Ladies Cycling Happily

A woman waves at me as she and her friends cycle through the streets

The women on their group bicycle thingy pass by a parked bus

In what seems like an eternity now, I photographed these ladies cycling along Eastcheap in London in June 2021. Hey, guess it gets you out in the fresh(ish) air and doing exercise before maybe going for a drink, or a lie down (zzzzz, too much exercise), later on.


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length126mm
ISO640
Shutter speed1/500s

The Captain likes Diet Coke

Wearing a cap that says “Capitan”, and dressed as he is in shorts and then in a warm jumper, I had to photograph him as he stood outside McDonald’s on Daunt Square.

I’m not sure what his name is, but I’ve seen him around Cork a few times since taking this photo last year.


Apertureƒ/2.8
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length24mm
ISO100
Shutter speed1/2000s

No Trolley Problem

Ah, so, what’s the craic with the shopping trolleys in Cork supermarkets, you ask? Well, let me tell ya, they’re as much a part of the shopping experience as the Barry’s Tea in your basket.

In Cork, like elsewhere, shopping trolleys are a staple in supermarkets, making the whole shopping experience a bit more manageable. However, there’s been some chatter about the deposit return scheme, where folks have been having a bit of a mare with the reverse vending machines. These machines sometimes refuse to take back bottles and cans bought from different stores, which has left a few shoppers scratching their heads and making extra trips.

When it comes to the trolleys themselves, they’re generally well-equipped for the job. You can find a variety of them, from the standard metal ones to the more modern plastic versions that are lighter and easier to handle. These plastic trolleys are a bit of a godsend, being rust-proof and made from recyclable materials, which is grand for the environment.

There’s also been the odd sighting of someone pushing multiple trolleys down the road, which is a bit of a head-scratcher and has raised a few eyebrows around town. But sure, that’s just part of the charm of living in Cork, where there’s always something to keep you entertained while you’re out doing the messages.

Sometimes the AI can talk like a Corkonian. Things are looking up.

(The photo above is of a supermarket in Valencia, but I’m sure they have similar problems with shopping trolleys. Hopefully, no ethical dilemmas, though.)


Apertureƒ/4
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length35mm
ISO5000
Shutter speed1/500s

Flamenco Flair in the Heart of Valencia

Ladies in dramatic and colourful Flamenco dresses, caught in a moment on the street. The men in black are smartly dressed, but they don’t compare to the red, black and white of the dresses!


Apertureƒ/4
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length16mm
ISO8000
Shutter speed1/500s

Walking to the team

In Warsaw, there’s a striking mural of Polish athletes, and the first I saw of it was when this man was walking towards a stairs leading down to the open area in front of it.

The mural is sponsored by Adidas and created by Jakub Podlodowski. He has written about it on his Facebook page here.


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7RM5
Focal length240mm
ISO160
Shutter speed1/500s

A little Polish Flag

As we were waiting for a train to take us to the old town of Warsaw, another train pulled up with a little Polish flag stuck in the bumper. It was August 1st, so no wonder. A pretty important day in that city because of the uprising 80 years ago.


Apertureƒ/3.5
CameraILCE-7RM5
Focal length24mm
ISO100
Shutter speed1/1000s

Jehovah’s Witnesses on the street

Just before I left Warsaw, I spotted these four women leaning against the wall of the stairs to the train station, and they appeared to be Jehovah’s Witnesses. You’re no doubt familiar with them as they’ve taken to the streets as well as calling to homes to spread the Word. In Poland, it appears that there are 116,307 “ministers who teach the bible” according to their website.

Anyway, now I want to watch Life of Brian


Apertureƒ/8
CameraILCE-7RM5
Focal length24mm
ISO125
Shutter speed1/500s

Chihuahuas with lights

A man walks his two chihuahuas through the centre of Valencia. The two dogs had flashing lights on them, attracting lots of attention from people walking past.

I thought it was risky having two chihuahuas off the lead in a busy city centre, but the two dogs were calm and enjoying the walk.


Apertureƒ/4
CameraILCE-7M3
Focal length35mm
ISO5000
Shutter speed1/500s