The 70th Hiroshima-Nagasaki Day

On the 6th of August 1945, the USA dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Three days later, on the 9th of August (exactly 70 years ago today), a second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. The two bombs killed almost 130,000 people, not to mention the thousands that were left injured or without their loved ones and homes. Unsurprisingly, a few days after the second bombing Japan surrendered and effectively ended World War II.

Every year the peace pagoda at Milton Keynes holds a commemorative ceremony to reflect on the horrors of war and invites people, from all nationalities and cultures, to ‘pray’ together for peace and harmony. There are chants, music and speeches from a variety of people, from variety of organisations and religions – not just Buddhists, after all peace is for everyone!

This year, for the 70th anniversary, I went along to be a part of the event and take some photographs. I dusted of my actual camera for the occasion – the camera I took to Japan but don’t really use for anything else… because, iPhone. Unfortunately, because my camera is really just a glorified point ’n’ click rather than a proper SLR, I didn’t take particularly good photos. Well, that and I’m no photographer!

Birthday pagoda and temple visit

It was my birthday on Friday and I had a wonderful long birthday weekend with my bestest bud, Lauren, who came up from Devon to stay. We met up with some uni pals in London on Saturday, but before that I took Lauren to my favourite place in MK… The Peace Pagoda and Buddhist temple at Willen Lake – we even went inside the temple to see the shrine, which I’d never done before.

Sunshine, showers & sunset

I stopped off at Willen on my way home from work, hoping to capture the amazing lighting/clouds before the sun set completely. I didn’t get very far, because it started raining and grey clouds set in, but here some tree photos…

…and then the sun came back out as soon as I got home. British weather!

Proving Milton Keynes isn't all about roundabouts

My friend Ruby came to visit me today. She lives near Cambridge and has been here a few times (and I there) in the last year or so, but prior to today we tended to venture out of Milton Keynes. We’ve been to Tring Natural History Museum and Whipsnade Zoo – both near to MK – but hadn’t really done much inside this town. Of course Ruby was being lead to believe that Milton Keynes is all roundabouts…

I set that straight with a sunny 7 mile walk including Campbell Park, canal, Willen Lake(s) and Linford Wood.

 

Floods & Frost & Frozen things

Went for a frosty Sunday morning walk with my camera.

Little Japan.

Little Stonehenge.

First of many tree photos.

First of many ‘trees in the water’ photos.

Bandstand.

A little Black-headed Gull.

Black-headed Gulls and Lapwings.

I don’t think that sign should be in the lake.

That red thing sticking out of the water is a bridge.