Decorative Disaster : Festive Failure?
With Mts fbb's stalwart help, but given under fierce protest ("I an never doing this again" is the annual complaint), the lavish display at fbb mansions, only rivalled by the lights at Blackpool, was hauled in place under the first floor fenestration.
And it promptly started falling to bits!
To save time and to aid dismantling, fbb decided to assemble the garden canes using cable ties. But garden canes are shiny. Cable ties are shiny. QED!
The collapsing frame was lowered to ground level for a review and a rebuild. After much consideration, careful thought and lengthy experimentation ...
fbb gave up!
The star went on top of the CHRISTmas tree already in place on the garden table. Mary, Joseph and the Messiah were suspended on the central heating flue near the front door ...
... and the cross was hung on the kitchen window cill using gaffer tape.
Thus the failed frame was re-created much nearer ground level. With he addition of some twinkling LEDs on the front fence ...
... the display was completed.
Hmm. fbb should have expunged the kitchen illumination before the full delights were photographed.
Despite the failure, the old man is confident that the display is the only full set of exterior CHRISTmas lights in Seaton!
And not an inflatable internally illuminated santa in sight!
Quite Heavy LRT In Macau
There were (and still are) big plans for a significant network.
The first line to open in 2019 was entirely on Taipa Island running from the ferry terminal (map below, upper right) ...
... then in a big loop round Taipa Island to a terminus at Ocean. Yes, fbb knows it is red on the above map and blue on the proposed network map. But worry not, it's actually colour coded green in reality!
The line is mostly on viaduct as here at the "light" rail Ferry Terminal terminus ...
... and at Lotus station.
The other terminus was Ocean, again a substantial building for a "light" railway!
But on 8th December last year the line was extended to Barra on Macau itself.
And it didn't even involve building a bridge. They used one that they had made earlier! The LRT uses the Sai Van bridge ...
... but not on top thereof as you might expect. There is no sign of an LRT train or track in the main roadway. The LRT runs in a tunnel that is part of the bridge's concrete box construction.
Clever, eh? Quite what uses the remaining tunnel road carriageway is not clear to fbb!
And the new terminus at Barra?
Yep! VERY Light Rail - NOT!
And how much does it cost to ride the Macau LRT. fbb will reveal fares and extension work in progress tomorrow.
A Sound Business Opportunity
Historically, before roads and sea wall, Seaton (Devon) had a strange mount on its sea front. It once had a wooden lookout building on the top to aid the essential task of repelling the invading French - who never bothered to invade.
Later a shelter was built on the top, and, deep in the heap, some public conveniences.
Although they were very convenient conveniences (visited by an eight-year-old fbb occasionally and his granny, frequently! ), they were closed some years ago on the feeble pretence of a narrow footpath access.
Several shelters passed by ...
... the final useful shelter was removed and never replaced.
The lease on this subterranean property is now for sale. Bids have been invited and, according to the council there has been "lots of interest". Indeed there has, but no bids.
Quelle surprise!
The brochure emphasises the lovely views ...
... which are only viewable from the public footpath that forms the property's roof.
There are no windows; but even if there were, you would only get sight of a tiny strip of sea (at high tide) and a glorious view of a sea wall.
Your view woud be much lower than the above which is from the gubbins on the roof of the StreetView noddy car.
Maybe convert it into a luxury holiday let?
It is served by Stagecoach 9A - every hour to Sidmouth, Newton Poppleford and Exeter.
Please note : the mound is NOT, and never was, called "the moridunum". It is, and always has been "the burrow" - authors, caption writers and the press, please be correct!
Next Macau and Pot Pourri blog : Weds 3rd December
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