Underneath

What goes on under here?  Not being a petrol head I haven't a clue but I do know its a Lotus and in particular I think a Lotus Esprit. These were made from 1976 to 2004 and possibly familiar to James Bond fans as they appeared in at least two films (For Your Eyes Only and The Spy Who Loved Me), one even going underwater having been turned into part car part submarine by Q, the gadget boffin. The model in the photograph is from the 1980s and with the help of wikipedia I learnt that it had a turbocharged engine under the bonnet and the chassis had been redesigned. Maybe that is why one observer is on his knees or perhaps he is checking for rust underneath.  Lotus still specialise in sports and racing cars. I do like the pop up headlamps (or perhaps its more the use of them for dramatic effect in films) but believe that the 2004 Lotus Esprit and Chevrolet Corvette C5 were the last volume production cars to use them.  For the full 1980s vibe of the Lotus Esprit see the Simply Eighties site here.  

An entry to ABC Wednesday, a journey through the alphabet, this week parked at U here

Nijntje

Part of the fun for the spectators of the Tour de France is the the long caravan  that precedes the race and whose advertising vehicles are all sorts of shapes and sizes, the vehicle occupants also throw various objects out to the waiting crowds.  I never expected to see Miffy motoring down the road towards me this year when I was standing on the street of York  ready to watch Stage Two of the Tour.

She is riding along with her proper Dutch name of Nijntje ( a diminutive of konijntje meaning "little rabbit"), although the English speaking world knows her best as Miffy.  Being Dutch of course Nijntje rides a bicycle

but I wondered why she was in the Tour, then I found out that next year's start is from Utrecht, the home town of Miffy's creator, Dick Bruna.  The 2015 Stage One (the Grand Depart) on the 4th July will be a individual time trial through the city and Stage two will also start out from Utrecht.  I wonder if they will take in the square named after her Nijntepleintje which in Dutch rhymes, like the verses in Dick Bruna's Nijntje books.  Although he is most well known for the little rabbit (which he famously drew as female because he wanted to draw a dress rather than trousers) he has published many other children's books and produced book covers and illustrations for his family's publishing company, Bruna and Zoon.  Now well into his eighties he announced his retirement this year although I believe he is still riding his bicycle around Utrecht.

An entry to ABC Wednesday, a journey through the alphabet this week sojourning at N here

Jardiniere and Jalopy

Sailing by Harrington Harbour

Flowers in July planted by the Church Road Youth Club in what one could loosly term a  jaunty jardinière near the jetty,  but now landlocked forever.

Which is the only place for a Jaguar car seen here in the Lakeland Motor Museum a jumble of cars, bicycles and motor bikes. Down the side are shops recreating displays from the 1950s and 60s

Did I mention they also have lots of antique signs?  John Bull, a national personification of Britain was the name used by the Leicester Rubber Company (1906-1955) who produced tyres for all vehicles as well as that essential for the cyclist, the tyre repair kits.

which came in little tin boxes and much larger ones for those with horsepower:-

Photo from The Vintage Knitter's   'Tin of the Week'

An entry to ABC Wednesday, a journey through the alphabet,  this week sojourning at J here