Every picture tells a story. Okay, not all of mine do, but that opener certainly does.
Quite some while ago I toyed with the idea that perhaps a series of blog posts called “My Point of View” might prove popular. After one post and further consideration I concluded that people aren’t remotely interested in my point of view, that’s true on practically any given subject. Even I’m not that interested in the “fascinating” insights and workings of John Harper’s mind. That said I sometimes do have thoughts that may need sharing, especially so as I surveyed the scene in my opening image above. I’m sheltering in the entrance to Bath Abbey from a brief hail storm a few days ago. Regardless of the weather it is still eerily quiet and I wonder for how much longer that’ll be. This specific area would normally be packed with tourists, locals, office workers, shoppers et al. It was around lunchtime, traditionally a period so busy that often you can hardly find space to walk through.
Of course things aren’t normal, in case we need reminding, far from it. No matter how many times I’ve sneaked down to Bath in the hope that some normality has magically arrived, sadly I can only reveal that it hasn’t. It won’t whilst a political game is being played out. As usual the general population are the pawns in this little game. “Everybody wants to rule the world” according to the band Tears for Fears, strangely enough these wannabe world rulers seem hellbent on creating nothing but tears and fears.
One of the ways out of all this is by vaccination. The E.U. seems to have completely lost the plot and that’s coming from someone who voted to remain in the Union of Europe. It’s all a game for politicians, a race for popularity, approval or revenge. They’re just like children and similarly there’s a strong dislike for others success. It’s not the E.U. solely, individual countries in the Union seem hellbent on screwing up the vaccination process. If I were French or German I’d be asking the leadership what the hell they were playing at. Take the Oxford Astra Zeneca vaccine and the French. Not too long ago President Macron announced that it was unsafe for those over 65 years old, only to be used in younger citizens. Then France along with a few others stopped using it altogether. Yesterday the French authorities said that it can be used, only now it was not safe for younger people, only for those over 65. So, I’m the leader of a country, President Harper, and my people (oh, the power of typing that!) are suffering. We’re in terrible trouble, socially and economically, couple that with the fact that my subjects are dying in their thousands. My country is sick on every level imaginable, hang on, the cavalry has arrived and they’re carrying syringes. We have a vaccine that is inexpensive, in plentiful supply, been proven to be safe and easy to store. As long as there’s confidence in the vaccine there could be light at the end of the tunnel, hooray. Um, let me think, what should I do? I know, I’ll undermine it. Tell my people (still feels good typing that!) that it isn’t safe, pile on a huge amount of bureaucracy, drag my feet. I’ll sit on a reservoir of vaccine and watch my citizens suffer some more. Wait! I’ve changed my mind. What? It’s too late and now there’s a third wave? Oh merde! I suppose a few thousand more deaths won’t stop my re-election, everyone will still love me won’t they? The political animal is a strange beast.
Then we have the E.U. who have come up with a cunning plan to stop anyone more successful than them and of course will assist in covering up their own incompetence. Ursula von der Leyen says that they will “stop all exports of vaccine manufactured in the E.U. to any country who has a higher vaccination rate than us”. No prizes for guessing which country that’s aimed at. It’s so transparent and absolutely pathetic. A worldwide problem really does deserve a worldwide solution, not this fiasco. It’s self defeating, you’d think politicians would grasp a concept that involved the word “self”.
Now is not the time for nationalism, though I must admit to be being quite impressed with the U.K. and it’s current handling of the pandemic. We’re conducting 1.5 million tests per day with just 5,000 positives. Despite the efforts of President Macron and Chancellor Merkel, I had my vaccination a couple of days ago, I believe over 600,000 were administered on that day alone in the U.K. Almost half the adult population is now vaccinated. My vaccination centre was at the Bath Racecourse, I took a gamble, one of the few I’ve taken at a racetrack and actually came out winning. The place was buzzing with people, nurses, doctors, volunteers. All cooperating in huge sense of community spirit to get the job done. I received the Oxford Astra Zeneca jab. Yes, there might be is an infinitesimal risk, but that is put to one side. It isn’t personal, instead I’d say that it is our national and civic duty to get vaccinated. Stop acting like children, if nothing else let’s at least do it for the children. They want to be educated and have a social life. They want to go on holidays. They want normality. I understand that vaccinations aren’t the complete solution, it won’t make it go away, but let’s not make it an obstacle. Here’s Amélie on a rare outing to the real world, I really don’t want to take another photo of her or for that matter anyone else wearing a mask. That picture tells a story which needn’t be told:
There you are then, I’ve said my piece, the point of view has been voiced. I’ve peppered it with some photos taken in Bath. Purely from a personal standpoint and with photography firmly in mind, I really do hope this ends soon. I want to see people, I want to photography them, I want life. Here’s the rest of my meagre efforts from Bath:
As always my sincere thanks go to anyone taking the time to read this blog.
All images can be opened by clicking on the thumbnails and are taken using a Leica M with Summicron 28mm Lens fitted.
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