Oozells To Look At. 4th January

Oozells Street Loop

The chap across the way had been running his engine until 11pm both nights we’d been moored opposite the giraffe. The first night we considered going over to see if everyone was alright on board, but it’s quite a long way round. So on the second evening we were relieved to hear the engine going, but not for the length of time it ran for! So this morning we decided to move.

NB Sola Gatia had been round on the Oozells Loop along with another boat, both had moved off. So we decided to move round the corner and see if it would be any quieter, less foot fall for certain.

Oozells Street Loop

There was plenty of room for us, so we chose to tie up in the middle, leaving room for boats infront and behind, but we’d be away from both bridges.

In the afternoon we headed into town. Should we walk down into the Jewellery Quarter to look at museums? Go to the Art Gallery? Or go to the top of the Library?

There’s Lillian down there, lovely and yellow

Back in October 2014 Mick had discovered the wonderful gardens and views from the library whilst I was working. He even managed to get a photo of NB Lillyanne (Lillian) moored at Cambrian Wharf. When I had free time we tried again, but high winds meant we could only stay indoors as the gardens were closed.

Going up
and up

Today we went to the top, to the viewing gallery and the Shakespeare Library. Then we walked down the 90 steps to the garden. From here we could see for miles. If we hadn’t moved Oleanna this morning we’d have got a photo of her too from up here, but now she was tucked away behind the Sealife Centre.

No Lillian today
The boat with the noisy engine on the right

Below was busy and the new trams came and went from the station.

New trams

It was a touch late in the afternoon by now to pay to go into a museum, so we opted for the Art Gallery and headed straight for the Pre-Raphelites and Burne Jones. Mick said we’d been before, but neither of us could remember when. It turns out that after we’d been to see Dippy the dinosaur we had a little look round, that was only 18 months ago!

She is meant to be asleep

The same paintings caught my eye. One study for Burne Jones painting Briar Rose is my favourite, I prefer it to the final painting.

A study in perpsective

But this time we also got to see a bit more of the display. Superduperspective by Patrick Hughes could not be ignored. It’s first view should be straight on, an image of paintings from the gallery in two corridors. But then as you move round you realise the whole thing is 3D and painted in such away to trick your eye. When fooled the furthest parts of the painting are actually the closest to you. Very clever use of shading, but a touch nauseating too.

But the wrong way round

0 locks, the same 0.14 miles mentioned yesterday, 150 yards from engines running, 1 library, 1 art gallery, 100 Euros, 1 adaptor, 1 bored asleep cat, 1 sock finished.

Very pretty

3 thoughts on “Oozells To Look At. 4th January

  1. Paul (from Waterway Routes)

    I hope you reported the engine running boat to CRT, either by email or to the very helpful staff in their office at the top of Farmers Bridge Locks. From experience they will act very quickly and promptly, as long as someone tells them about it, otherwise they can’t act because they don;t know. If you can encourage someone else to report it too that helps a lot as it’s two people’s word against one which adds a lot of weight to the argument.

    1. pipandmick Post author

      I didn’t Paul, but maybe I should have done. I’ll take a wander round there this evening and see if he’s still doing so. To be fair is was a very quiet engine!

  2. Dave (Scouts)

    I suppose it depends on why he was running it. The hire boat we had out last october had domestic batteries that were past their best and to keep the heating going we had to top up later in the evening and first thing in the morning. Not ideal but we did moor out in the countryside and well away from other boats. It was either that or waste half a day or more of our holiday waiting for company to bring out and fit new batteries which understandably they (and us) were reluctant to do at the end of the season.

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