Bad Hair Day?

click to enlarge

This picture was taken in Market Street last week.

It's obviously trying to be Las Ramblas in Barcelona which is famous for its marvellous Living Statues.

This chap hadn't really got the right idea as he was chatting away to the cream of Manchester's youth. He only stopped to pose when he noticed my camera.

Actually, I suppose he could have been a she.

As usual, I saw many women on Market street looking like this.


It made me wonder - do you ever find transvestites in Muslim communities?

I put this forward as a PhD research project for some worthy Sociology or Anthropology student.

Surely Muslim cross dressing can't be much fun? There's not a lot of thrill in walking round covered in a black king sized duvet cover.

I can't see Julian Clary being attracted to the look can you?


Or Eddie Izzard.

It just wouldn't be worth putting all the lip gloss on let alone shaving the legs.

Oh and here's some 'nuns on the run' that I snapped on the bridge in Girona.

KAZ

Idle Wanker

Kev doesn't go to work any more.

He hasn't retired - he's not old enough (although he's not quite young enough to qualify for toy boy status).

He just didn't go back to work last Autumn.

Anyway - He's turned idling into an art form.

9a.m. Kev makes cup of tea and takes it back to bed with previous day's Guardian Crossword.

10.15a.m. 3 cups of tea later and crossword is often finished.

10.30 a.m. Listens to Ken Bruce's 'Popmaster' which gives him something to moan about for the rest of the day

11a.m. Has coffee with Kaz - except she's normally gone out by now.

noon: Walks to Gaffa's for 30p Guardian.

Afternoon activities include Soduko/sudoku (?) Evening News word puzzle, playing guitar and sending e mails to the website of a well known Merseyside football team who don't play in red.

6p.m. Starts to cook with glass of red in hand.

Footnote 1:
Yes there is a place called 'IDLE' and they do have a Working Man's Club

Footnote 2:
A recent crossword had the clue 'No stains made by wankers' (8 letters) - hint: it's an anagram.

I WAS SHOCKED! The guardian is such an esteemed organ.

KAZ

It's not only Gordon

Meanwhile back in Spain - the Internet cafe had closed down and there was no wireless for the VAIO.

Spanish television was keeping us in touch with the world.

It was the same old story - rise in cost of living, fall in property values, high fuel prices, flash floods, terrorist threats, L'Oreal anti wrinkle cream and football.

Poor Thierry!

Oh yes and even 'Doctor Who' in Catalan .... every night!

We decided to drive to France on Tuesday. But it was not to be - the Monday evening news had pictures of French lorry drivers blocking the border .

Over the next few days all the local petrol stations ran dry.

How about the train? On Thursday we caught the early bus to Figueras Station where the inscrutable bloke in the booking office said 'NO'.

Apparently the French railway workers were on strike. There was a train leaving in the opposite direction for Girona so we caught it.

A delicious lunch in the city was accompanied by the deafening sound of massed horns as the Catalan lorry drivers held their protest through the streets.

So don't blame Gordon for everything - it's the same everywhere.

Oh apart from the weather of course!
KAZ

Fly Me!

I flew home alone from Girona yesterday.

On the Airport Bus I saw an attractive young blonde woman who was obviously a Ryanair flight attendant. She was reading a book entitled:

"Operational Instructions"
Part A
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES.

I prayed that she would finish it before my flight took off.

All went smoothly.
I am now back in Manchester where it is still January.

My outward flights to Spain are seldom so uneventful.
In February there was the earthquake - this time there was the "airquake".

They called it turbulence and it was a real white knuckle ride all the way. The pilot said he couldn't remember a flight where it had been so bad.

Kev was acting like a wimp as he gripped the arm rests in terror. He spent most of the flight ranting, effing and blinding. If we'd been on the bus he'd have been thrown off.

I was fairly oblivious. Grazia Magazine was giving me the latest about Sienna's treatment of Rhys. It's a matter of priorities.

The pilot's voice reminded us once again that the 'fasten seat belt' signs were still on.

Some passengers just ignored him.

**** Then the star of the show stood up and took the mike. ****

With a limp wrist and a voice like Graham Norton ... the Chief Air Steward spoke.

He was masterful and magnificent.

He said...

YOU will return to your seats IMMEDIATELY
YOU will fasten your seat belts NOW
YOU will NOT go to the toilet
YOU will NOT open overhead luggage compartments
YOU WILL OBEY THESE INSTRUCTIONS AT ONCE.

Every single person scuttered to their place and silence reigned for the rest of the flight.

What a STAR!!

I wish I'd had class control like that when I was teaching.

P.S. Thanks for taking care of the place. I've replied in the comments box below.
KAZ