Sometimes it simply is not your fault.You dont change, yet change still happens all around you anyway.But,as the I Ching would say :"
No Blame".
On odd occassions (since the demolition of
The Rochdale Hamam) I now stop off at
St Peter's swimming pool in Burnley for a sauna.Its actually part of the NHS Trust.It's a newish complex.
I cant say I care for the sauna there too much.The facilities are fine enough.Big steam room:Big Swimming Pool:Big Sauna:Big Jacuzzi.But ,typically,the architects & designers forgot about the most important (yet most intangible ) thing.The sociability of the people who use a building!
The experience for me there is spoiled by the lack of les Craic.
For me,the best saunas or turkish baths are those where people sit in a communal area..face to face, and talk.Much like a good pub (minus clothes& alcohol!)
Burnley has none of that.All you get is a long horizontal row of plastic chairs outside the sauna& steam.With your back pressed against a large glass brick wall that backs off to the swimming pool.You see nothing but a wall facing you.You dont even have enough room to stretch your legs.
It's like some clinical
waiting room corridor.No good at all for talking (your more likely to get whiplash than a conversation from such daft poses......)The seats are squashed so tightly together you couldnt even move them (even if you had somewhere to move them too) .
Its strange how a building design hampers behaviour.Its almost designed to stop people staying too long......
Anyway.On Tuesday night I took this photo from the car park there.Another example of buildings not being able to talk to one another?
The reason i took the photo is my interest in "Ghost Signs"
Can you makeout the word "HOTEL" ?
Yet you cannot access this building from the car park.The iron ladder you see runs to a deep,dark narrow canal below.......with no bridge across to it.
Who the hotel was actually meant for,I do not know.The other side of the building is now fast foods On t'other side , it runs onto a dual carriageway .
Perhaps in the Olden Days different roads & different buildings might have interested a person to rest their head .... sadly not any more...........
This is a sepia saturday post.
"...dancing, folk traditions or very silly poses..." is the prompt this week.Here you see one of my Aunt Brenda's Essex College photos from the 1920's.I dont recognise Brenda in it.Perhaps she was behind the camera....?
On Monday I attended the funeral of my neighbour of 28 years,Paul (pictured below).
A humanist service.Not a vicar ,priest or wreath in sight.
The service was led by
Eileen O'Brien an actress who also lives on our road.
Anybody who is familiar with British telly will recognise her face.eg she's been in Coronation Street:East Enders;Brookside;Emmerdale.
The Service was very moving.Standing room only at Park Wood Crem.
No hymns or suchlike.Rather about a dozen or so of Paul's family & friend read out their favourite memories of his life.
(I must say, I would be intrigued if my funeral was like this.i dread to think what might be said!)
The music for the service included the Sandy Denny song
Who Knows Where The Time Goes. And Tom Paxton
You are Love.
R.I.P.PAUL.
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