F is for Fountain FunHow irresistible is a fountain on a hot day. Escaping from the mad touristy centre of Colmar in France, here, on the outskirts, people were relaxing and having fun.
Of course some fountains are more impressive than others. These were supposed to be shooting up in the air but it was found that they did not cope too well with the wind, so were turned down. Who would expect wind in a town that is surrounded on three sides by the sea, obviously not the architects. No skateboarders weaving in and out of these although I have seen them attempt the various tricks on the seats and stairs round the corner. The odd Labrador finds the water quite refreshing. These fountains are outside Emlyn Hughes House which is named after the late, great Liverpool FC footballer who was a son of the town. (His statue is also in this photo but it is not too clear against the trees). The locals however call it Crazy Horse Corner because Crazy Horse was his nickname, and who can resist a bit of alliteration.
The first time I saw these turned on I thought there was a flood not realising they were supposed to be fountains.
In mitigation I was sat in the Duke of Edinburgh Hotel (picture courtesy of Barrow Day By Day) on one of those nice high bar chairs, having a beer and looking out of the window. This is a Grade 2 listed building built in 1871 when the town was rapidly expanding and known as the 'Chicago of the North'. It has just been given a £2M refurbishment after some years of decline. It also used to have some nice trees in front but the council in their wisdom felled them, for traffic safety reasons, although they had stood there for years with no problem. Famous people who have stayed there include Charlie Chaplin and Cary Grant, who in there time had a lot of fans and D H Lawrence who wrote lots of fiction but also some non fiction on Freudian psychoanalysis. I wonder if he came with his wife Frieda. He also wrote poetry, mainly about nature, but also some concerning fish such as the one verse which is 'Little Fish' which I had to quote because it also has the word fun in it.The tiny fish enjoy themselves
in the sea.
Quick little splinters of life,
their little lives are fun to them
in the sea.
Follow the link to ABC Wednesday which will be full of more Fs
16 comments:
F is also for fantastic post. Very nice.
Very interesting and the turned down fountains do make itlook like a leaky place.
Great F photos!
I'd love to get wet in the French fountains! :D
Is it only children that get to play in the French fountains or can old ladies have Fun too...
we could have used those fountains in ALB, NY a couple weeks ago. Thanks.
A very fun post!
Thanks so much.
Sherry
I hope the Fountain of Frothy beer became you well! With a bit Of Fish on the side it would have been just Fine :-)
I love the fountains, but I was confused, thinking Emlyn Hughes came from Colmar, which I was fairly sure he did not! LOL! It's late and I'm tired...
Fountains are fun, and refresh the air beautifully!
That would be so much fun splish splashing in the fountains in France!!
Nice post.
Fountains are always fun for the kids!
The children are really enjoying themselves. When I was a kid, I love fountains and that was what I'd love to do.
Great F post Joy!And fountains are nice in th hot summer.... Good Idea
I am wishing you a grat trip when you leave for France, Greetings JoAnn/Holland (I showed pics from France on my blog)
Thank you all for your fun comments.
Hildred & Charles - Yes old ladies have fun as well as I have another picture of one filling up her bottle at this fountian.
RuneE - Lovely frothy beer, locally brewed.
Jay - You spotted my Joycean ramble error that the second picture of course is Barrow in Furness. The French do far better fountains. Emlyn was a one off, but with that mad sense of humour he had to be northern english.
He was a one-off, wasn't he? I always enjoyed listening to him on Question of Sport. Such a sad loss.
lovely reading this post!
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