Victoria Street.

There was a local cinema meeting in town today, incorporating a screening of a new film; it was free so I went along but the film wasn’t worth the effort with only nine in the audience at the start which went down to seven by the final credits. The meeting, which I had expected to be about promoting the local cinemas turned out to be about promoting the film. I had a tepid coffee and an excessively hot, as in spicy, soup so I left hungry as well.

Part of the game plan was to Blip Wojtek, I haven’t had the opportunity for a decent shot of him yet; I really want to be there on a nice warm summer day with people around and the sun shining; perhaps it will happen this year. I did get a chance of a couple of pictures of him before the rain became too heavy so there’s an extra of his portrait showing the now compulsory Mbra shiny nose and another of a detail in the bas relief behind him showing the iconic image of him carrying a cannon shell at the seige of Monte Cassino though I think that the reality was that he carried them in crates rather than individually. I’ve been a fan of the lad since I first heard about him six years ago in connection with the Polish Mapa Scotland currently being refurbished at the Barony Castle in Eddleston. Since the work is nearly finished and the sea is now in situ, I think it’s time I paid it another visit.
 
The afternoon brought a bit more culture with a U3A visit to Mary King’s Close; it’s the third time I’ve been and it’s becoming more commercial though the changes in presentation are mildly interesting. I don’t suppose I’ll go again. It was on my way there that I passed this derelict shop in Victoria Street set off nicely by the “past their use by date” decorations. I chose this for the main Blip as it fulfils both the Mono Monday (hosted by Marlieske, though I fear it doesn't fit the "frogs-eye view" theme though, in fairness, a frog could have been sitting on the handrail upon which I rested my camera) and the Derelict Sunday (hosted by Serpentine) challenges. If I’m quick, I’ll have this posted just before the end of Monday in the Marshal Islands.