Wednesday 5 December 2012

ABC Wednesday: "U" is for urban living's ups...


Urban living has its undoubted ups but also some undesirable downs.

Among the ups of living in or near Manchester’s city centre are the array of cultural benefits: theatre, galleries, art house cinema, mainstream and off-beat festivals, pop-ups, the variety of quality places to eat and drink, the thriving independent businesses and creative types that give a real buzz to certain quarters. A good public transport network of tram, train and buses, and free city centre shuttle buses. The city's radical roots and multicultural and demographic diversity add further layers of depth and the feelings of being part of something special.

Unwanted side effects are the fast food litter, the smokers who consider it acceptable to drop cigarette butts everywhere and anywhere, the people who spit, the tens of thousands of pieces of chewed gum which plaster the pavements in a shameful way as in no other city I have ever seen, and the people who take part in far worse crimes than those.

The plethora of free newspapers and magazines is another side of metropolitan life. While some are undoubtedly better than others, far too many are printed unnecessarily. The photo shows discarded copies of Urban Life laying on the 300 year old steps of St. Ann’s Church. 14,000 copies of it are printed weekly.

So, urban living unravels many unavoidable quandaries.

Linked to ABC Wednesday .

7 comments:

  1. I prefer URBAN life, myself!

    ROG, ABC Wednesday team

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  2. Chrissy no place is perfect, my town is the antithesis of Mancs, but our lenses capture the sublime to the ridiculous but mainly the interesting. Great shot and post.

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  3. I don't care where I live as long as it is safe for me and my family.

    Umbrella
    Rose, ABC Wednesday Team

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  4. UPS and downs in all areas of life and living, Unfortunately!

    Leslie
    abcw team

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  5. Great way to deliver a message about society today. Appreciated!

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  6. A great post for ABC Wednesday,urban living unravels many unavoidable quandaries. :)

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  7. Yes, can be a jungle indeed. You would wonder about the gums one sees here. There must be at least 20+ different sorts at sale at nearly every super market. Please have a good Thursday.

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