Santa Clause is coming to town.

Last week was the official lighting of the streets for Christmas.  It was a bit of a let down after last year and the Coca Cola truck.  I really was not very interested in taking pictures either, I just strolled down the main street and enjoyed the sights (and the smells for a change).
Yesterday I visited Hubbard's Hills in Louth, it was just a park but it was in the centre of town and it was a bit like being in the lake district.  Then we went to the Louth Christmas market which by comparison was nothing like Lincoln's but then neither were the crowds.  I have to say this "Canadian Factor" is something else.  It was spitting when we left Grimsby and sunny but windy when we arrived in Louth.  Not so much as a single drop fell on us the whole morning and the second I got home and sat down there was a torrential rain storm. LOL it's good to be Canadian.
Less than three weeks today and I will be home for Christmas.  I can't wait to decorate my own tree and do all the traditional stuff that make it truly Christmas to me.  We've already planned a gingerbread house decorating contest for the day after I get back.

I CAN'T WAIT!!!

Every flavour of liquorice possible.

On the way back we stopped at a train museum.

Would You Like a Bite?

Yesterday Graham and I went to the Draculafest in Whitby.  I took over 300 images and there were few that I wanted to delete.  With that being said there are still over 50 of my favourites I want to show to you.

If you know me well then you know that I hate crowds.  If you don't know me well then just look on my blog and remember my first New Years Eve here, that was my worst nightmare.  But yesterday I had a purpose amongst the millions of costumers, I wanted photos to use in creative pieces for competitions at the camera club.

Let it be said that Whitby was beautiful.  It's cliffs and sandy beaches were stunning.
Bram Stoker wrote about Whitby in the story Dracula, he depicted the evening drama against the background of the Abby ruins. He wrote about the North sea and a ship sinking to it's depths with the captain tied to the wheel as a fierce looking dogs made it's way up the stairs to the abby.  Little did he realize that many years later people would flock to the same scene dressed in their scary best.
This was not just a one off, these people cross all generations and it has become a family tradition for some.  I think that the ratio of costumers and us regular folk was about 1:1 believe it or not.


Let's start here….    This is the beautiful coastal view of Whitby.

A landmark memorial on the pier, for those lost at sea.

Here we go Jim, we could make a trailer when I come home and travel all the medieval fairs of Ontario making Tin Type prints in a trailer.  They processed the tin plates under a sheet in the trailer and fixed/washed them outside to get attention and sell the works. Brilliant minds.

Graham saw this on a BBC TV show.  It's an alley behind the shops that winds up the hill towards the Abbey.  Along the way are a couple more shops and cottages.

Looking down from about midway.

At the top.

Mini effect on the harbour from above.

The infamous stairs in Stoker's Dracula.

Mini effect, I feel like I have to tell you each time.

This was terrible, a traffic jam of people, just as many wanting up and wanting down the hill and no where to move.  We stood still for much of the time.  What should have taken 5 minutes or so to walk, took about 30.

Quaint little flower shop on a corner.

We were greeted by a good (not great) sunset as we headed back to the car at the park and ride and then headed into the city to see the Abbey at night.

We visited the Abbey during the evening so that we could see the illuminations and the actors who told the stories of Sweeney Todd, Body Snatching in the 16th century and the life of a  Surgeon in Whitby during the 15-16th centuries.  And as a final performance, Dracula.  The Actors were amazing, they added so much humour to the shows and reminded me how great the story of Dracula was.

Okay, here are the costumers.

I'm just getting started in this first photo and I felt a bit awkward asking them to pose, so I'm shooting at a distance.

Now I'm asking them to stop.

Here I'm comfortable asking them to look my way.

This girl is a natural, ready to pose and have fun.

These people are here to be photographed and there were lots of photographers there to help.

Below, the chaos in the Church cemetery.

This is a raven, she is only 7 months old and not fully grown.  She was really magnificent up close.

With many thanks to Graham I am able to tick off one of the boxes on my "Places to Visit This Year List" and speak to tell the tale.