Tag Archives: UK

On The Surface

.

Down by the quayside

where fishermen know to sit

young seal making hay

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n.b. I had heard of this young pup’s arrival a week ago and today I saw it surface a few times. Despite the snow in the wind, a woman had taken her coat off to sit on it on the grass embankment and watch the seal diving. It is remarkable how long these creatures can sustain a dive while fishing. It would then pop up its head and have a look around while recharging its lungs. Goodness knows what it finds underwater here, possibly the hire bikes from the city’s first less than secure public cycle scheme of a few years back.

There have been precious few boats on The Broads for over a year and so the river has become a safe navigation for this seal and who knows how many others. It must have found somewhere to rest up too, seals like lolling around on a beach or mudflat for long periods between diving for fish.

Things will change soon, as holidays within the UK become the thing for a while, so these waters will become quite busy, then where will this seal go? Similarly, I wonder how the otters further upstream, even closer to the city centre, will fare.

L3 (Day 56): Inside

There was no need to exceed the boundaries of my home today. Mend and make do with what food I found.

There is a whole world out there, I know, but most of it is closed and I had plenty of work here.

To bed at 01:00 GMT. I hear birds singing on the hillside, city lights confusing their rhythms.

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CLP 03/03/2021

L3 (Day 47.5): Norwich

I was shocked and somewhat disappointed to learn that my neighbour, in the apartment below, has only had his heating on for a total of two days this whole and quite cold winter! How selfish can you get? No wonder it’s been chilly up here. I was relying on the tight-fisted so-and-so to keep me warm and save me some money.

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CLP 22/02/2021

On Take Off

Along the runway

there is a go no go point

and we’re well past it

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n.b. Koblenz, the meeting of rivers, like Norwich a centre of trade for hundreds of years, had to be rebuilt after the Second World War. Bombers from airfields in Norfolk would have been instrumental in those assaults, returning the blitz to Nazi Germany.

The twinning of Norwich and Koblenz was part of a pan-European programme of town twinning to restore bonds across the war-ravaged continent. The EU, committed to securing peace among its member states, developed from the ruins of Europe’s cities.

Now Brexit is “done” we will see the UK crawling back bit by bit. Today the actors’ union, Equity is calling for freedom of movement for its members. Fishermen want compensation for the loss of sales to EU member states. British firms are moving to the Netherlands, Belgium and France so they can continue to trade freely with our neighbours without Brexit imposed restrictions. And so on it goes.

Ho hum.

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CLP 15/02/2021

L3 (Day 39): On Foot

The city is bounded by rivers. Banked up inside their curves, the sprawl of the urban is curtailed and it takes no time to escape into open farmland.

Further on is protected woodland and a lake (“broad”) that was formed from industrial era excavations. Both pleasant locations for exercise.

Every square inch of land is managed, clearly designated as recreational, industrial, residential, commercial, farming, military, conservation, transport, or the ominously labelled developmental land use.

Those who own land are well represented in Parliament, the House of Lords and Buckingham Palace. All changes pass through these vested powers slowly and grudgingly.

What do we need a say in land use for now commons land is an anachronism? Move along people, nothing to see here.

Walking for three hours compensated for a day at my desk yesterday.

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CLP 14/02/2021