Derby - City
Streets
w/e 20 December 2009
All this week's pictures were taken
with a Kodak DX6490
Since the beginning of November and throughout Advent most of
the images on this site have featured some indication of Christmas
and this page is no exception. We've already visited the German
Market in Nottingham and seen a Craft and Food Fayre at the Denby
Pottery Visitor Centre as well as all the decorations and lights
in Ilkeston so this time, in the week before Christmas, we took
a trip into Derby to wander through the city centre streets to
see what they had to offer. As we mingled with the shoppers this
was the view towards The Cornmarket along St Peter's Street.
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We would soon be on The Cornmarket but made our way there by
passing through the Westfield Centre leaving by Albion Street
where a market trader had a good display of holly wreathes for
sale.
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Continuing along Exchange Street we were treated to the sound
of bagpipes and instead of the usual Scottish Airs, the piper
was playing a selection of Christmas carols.
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As we turned into Albert Street, still with the sound of bagpipes
echoing behind us, we noticed a rather innovative window display
where a Father Christmas was ascending a rickety looking ladder
to complete his decorations. Hope he doesn't tumble off and has
to cancel his Christmas Eve run!
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On reaching The Cornmarket, a traditional greeting was spelt
out in large letters between the buildings and further on across
the mouth of Iron Gate the same greeting was repeated.
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Before reaching Iron Gate though we stopped at the Market Place
where several attractions have been added for Christmas including
a tree, a carousel, a Nativity scene, decorations on the lighting
columns and the Christmas Playground.
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The Christmas Playground is actually a collection of wooden toy
sculptures carved by local sculptor Andrew Frost (any relation
to Jack?) and according to the advertising blurb, children will
be encouraged "to climb aboard and let their imagination
run wild."
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We completed our walk through Derby's city streets at the far
end of Iron Gate where the 64.8 metre tower dwarfed the Christmas
tree at its foot. In any other location the tree would have looked
a quite substantial addition to the landscape but it is appropriate
as Christmas day approaches that the Cathedral remains the focus
of attention.
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