It’s all gone Pete Tong……

Zipworld Stadium in Eirias Park has recommenced it’s summer weekend concerts after the extended Covid break and tonight it’s Pete Tong’s Ibiza Classics. Now I realise fellow blippers may be surprised to learn that G and I have not spent our summers clubbing in the Balearics - sleeping on beaches in Greece was more our style, but that’s many, many moons ago. Suffice to say, we haven’t  bought tickets, but this afternoon we’re treated to the distant irritating disco beat sound checks which disturb my reading and even worm their way through headphones. 

It’s too hot to go out anywhere - and besides, the whole area will be rammed with holiday makers and day trippers. Eventually though, we’ve had enough, and by late afternoon we head  for Sychnant and a session of swallow photography.

Thankfully, the other lake has not run dry, and from a distance I can see the ponies and the local sheep are drinking from its cooling waters. I’m just too late to catch them as I’d like, but pass them as they’re heading back into the hills, the early evening light catching their manes beautifully. 

So far, so good,  but I have come for swallows and settle down to attempt that near-impossible task of catching them skimming over the water. It’s hard enough in normal circumstances, but it’s really still too hot and sweat is dripping into my eyes. My 600mm lens is just too big and unresponsive - or maybe that’s just me? Then there’s the couple with the dog who insist on repeatedly throwing it’s ball into the swallows’ path. And then there’s a strange bare-chested man who’s searching for WW2 remains, who keeps on hurling this large magnet into the lake then hauling it back to shore. He’s found a strange metal hoop of sorts which he thinks formed some sort of bracket for a gun ….. we weren’t convinced. And finally, a group of strangely clad youngsters start arriving for some mini-rave, loud music shattering the peace. It’s all a bit surreal. 

Eventually, I give up and we return home to the peace and quiet of our garden - or rather the thumping sounds of a very, very loud Pete Tong who’s now in full flow from the park. And I must admit, after a couple of glasses of a rather good red wine, it’s really not too bad! 

So it’s yet another pony today - best viewed large if you have time - and I can’t resist an extra. I’ve also included our military treasure hunter and a swallow collage just to show I managed something for my efforts! 

Oh, and the phrase "It's all gone Pete Tong" is patois for "It's all gone wrong," and is now the title of a faux documentary about a DJ (not Pete Tong) who goes stone deaf. In "It's All Gone Pete Tong," everything that can go wrong generally does, mostly to surprisingly sweet effect.