Plaza de Cibeles

 This image captures a moment in time at the Plaza de Cibeles in Madrid, Spain, likely during the 1950s or early 1960s based on the vintage vehicles and trams. 

Location: The photo shows the famous plaza where the Cybele Palace (formerly the Palace of Communications) and the Bank of Spain building are located. 

Landmark: In the background, the iconic Metropolis Building is visible at the corner of Calle de Alcalá. Transportation: The scene includes vintage automobiles and a trolley bus/tram, which were common in Madrid during this era.

And now...

Bonus - A Small Typo Actually Helped End WWII — The Amazing Story About A Codebreaker

A Twee Corner of the Garden

 

No info on this slide, but there's something about that grass that looks familiar.

It could be Van Kirk Gardens, in Winnipeg. Postcard here

More Info

Bonus - Jimmy Savile and Elvis Presley, 1960. Info

A Return to High Bank

 

After a stupendous post bag of almost one letter asking for more from High Bank,  I've had a delve into the collection, and turned up ... this.

It was labelled as "High Bank Spring 1966", so ... gasp... one year on from the previous daffodils picture.

Nice.

Still don't know where it is.

Bonus - Nature festival mixed up with nudist event

OK, I thought it might be Egypt.

 

But according to artificial intelligence...

The image shows a panoramic view of the ancient city of Jericho, situated in the Jordan Valley. 

Jericho is widely recognized as one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, with settlements dating back to approximately 9000 BCE.

The city is famously mentioned in biblical history as the first town attacked by the Israelites under Joshua.  Archaeological excavations have revealed the remains of over 20 successive settlements at the site.

Located in the West Bank, it is positioned near the Jordan River and north of the Dead Sea.

Bonus - Hideki Tojo: The Man Who Started a War, Survived His Own Bullet, and Went to the Gallows with "Remember Pearl Harbor" in His Mouth

An Outbreak of Daffodils

 

April, and we are well into Daffodil Season, so here are the 'dils at High Bank.

Not sure where High Bank is but that's not spoiling my enjoyment.

Bonus - 

Derverlea Products - Trade Show.

 

For decades, if you popped into an English Pub, the walls were adorned by loads of horse brasses, copper pans, copper trumpets, brass salvers, etc. Save with restaurants and guest houses. Proud antiques, from a family's ancestors?

Nope. Manufactured tat. And one of the famous manufacturers was Derverlea Products, of Birmingham. And in this side, we see one of their displays at a trade show in Blackpool in Feb 1970. Shite, the lot of it, IMHO.

Bonus - 

At the end of the Day

 I've always liked this slide, tho' I'm not certain if its good photography or bad photography. The colours suggest evening, tho' it could be sunrise,

Bonus - The Horse Magnifier Game

A Glimpse of the 23rd Century

It looks like a miniature set for a science fiction movie, but it's probably just a high class, high rise hotel with impressive elevators.

In fact, I think it's the Hyatt Hotel in San Francisco.

Bonus - The British Navy Resisted a Decent Lightning Rod for Decades
 

Name That Plane - Number 409

 

Alas, another slide affected by colour drift and slide deterioration.

But, fans of WW1 aircraft may be able to identify this.

And here's a picture of the same aircraft flying more recently....with info on what it is.

Bonus - Grace Jones with Cab Calloway during his 85th birthday celebration in New York

Hey Dad! You could fit a body in here...

 

The lad didn't realise that his dad was a loyal guy in the Stromboli family, and ... I've said too much.

Bonus - 

Thatched !

 

Today's Tedious Tuesday post - is praise for the thatcher.

Not Margaret Thatcher, but the guy who applies rushes and reed to house roofs.

A quintessentially English style of house, tho' you can find examples elsewhere.

Bonus - Fulu Miziki

Cinderella Will Go to the Ball

 

The Slide, as scanned

The slide, with some manual correction of the colour cast

Side, split into Red, Green and Cyan elements. I don't recall which this was.

The manually corrected slide, passed to an online AI service, and told to "Sort IT"  tho with more guidance. Impressive

So at this year's SlideFest (What? You weren't there?) one common question was on how much I edit the slides. Normally, as little as possible. A little correction of contrast levels, or a little straightening. Usually a little cropping (for ....reasons), but nothing dramatic.

But, some old slides, particularly Ektachrome / E6 process slides, can develop a severe colour-cast. And the results can be Yeuch. So, I sometimes correct them, or just extra a single colour element, and use them as monochrome slides. 

But today, I thought I'd show you before and after, and illustrate what Artificial Intelligence can do.

Wilma, before the inevitable fall.

 As it's now Wedding season, let's have another.

A very early-seventies wedding dress ... I believe that capes are "out" nowadays. And that overlong dress is likely to assist in Wilma's loss of footing and tumble. 

Bonus -  As Trump fumbles another diplomatic challnge (again.)