PICTURES from where I live!

[billyskank]

The weather is beautiful again today, so I took advantage and went for a walk. I also took a load of pictures to show you.

As all my journeys do, it began at my flat. This is looking up my street:



This is round the back of my place. The railway line is behind the trees. The car in the middle is mine:



This is one of the main roads through Bedford:



A church. A little overexposed, sorry. The light was very bright:



The all-girls private school. Very posh:



As with most British towns, the main shopping streets in the centre are pedestrian-only. I like it that way. This street was given a makeover a couple of years ago:



From the other end, looking back up the same street. The Christmas lights go up very early for Divali, which indicates that we must have a significant Hindu population here. Actually I read that Bedford was the most ethnically diverse town by population than any other in Britain:



This place is called The Arcade. I only discovered it two weeks ago:



A little further up The Arcade:



Bedford is a market town, so I suppose it should have a market:



Edmonton, Alberta has the largest mall in the world. I think Bedford must have one of the smallest:



Looking back at the shopping centre:



This is Bedford Canal. The bank on the right is actually an island:



This is the other side of the island, from a little further along the bridge:



I walked down from the bridge and along the canal a little way to where the railway crosses the canal on a parallel bridge. I couldn't see it, but the railway station is up there somewhere. I like railways:



This picture was taken from the same footbridge. All I did was spin around:



Rowers:



Under the bridge:



Looks like a nice place to live. Out of shot, the waterfront is to the right:



This was the first time I had walked down along the canal. In fact it was the first time I had paid it any attention at all. I was amazed at how beautiful it is down there. I have lived in Bedford nearly five years. Can you believe it?



I just couldn't stop taking pictures of it:



Autumn colours are so beautiful:



Okay, just one more!



A leafy street. If you notice how wide the street is, you will see how impractical American-sized trucks would be in my country:



That is all! :hi:

[bridgit]

1. nice, come see some pics where i was raised...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=280x21603

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=280x21604 :hi:

[billyskank]

6. Very nice bridgit

How often does the bridge open?

:hi:

[bridgit]

12. it only seems to open whenever i care to cross it...

x( i like your area very well, it's so clean there & orderly, and contrary to popular belief i like that :thumbsup:

[billyskank]

14. Aha yeah, that sounds about right

:D

[LadyoftheRabbits]

2. How beautiful...

I want to go to England so badly I can't stand it. :D :hi:

[billyskank]

7. lelapin!

You should come!! :hi:

:D

[LadyoftheRabbits]

10. Billy!

I dearly want to... and I'd have to stop in Bedford! :D

[billyskank]

13. I think I would have to insist on it

if you were to visit my country. ;)

:hug:

[bigwillq]

3. Nice pics!

:hi:

[billyskank]

8. Thanks will!

:hi:

[Whoa_Nelly]

4. Lovely!

But, what's with all those cars driving on the wrong side of the road?????


Just teasin' :*

Thanks for the great tour!
(I love railroads, too!!) :loveya: :hi:

[billyskank]

9. We do everything ass backwards here

;)

Glad you liked it! :loveya:

[Whoa_Nelly]

17. At least you all use the metric system

wish they did here.


:loveya: right back, Sweet billyskank!

[billyskank]

18. Oh no, we are very confused about that

We do some things in metric, like we sell foods by the kilo and stuff like that. But we measure distances in miles, sell milk and beer in pints, weigh people in stones and measure their height in feet and inches!

We are fucked up! :crazy: It is the continentals who do everything in metric.

:hug:

[Whoa_Nelly]

30. Well, bless your pea-pickin' hearts!

TENNESSEE ERNIE FORD

"Bless your pea-pickin' little heart...."

[CaliforniaPeggy]

5. My dear billy!

Oh, sweetie........these are wonderful!

What a gorgeous town you have! And yes, the fall colors are wonderful...

I love the canal, the mall, the streets, everything!

Now...let me tell you something: Next May, my husband and I are travelling to the Czech Republic, and Germany, on a tour up the Elbe.

And we just might make a stop in London, to help get over the jet lag...

MIGHT! I so want to meet you, and tjwmason!

Keep the thought, sweetie......and of course I will let you know as we get closer to the time.

My husband would like to meet some Brits...:bounce: :bounce:

Thanks for the terrific pics! :loveya: :hug:

[billyskank]

11. Peggy!

:hi:

I was thinking of you when I was taking the pictures. I thought they would be right up your street. :D

If you come to Britain of course I will come and meet you! I'm sure tjwmason would too.

:loveya:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

16. Oh goody goody goody!

I will talk it up with my husband!

We always fly into Heathrow, and stay at Terminal 4, in the Heathrow Hilton...you can walk from there into the terminal!

Are you far from London?

Oh God, I hope we can do this! I have wanted to meet you for ever so long!

:loveya: :hug:

[billyskank]

22. I am a very easy train ride away from London.

It is just an hour. You should tell MissHoneychurch too - there is a good chance she would want to come over from Germany to meet you. Of course, you could meet her there also...

:bounce: :hug:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

26. Now THAT'S a good thought!

My husband even speaks German! Oh, this is going to be so damn good!

I hope!

:bounce: :bounce:

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[billyskank]

20. Nice pics. But your host is not allowing hot linking

:hi:

[bedpanartist]

27. what's hot linking?

????

[billyskank]

29. I mean the pics did not appear in your post

I got a 'broken image' icon, and had to right-click them each and choose 'View picture' before I could see them.

[bedpanartist]

33. DAMN! You can see the whole selection

and there are hundreds, in the link in my sig.

DAMN!

[Auggie]

19. Gorgeous town. Thanks for sharing.

[billyskank]

23. You're welcome

:hi:

[graywarrior]

21. Stunning....just like you, billyskank

[billyskank]

24. Thank you!

I am flattered. :hi:

[Ptah]

25. Thanks for taking me along on that stroll, billyskank.

Wonderful pictures.

:hi:

[billyskank]

31. Glad you enjoyed it

:hi:

[buddhamama]

28. gorgeous...

*sigh* someday i would like to visit your fine country and perhaps stop in for a tour of your area.

we could visit the smallest mall. ;)

thanks for sharing. :hi: :) :hug:

[billyskank]

32. That would be awesome!

:loveya: We could have coffee in the world's smallest mall. :D Or anywhere else you like - I noticed there is no shortage of cafes. :hug:

[buddhamama]

35. Ooooo

and maybe i could convince you to cook for me,...Indian food! :)

coffee with you in a cafe would be divine. :loveya: :hug:

[billyskank]

38. No convincing required

Anything at all with you would be wonderful. :hug: :loveya: :hi:

[buddhamama]

46. is there a park nearby

with swings? it'd be freakin' fantastic to go swinging together! :bounce: :loveya:

[billyskank]

47. Parks, yes

I'm sure we could find some swings somewhere. :D

Bedford is blessed with some beautiful parks and open space. Bedford Park is part of the town's Victorian legacy, and with its formal gardens, carriage circuit and lake provide the perfect environment in which to take the air.

The Embankment is renowned as one of the country's finest river settings with its gardens and water meadows. Created by the Victorians, its graceful suspension bridge and fine bandstand recall an atmosphere of elegance and style.

Don't miss the spectacular 'switching-on' of the riverside illuminations each evening at dusk.

http://www.bedford.gov.uk/Default.aspx/Web/Parks

:loveya:

[photogirl12]

34. Great photos!!

:hi:

[billyskank]

39. Thanks!

:hi:

[Gormy Cuss]

36. Reminds me of a smaller version of Cambridge, Massachusetts.

The architecture of many of the buildings and the waterway with row teams. Cambridge's waterway, the Charles River, is much larger than Bedford's canal but at the bend near Harvard Square the river looks very peaceful and rural because the high rises aren't as visible. Your narrow road would fit in with some of the older roads in the area too. The shopping areas are not at all like Cambridge however.

Bedford looks like a pretty place. Nice photos.

[billyskank]

40. It is very nice looking

I only really started appreciating it recently. :hi:

[StellaBlue]

37. This breaks my heart.

I miss the UK.

:cry:

[billyskank]

41. Oh

:hug:

[StellaBlue]

42. Aw, thanks.

Now, will you marry me?

;)

[billyskank]

43. I think it's my country you love

rather than me. ;)

:D

[Bunny]

44. Oh billy, it's all gorgeous!

How lovely Bedford is. Where in England is Bedford? N,S,E, or W of London? :hi:

[billyskank]

45. Hi Bunny!

Glad you liked them! :hug: Beford is north of London, more or less directly. It's about an hour on the train, a little more by car. :hi:

[u4ic]

48. What a beautiful city

you live in, billy! Very, very picturesque - and the weather looks just perfect.

I love those buildings by the canal. (4th pic from the bottom) What were they, originally; do you know? Some sort of mill or warehouse, perhaps (considering it's right by the water)?


It's all white here.x( Except for the skies, which are grey. Perhaps the royals are back in town again... :grr:


Thanks for the tour. :hug:

:loveya:

[billyskank]

49. I cannot guess

They may have always been houses. Certainly there is no sign of recent conversion having been done - the windows look like they have always been there, for instance.

You are welcome. :hug: :hi:

[RevolutionaryActs]

50. Can I come visit?

:P

[billyskank]

51. What a stupid question

of course! :hi:

[RevolutionaryActs]

52. Yay!

Maybe I'll even wear the plaid skirt if you're lucky. :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[billyskank]

53. Only if I don't need to drive anywhere

:blush:


:D

[RevolutionaryActs]

54. HAHAHA!

:rofl:


Hey, did you see my new one for GoPsUx?














Oh man, it's a hot one....
















I really don't know what I was thinking posting it...










Wait for it.














Are you sitting down?
















Ok... here it is.....


:rofl:

[billyskank]

56. Very nice Rev

:P

[RevolutionaryActs]

58. I'm too sexy for my skirt, too sexy for my skirt.

But I'm not too sexy for my jeans. :P

[billyskank]

59. No-one is too sexy for their jeans

It is a universal law. :D

[speedoo]

86. Obviously, Rev _Acts will need a chaperone...

when she visits.

Since I was planning to visit London soon, I should be available.;-)

[billyskank]

87. That is probably wise

:D

[speedoo]

88. Also selfish on my part....

because Bedford looks like quite a lovely town.:thumbsup:

[Dem_4_Life]

55. What a beautiful place, thanks for sharing. nt

[billyskank]

57. You're welcome

:hi:

[Callalily]

60. Thanks for sharing

your photos with us Billy! It's nice to take walk through your town. I particularly liked the rowers, since that is what I do! I row in an eight and in a four. I've rowed in a double, but I'm not too good yet. Different skill sets!

:hi: :loveya: :hug:

[billyskank]

63. Fugue!

I'm glad you liked my pictures. :hug: :loveya:

:hi:

[Haole Girl]

61. Those are wonderful! Thank you!!

I feel like I've had a virtual tour. And, it's quite interesting how different our auto-centered-society is from the U.K. There is a reason people from your country are generally much thinner!

[billyskank]

64. You're welcome!

:hi:

[Kajsa]

62. Thank you for the great photo tour, Billy.

The pictures are fantastic!

I love the buildings, the canal and the beautiful Autumn colors.

What nice, clean streets you have in your area.

You live in a beautiful part of our world.

:hi:

[billyskank]

65. Glad you liked them

I am beginning to really appreciate my town. :hi:

[lizziegrace]

66. Billy!

Your town is beautiful, and your commentary perfect.

:hug:

:loveya:

[billyskank]

67. Hi lizzie!

Glad you liked it. :hug:

:loveya:

[lizziegrace]

69. Reminds me of the photos my sister sent

of Stourport. The canal looks very similar. I can't wait to make the trip over. Lelapin and I must start saving for it soon.

:hug:

[wain]

68. Thanks. Wonderful pictures. Remind me of living in Oxford

Went to a secondary technical school in my third year of high school. Lived outside of Oxford for a year and a half. Loved England and its people. Did some punting in the canals around Oxford, so I understand your liking the one you discovered in Bedford. And I was a train spotter in the last days of steam!:)

[billyskank]

70. I find it so strange to think

that steam locomotives were only finally phased out of service during the 1960s. So recently!

(I am only 30).

[warrior1]

71. Beautiful

What I notice first is how clean your streets are. Even with all of the trees. I was going say "Hey they're driving on the wrong side of the street..." Duh.

Thanks for the pics!!

[billyskank]

72. Yeah we all do that

driving on the wrong side of the streets. Somebody should stop us! :rofl:

Thanks. :hi:

[fizzgig]

73. can i come live with you?

wonderful pics!

:*

[billyskank]

75. Sure! Come on over!

:* :hi:

Glad you liked them. :hug:

[GCP]

74. Notice the lack of power lines

As a Brit living in the States nigh these past 26 years, the power lines messing up the streets in this country still drive me mad.
To all DUers, just look down your city streets and imagine them without the overhead clutter - the views would be so much better - and we wouldn't be losing power every tme there's a snowstorm etc - Europeans bury the cables.
Billy - great pictures, thanks!

[billyskank]

76. Glad you liked them!

:hi:

[billyskank]

77. Kick

for the sunday crew. :hi:

[Jamastiene]

78. Do your leaves fall off like ours?

:evilgrin:

No, seriously, I mean at the same time of year? I'm curious. I have to ask these dumb questions because I don't know the answer. :eyes: I know it's supposedly spring or something in Australia, but what about the UK?

Great pictures. Are you just good at everything? Wow.

[billyskank]

79. Hi Jama!

:hug: :hi:

The leaves are falling off right now. It is maybe a month later than usual this year, because the weather stayed really mild until just a few days ago.

[Jamastiene]

80. So the weather is a northern hemisphere/southern hemisphere thing?

I'm trying to learn about the rest of the world, because they don't teach us that in school or college even. :hug: :hi:

The leaves are falling off in droves here now. I was on the way home the other day and there was this one tree that made it clear to me why people drive all the way up to the mountains to watch the leaves this time of year. It was this surreal shade of yellow. North Carolina is like 500 miles across and for people to drive that far, I knew there had to be some reason. Now, I understand. Love your pictures, btw.

[billyskank]

82. Yes, it's a north/south thing.

Everybody the same side of the equator has their seasons more or less the same side. Although people between the tropics more or less have summer all year, I expect.

Glad you liked the pics. :hug:

[ps1074]

81. great pics, billy

Thanks for sharing :hi: :hug:

[billyskank]

83. You're welcome!

:hi:

[ScreamingMeemie]

84. I can't imagine living someplace so pretty, billy.

Thanks for sharing. :hug:

I wish I lived in a pretty place.

[billyskank]

85. I never really appreciated it until recently

I was just walking to the dentist and it struck me - this place is really nice. Why had I never noticed that before?

Consider yourself invited to come and visit. :hug:

:loveya: