One off the Bucket List

I have been intrigued from birth by the underwater world.  From early days I snorkeled in the bath and watched Jacque Cousteau's documentary films - The Silent World.  Many holidays in Greece were spent tracking jelly fish in the bays of Thermosifonos and other Greek islands previously occupied by the Italians and Ottomans. I wondered at the sponge divers of Kalymnos and their funny shuffling mihanikos dance and catchy song darla dirladada  Listen here in serbo croat----->SONG

Naturally then I jumped at the opportunity of diving into a 6m deep pit somewhere near York wearing proper equipment euphemistcally known as "standard diving dress".

Here is the Siebe Gorman admiralty pattern 6 bolt diving helmet

Discretion being the better part of valour, and claiming a potential "bad back" when advised that the diving dress weighs in at 67kg (including boots),  I moved myself to the back of the queue.

Here is the lovely Lisa being dressed by adoring dressers whilst her partner looks on

The spit cock - allows water in to allow the diver to demist the window.

Air is fed into the helmet through a surface supplied air hose and via a one way valve - this late innovation ensures that the hapless diver is not sucked up the hose when it is severed by a passing car ferry. 

No flippers here - strictly lead boots one size fits all

The whole dressing process takes around 30 minutes and requires at least 2 tenders.  The boots are applied just before the helmet.  The air rushes in as is quite loud.  There is no way to equalise the ears from pressure increase whilst descending down the ladder other than jaw wiggling and yawning.  Quite how the sponge divers of Kalymnos managed jumping off a caique escapes me.

Simulated view out

sponges and diver

Marathon man - found on the sea bed by sponge diver near Anti Kythera.

The Same Procedure as Every Year

Well almost...

Mrs N is a giraffe and I'm a cow.

And I was given plenty of advice on milking techniques during the Wiesbaden Helau Carneval Parade thank you so much

In other news:

Discovered in a second hand shop in Biebrich costing €0.66 - was this album Joan Baez's nemesis or is this a "music for pleasure" lookalike?

Getting it Up

 Further to my previous I have been doing some post purchase internet research on Tipis:

Look like Germans installing the beer cooler

Outoor "Tipi Compact" Tent:

The "Tipi" - named after the Native American Indian tents (meaning "they dwell" = literal translation from the language of the Lakota, a Sioux indian tribe) - is very common in Europe today, especially in Scandinavia. It is chiefly characterised by its enormous height and is very spacious by design. The laborious and time-consuming process of pitching this tent using lots of poles is thankfully a thing of the past. The single central pole facilitates straightforward, speedy pitching, which one person can manage alone.
The central pole is erected, the guy ropes are fixed with pegs and that's it!
With this tent, which boasts Outdoor typical high quality, you and your crew will be sitting comfortably round the campfire long before the others are finished pitching their tents in the dusk.

Features and specification:

• High-quality single-skin tent
• Space for up to 6 people
• Guy ropes and sewn-on loops ensure stability even in windy weather
• Quick and easy to pitch by yourself
• Always a comfortable climate thanks to peripheral and roof ventilation
• Max. standing height: 2,50 m
• Diameter at base: 4 m
• Pack size: (WxHxD) 74 cm x 24 cm x 24 cm
• Weight: approx. 9.5 kg
• Hydrostatic head rating: 1,500 mm/cm²
• Material: outer tent 100% polyester, tent floor polyethylene (waterproof)
• Colour: olive/black

New Year Resolution

Happy New Year to you all!

Due to financial stress caused to the mighty Nikos World empire by the thieving Greek government, I resolve this year to go camping:

Bought for €59.99 at Louis Fun company in the post Christmas sales I may have blundered somewhat as I see that there appears to be a ventilation gap between the ground sheet and the tent.  The initial attraction of this tent is that I can stand up in it (height 2,50m) and lay in it (diameter 4m). Looks like I will also get wet in it and then freeze to death.

Christmas Hilarity

Thermal Underwear Hot Tip

****SEASONAL  NEWS FLASH**** 

ALDI the retailer of cheap beans and stollen slices is selling this wonderful all in one thermal underwear which curiously includes a bottom zip.  Ideal for fishing, cycling and motorcycling.  A snip at £15.99.  I'm just about to venture out into the park on my mountain bike to test the moisture management system.

Great for extra warmth – handy YKK zips, flatlock seams for comfort, brushed inside for warmth and elastane-Lycra for stretch.

Random Stroll through London leading inter alia to Wonder Drug and Rude Clock

Monday was a crisp bright and free day so we walked out of the hotel and along the Marylebone Road towards Paddington Green in search of a canal boat where coffee was served.

Everywhere we went we saw Boris Bikes

Tucked underneath the Edgeware Road to the left is a treelined avenue running alongside the Regent canal

Blue plaques are displayed all over London - allegedly there is even one for the silly walks sketch.

I had never been here in all my time living and growing up in London! Evidently there are many hidden waterways to explore --->see here

Time for elevenses.

Browning's island

We then decided to walk along the canal towards Paddington to visit the FLEMING MUSEUM THAT WAS PROMINENTLY MARKED ON MY MAP.

We emerged from the Paddington waterfront into Praed Street  expecting to find the Fleming Museum indicated by queues of Japanese tourists.

There is some encouraging stone work but no obvious entrance.

Here is a plaque too.

We are unhindered in our wandering around St Mary's Hospital (a scruffy old hospital).

Fleming is under Bed management obviously.

Many corridors and alleys later the signage becomes more racy.

Unmanned reception!

And here is the lab where Fleming accidentally discovered penicillin in 1928.  It took World War 2 to find the resources to produce the drug. Photography forbidden!  Read about it here ----->Sir Alexander Fleming

I have never mastered the bus system in London - for some reason there appears to be no coherent bus map published and tourists tend to use the underground system as it's simple to follow the map with all its coloured lines.  So we hopped on a bus direction Oxford Circus.

Here is the view of Oxford Street from the top deck of a "doubledecker" - marvellous really!

Moving on, we walked down Carnaby Street.  Verdict: Disapointing and over touristy.

Avoid like the plague.

Rather nice - worth a visit for organic English spelt flat breads -->here

Building a new railway across London.

We are going to see this musical next visit.

The British Museum

A rather rude and vulgar clock in the art deco style

Greek students discussing their Elgin Marbles.

This sort of thing causes much confusion to immature English schoolboys snigger snigger

We had tickets for a concert at the Alber Hall.  In fact this was the main reason for spending the weekend in London.

Pre concert Italian cuisine: I order the platter to share starter

Bryan Ferry in concert in the Albert Hall - shame about the terrible acoustics.