Category: Uncategorized

Saturday, 15 December, 2018

In this neighbourhood, there are houses being sold all the time. The real estate market is booming, even now with things looking so precarious.

When we first moved to Hackney no one wanted to live here. Over the years this has reversed to Hackney being one of the most desirable areas to live. In between there has been much buying up of cheap properties, large gorgeous renovations and the cheap, hasty ones, and the scenery is changing quite rapidly.

The cost of a one bedroom flat has gone from around £100,000 and less in 2000 to £500,000 and more in 2018. All of the buying, reno, selling cycle translates to scaffolding. What a business to be in! If I had invested money in it back when I first arrived, by now I could have been buying and renovating a home of my own.

Earlier this week, I was a bit dismayed when a truck pulled up out front with a large amount of wood planks and metal rods. More scaffolding was on the way. That would make about five houses in this little block that were being done over. My fear was that it would be this one, since there’s been a For Sale sign outside for some time. Scaffolding spoils my view and takes away my privacy, with men outside the window without warning. But phew, it was for three houses over. Sorry, guys!

I suppose the farmers’ markets have been around long before the real estate boom but I’m sure they will have changed. They probably started as honest fruit and veg stalls, bread, cake, a few wholesome crafts – I think I even remember going to the Stoke Newington one when it was like that, and not so many years ago. Now many are artisan markets with stuff no one really needs, but it’s fun to look.

Some places are quite Christmassy along Stoke Newington High Street. This year I’ve noticed that the shopping has begun very early. I’ve never seen such queues at some of the shops. Until the last couple of years you could go into a shop or supermarket on Christmas eve or even the day before and find completely empty shelves. One year we found ourselves without Christmas dinner and from then on, we shopped a little earlier too. Last year it seemed to have improved and I was surprised to see there was still a little selection.

Continue reading “More gearing up for Christmas”

Tuesday to Thursday, 9 to 11 October, 2018

Venice’s houses can be beautiful or ugly, clean or dirty, elegant or rough, crumbling or pristine…there are many versions. Each street level building is protected at least at its windows and often also at its doors. The variety of the doors and windows and their coverings is incredible. So I did photograph quite a few.

And I did wonder about the meaning of these:

My Venice Chapters

Venice – the streets and the people
Venice – canals and bridges 
Venice – Food and shopping 
Venice – the Ghetto 
Back to Romantic Venice? 

Tuesday to Thursday, 9 to 11 October, 2018

Venice is built on the water. There are many canals that come from the sea into the city. And that’s interesting too since there is a smell of the sea around you – quite comforting.

Venice has more than 150 canals dividing the city into over a hundred little islands.

Venetians are completely at home on the water. They speed about in their boats, often standing rather than sitting, hopping in and out. This reminds me of how much at home the motorbike riders are in Naples. Yes, there are streets but there are no roads. You walk about on car-free lanes and alleys, moving about across bridges that connect the various bits of ground from canal to canal.

The bridges are interesting and varied. As you get closer to the centre, they become crowded with people taking photos of themselves, of their friends and family, and of the scenery. This is prime selfie territory.

When work needs to be done, there are the work boats. They pick up garbage, they repair bridges, they deliver goods, they pick up sick people, and they run water taxis. Everything is done by and on the water. If you ever wonder why prices are so high there, it’s good to remember how difficult it was to get everything and everybody everywhere!

Then there are the gondolas. They are a staple of Venice and I’d imagine that many young men – and sometimes these days, women – who know this is one way to earn a living in a city that relies on tourism and boats. For 80 euros you can ride in a gondola for 40 minutes. The gondola is meant to hold four people but can stretch to six. Each one has pillows to make the journey more relaxing and luxurious, and each gondolier is happy to tell you something about the city, and to take your photo!

My Venice Chapters

Venice – the streets and the people
Venice – doors and windows 
Venice – Food and shopping 
Venice – the Ghetto 
Back to Romantic Venice?