200

Back over to Belfast today for a few meetings. Flight home was delayed so I am blipping fairly late on what I realise is a Blipday! Blip 200 eh?? (more on this later).

The main meeting today took place at the offices of the Irish Football Association, 12 Windsor Avenue. The building, 'Dunallan' was once the home of Thomas Andrews, the designer of the Titanic and Chief Naval Architect at the shipbuilders Harland and Wolff. It was common practice for the firm to send a delegation of workers on the maiden voyage of all the ships it designed and built, to develop snagging lists and improvements that would have to be made. Andrews was part of the delegation for this ill-fated trip and did not survive. Reports vary, but it is suggested that upon discovering the damage, he knew the Titanic could not recover from the impact and spent the last hours of his life assisting the evacuation of fellow passengers, refusing a place on a lifeboat.

Legend has it that this staircase and stained glass window provided Andrews with inspiration for the design of the Titanic's Ballroom. The Titanic Society still holds meetings in the building and a model replica sits at the top of the staircase along with brochures and other literature on the ship.

So this is blip 200. Whilst there have been a few backblips, I was sitting in the airport tonight waiting on the flight home reflecting on the last 200 days taking photographs. Has it improved my photography? I'm pretty sure it has. Not every blip is a classic, far, far from it. But its gave me the discipline and drive to pick up a camera every day, learn more about it and made me think about what I want to do and where I would like to go with this amazing hobby. And along the way I've had the encouragement and support of many fellow blippers (you are a lovely bunch you know!) and family and friends who check in from time to time and mention it when we meet. Hey, I've even encouraged a few other people to give it a go and their blips are looking great.

So, 165 until the 365, got to keep on, keeping on eh? :-)