarette smoke billowing out from under them. I guess the place either turns your stomach, or cures it.