Tabernacles Night

 

In the state of Illinois, December 20th was traditionally the night when Santa visited certain homes, to see who was "Present-Bragging". That is, had so much disposable income, that a host of Christmas Presents were installed under the tree, as boast of just how rich they were.

Santa, aided by Tabernacles the wolf (here he must be taking the picture) would visit at 11.37pm, and take half of the presents, to redistribute to more worthy (and poorer) recipients.

Alas, this tradition seems to have died out. I blame Donal Trump.

Bonus - 

Yes, It's That Time

 

Yes, It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas Slide Month.

Sigh.

Turning Chilly

 

Thankfully, yesterday's wet and windy weather has eased into moist and breezy.  Alas, it's still "nae warm!".

But I'm not as bad as this slide, marked as "Nov-1950 Snow on Morrison Avenue CF".  I suppose CF might be California, but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Bonus - Scientists need your toenails.

Russian Street Scene

 

Usual story on lack of info, but

This seems to be Saint-Petersburg (Russia). The Astoria hotel, Saint Isaac's Square.

Probably from around here.

Bonus - Lest we forget...

Really?

Of course you recognise this.

 

I'm sure that most of my followers are experts on Medieval German Churches, and that's handy...as the slide had no info on it.

But, obviously, this is The Holy Ghost Church, in Heidelberg. 

Bonus - The future of packaging - Automated Custom Cardboard Boxes

That Looks Familiar

 

Something familiar from my childhood.

Yes, I know what you're thinking - Isn't that St Giles' Church Of Scotland, on High Street, Elgin, Morayshire.

And you're right. And there's a very similar shot here, even down to the Two Timspons. 

But the eagle-eyed will notice a difference. The feature at the top of the tower has been removed between the two images.

Bonus - Match the music review to the rating. "Reads Like A Five"

The Anytown (Anystate) High School Marching Band

 

It seems like just another late 50's, early 60's High School Marching band, out for a parade. The only interest, I thought, was in trying to figure out "Where?"

Nope. Couldn't narrow it down.

But then, close up, I noticed three large letters in the background, and ... Gulp.

Bonus - So, 412 is the limit.

Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot

 

It's been a stinking hot day, here at Slide Guy Central, so this slide seems to be appropriate.

(When I say hot, I mean hot for this neck of the woods. I'm sure that thousands of you blog-followers would thing that 27°C is normal. Well, I'm Scottish, so that's infernal.)

Don't know where this is, but I suspect that it's miles away from Stornoway.

Bonus - Eye contact with a gorilla

Bonus 2 -

Banco de Los Andes

 

Where in the world?

Actually, "Banco de Los Andes" is a big giveaway, and the  bus labelled as "Cusco" seems to seal the deal.

Norwich.

Bonus - Naughty, but it makes me laugh.

Meanwhile, in a back street in Albi...

 

The only info on the slide was "Albi", and immediately my brain started wondering - The Italian One or The French One.

Looking at the slide..."Yeah, that looks like the French Cathedral."

In fact, this seems to be close to the modern view on Streetview.

Also quite interesting, a closer look reveals the restaurant La Case Creole. And that's giving me a hunger for some Jambalaya...

Bonus - 

Oops.

Food, Friends, Drink !

 

Today is my semi-regular Curry with Mel, so this slide seems lightly appropriate.

Not much else to say today.

Bonus - 

Crossing The Road

 

It's Tedious Tuesday, so it's time to slow down, relax and ask ourselves... "Uh?  Why did they photograph that?"

Today.... I struggle to say anything interesting about this. 

There are a couple of clues to this being in Austria, possibly Villach, but ... meh.

Bonus - Meanwhile in neighbouring Switzerland, the citizens is compiling a map of soiled underwear. 

The Miraculous Appearance of Elvis Presley...

... would be only thing that would raise this slide from being "atrocious" to "vaguely interesting".

Why would someone keep this slide for decades?

(But then again, why would someone buy, scan and post this image? It's a mystery.)

Bonus - "I Like Recreating Vintage Horror Shots, Here Are My 23 Photos Of Creepy Clowns In A Cornfield"
 

We're Not In Kansas Anymore, Toto

 

...unless there's a "Little Nepal" neighbourhood.

Bonus - 

"The Stump"

 

As we tumble towards Halloween, it's worth visiting some of the spookier corners of England.

Today, we visit "The Stump". Also known as "Hilda The Hangman's Tree", this tree was reputed to be the home of (yes) Hilda The Hangman, or her ghost.  Famed in Dorsetshire for her attempts to abduct young soldiers from the nearby Army Camp with promises of "Nookie".

Alas, once enticed into the woods, to this very stump, Hilda would vanish, leaving the horny soldiers hanging here.

Fascinating, no?

Bonus - ‘World’s dirtiest man’ dies in Iran at 94 a few months after first wash

Bonus 2 - I am an evil man, and laughed at this.

Once in a ...ummm

The Merchant

 

Written on this slide, in very small writing, "This merchant has his wares displayed right on the side walk which attracts and audience of children."

Current thinking is that this merchant, crap tho' he is, is a better choice as Chancellor of the Exchequer than Kwasi Kwarteng or Jeremy Hunt.

Bonus -

Damned Logic

South American Street Scene

 

Yup.

Still infected,

So have this random South American Street Scene.

Bonus point is some identifies the exact location. 

Not Quite ManhattanHenge

 

Whether by luck or judgement, this photographer has achieved an "against the light" image that is faintly similar to the shots of Manhattanhenge.

Similar, but not the same.

The sign on the wall says Rose Avril, which suggest that this might be in Belgium.

Bonus

What can I say?

Bagpipes and Gravel

 

I thought I'd be a little verbose, and in response to (almost zero) requests, give an outline of how I research slide locations.

Today's slide was a card-mounted slide, with no makers markings - so it may be that the photographer mounted his own slides. However, the quality makes me think Kodachrome, so... not much dating / location options there.

Written on the slide was "Our Official Greeters in Victoria", so at least I have a city/village. But, there are many "Victoria" locations across the world. The pipers, and the look of the vehicles made me think Canada. And the building in the background - I'm guessing that's "Sand & Gravel".

So, a quick Google for Canada, 1929, Victoria and Sand & Gravel turns up a few options... and "Producers Sand & Gravel Co. (1929) Ltd. of 900 Wharf Street, Victoria, Vancouver Island" looks like a positive hit. And an address ( Yay!).  A check of Google Streetview is ... disappointing.  Looks like there's been a lot of redevelopment over the years, and nothing looks like our building. It does show that the location is very close to the harbour and the sea-plane terminals.

One other link, the sign beside the bagpipers seems to say "Black Ball Line", and Googling reveals that the Black Ball Line is/was a shipping company, who have had operations between Victoria BC and Washington state, USA. So, that links in.

When ?  What sort of cars?   Heck, I can't do everything. The vehicles seems late 1950s / early 1960s to me (not an expert) and that ties in with Black Ball Line, but ... Don't Know. Any help from you readers? 

Bonus - 'Artificial Blowhole' Generates Wave Energy 

The Street Urchin

 

Nope. Not a third birdie slide this week.

Just a (non-sea) Street Urchin.

Bonus - A curious word urchin, with little obvious connection between the Sea- and Street- usages. However, it comes from From Middle English yrchoun, irchoun (“hedgehog”), borrowed from Old Northern French irechon, variant of herichun, (compare central Old French heriçun, heriçon; modern hérisson), from Vulgar Latin *ericio, ericionem, from Latin ericius (“hedgehog”). Doublet of herisson.