Which Way?

Summer is upon us, and with it comes the prospect of myriad outdoor activities under (hopefully) blue skies. One of my own favourite things to do at this time is hiking in the forests and hills surrounding the bowl that is the city of Oslo. This beautiful area is only a short distance from the city –there's even a tram that takes you right to the start of one of the many trails– yet you can walk for miles without seeing a single person at this time of the year. Quite different to the winter season when these same forests teem with people skiing, with queues even forming at weekends! However, in the summer most people seem to prefer being at the beach or along the coast, but personally I find the forest far more agreeable: views are frequently stunning; if the temperature is hot you are cooled by the trees, and a dip in any number of lakes will equal the sea for a relaxing swim. You can be out in the wild for days on end, but there are numerous huts and cabins that can be visited, or you can pitch a tent or sleep under the stars. There's nothing like it! Fortunately all the trails are clearly marked and signposted, (red for winter and blue for summer use) and as you can see, the only problem is deciding where to go... Location: Oslo, Norway

Irresistible Sign

I came across this sign in the window of a cliff-top café overlooking the English Channel at the end of a long, bracing walk on the South coast. There was something very compelling about its message and the nostalgic gentleness of its fading paint. I remember such cups from my childhood, and cakes -well; how can one ever say no to that! I fancy the sign had been here for a long time, which added to its charm. Above all I love its Englishness. And of course, I indulged! Location: Hastings, England

Portland Facade

I have always loved photographs of provincial America, especially those of the 1920s to 1940s. They so often feature iconic labels, mostly of cigarettes or soft drinks, that give them both a contemporary placing and a timeless flavour. I think I was trying to emulate such pictures when I took this one close to the quayside in Portland, Maine. I was fascinated by the brightly painted wooden facades that managed to look both new and old at the same time. And the Coca Cola sign was almost too good to be true, with its smears of running rust. Ideally there should have been an old sea dog sitting on the wooden sidewalk, but this was too cold a day even for the staunchest sailor. My camera was playing up because of the cold, so it's rather too blurred for my liking, but I am in a nostalgic mood, and so posting it anyway. Location: Portland, Maine

A Question of Lights

I do not drive. But even I did I would not know what to think of this. A question mark on a sign is surely a muddlesome thing, creating confusion and doubt rather than clarity and direction. Well, apart from that I found the traffic lights reminded me of large lego bricks, so perhaps the dilemma here is just how one should go about putting them together!

Location: Halifax, Canada

Signs in American Shop Window

Notice boards and shop windows are fertile grounds for gems of the bizarre and out-of-the-ordinary kind. One wonders just how safe people may have felt when passing this particular window!

Location: New Orleans, USA

Sign in Washington

Though I'm not a great fan of graffiti, sometimes it really makes me smile, like here on this road sign in the US capital.

Location: Washington D.C., USA