Tag Archives: building

Photographs: Architecture, Photographs: Scotland, Photographs: Travel

Armadillo, Glasgow

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Armadillo, Glasgow
“Armadillo, Glasgow” — The curving roof of the “Armadillo,” a venue in Glasgow, Scotland.

The popular name of this modern-architecture pavilion/venue in Glasgow is “The SEC Armadillo,” or simply “The Armadillo.” It was originally known as the Clyde Auditorium (it sits on the banks the River Clyde), but apparently the locals have a habit of renaming big buildings in Glasgow, and this local name stuck — it is now essentially the official name. As you can probably guess, the name comes from the overlapping curved structures that form its remarkable roof.

We ended up here sort of by accident. We had taken a very long walk from central Glasgow all the way to the West End. Rather than retracing our steps to our hotel, we headed to the waterfront to find an alternative way back. At the waterfront a friendly local greeted us and asked if we had any questions. We had a few… and before long he was talking our ears off about the history of the waterfront, the local architecture and much more. Heck, I would have paid a guide for that information! He pointed out the Armadillo and the path that would take us there on our way back toward downtown.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

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Photographs: Scotland, Photographs: Travel, Photographs: Urban/Street

Hootananny

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Hootananny
“Hootananny” — A woman at the door of Hootananny, a music venue and restaurant in Inverness, Scotland.

Since the previous photograph I shared came from the last day of our Great Glen Way trek in Scotland, it seems appropriate to follow it with a photograph from our first full day back in “civilization” in Inveness. (To be honest, while the Great Glen Way walk is an outdoor experience, it is pretty civilized, too, as I have written in previous posts.) Our itinerary for this day would involve a train trip from Inverness to Glasgow, but we had several hours of free time in the morning. So we stashed our luggage at the train station and went out for a walk. Along the way we passed this venue, which is apparently a center for performances of Scottish music.

We really were not in Inveness long enough to fully experience the place. We had thought of it mainly as a place to end our walk and sleep one night before heading on to the rest of our trip — but after being there I realized that it would have warranted a longer stay. We did enjoy our morning walk around the compact center of the town in the area near the railway station.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

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Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

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Photographs: Architecture, Photographs: England, Photographs: Travel

Houses of Parliament

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Houses of Parliament
“Houses of Parliament” — The intricate facade of London’s Houses of Parliament on a cloudy day.

I made this quick photograph in London back in June, on the last full day of about four weeks of travel in (mostly) Scotland and England. We started this day by going to Westminster Cathedral. Patty has learned that you can visit many such churches simply by attending one of the regular church events. (For example, we attended evensong in York.) Advantages are that you don’t have to sign up for tickets or, in many case, pay a fee. (Though if they “pass the plate” it is appropriate to donate something, right?) However, you are expected to act as a person attending a church event, not a tourist snapping selfies! In any case, after visiting Westminster we walked back toward the Houses of Parliament.

Parliament is typically busy, with guards watching over all the entrances. But on this Sunday morning it was quiet and I don’t recall seeing anyone inside the fence. One other factor? The British snap election was about to happen, and I’m betting that every member of Parliament was out campaigning! In any case, we walked here. because I had a memory of a little pub on a nearby side street that we visited the very first time we were in London, and I wanted to see if we could locate it. And, yes, we did — just a few blocks further up the street.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | Instagram | Flickr | Facebook | Threads | Post | Email

Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

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Photographs: England, Photographs: Travel, Photographs: Urban/Street

Borough Market Entrance

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Borough Market Entrance
“Borough Market Entrance” — People at one of the entrances to London’s Borough Market.

On many mornings London’s Borough Market can be a happening place. There are lots of visitors — people looking for a coffee or a quick bite, tourists wandering through just to see the place or pick up a souvenir, locals who actually shop for products from the vendors. We were there to grab a cup of coffee and maybe a pastry — though in the end we settled for just the coffee before moving on.

The physical layout of the place is fascinating — maybe almost the antithesis of a neatly laid-out market like the one in Porto, where the vendor stalls are arranged in straight aisles on a grid. Because odd angles intersect at Borough Market — where things align with small streets, major avenues, approaches to bridges, and odd spaces between buildings — the layout feels rather haphazard. Not that this is a problem, especially if you are happy to simply wander a bit.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | Instagram | Flickr | Facebook | Threads | Post | Email

Links: Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Info.

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All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.