Flying Max

The balloons aren't flying this evening for the winds are too strong but  I went up to the Observatory and watched them lift off at dawn (in a cloudy extra).  Only the most experienced pilots were allowed to fly then so yesterday's record of 104 lift off's was not to be beaten.  This afternoon I rode there through the crowds on my bicycle - the roads were gridlocked with cars - and  watched an aerial display by a bi-plane and didn't realise there was a wing walker on board during all the stunts until I looked at the pictures on the computer.  Then a staged car accident in the arena was attended by all the emergency services and the air ambulance - all the procedures that were undergone from the removal of the car roof to extract the patient to the handcuffing of the otherdriver who was inebriated and the final air evacuation to hospital of the patient who 'died' en route after which the identification process had to begin and the next of kin informed...  Sitting there in the sun it was a salutary reminder that this happens all too often.
This little boy called Max screamed for more when his father threw him up - I showed the parent the shots I took and they were happy for me to keep them. | wonder what he will do when he grows up - if he ever manages to get there! It really is difficult taking photos of other people's children.  I was also enchanted by a small girl whose father bought her a my pony balloon.  The wind was strong, the balloon twice her size but she clung on tightly, stroking its nose and chest as she staggered along and finally lost her footing and flew up with the pony.  None of my photos did her justice but it made me giggle.