Asheville Impressions - Celebrating Asheville NC

Click photos to enlarge.
I wasn't the only photographer taking shots of these people, but by the time I took my turn, the young lady in the pink skirt was giving out Extra Large smiles, while I think the other young lady was wishing for a little privacy or perhaps food. And I may be wrong, but isn't the gentleman with them an actor in film or television? Look closely. I think I'll keep going back to this window…
This is how some people disappear from the face of the Earth. They sit around, lost in thought and blissfully unaware of the silent approach of the deadly giant snails which infest Broadway on damp days. This fellow has read his last newspaper.  
  When it's dark out, I'm attracted to warm light. Part moth.
 

Three steel ladies get out of their steel vehicle and head for the shops. Their manner of walking was a bit overdone, but this is Asheville…

 

Look at the color of this wall; those flowers. See that it is good.

These are the rooftops of a typical Asheville gnome colony, somewhere near the Grove Park Inn. I would have shot more photos, but you know how the Little Folk are; unsavory and foulmouthed when disturbed. They threw a dead cat at me.  
 
They were watching a free concert in Pritchard park…
ColourColourColourColourColourColourColourColourColour  

Two gentlemen of Asheville play nonchalant while those steel ladies from an earlier shot try to pick them up.


On Broadway, a member of the Stilts, a gang of pre-teen leaf-eaters, is caught in the act.

 

Yes, it is a hackneyed shot.
 
A group of percussionists play in Pack Square, much to the annoyance of a little bronze pig and his mum. Not sure what the percussionist on the right is staring at, but pigs hardly ever leave coins…  

A beautiful mural on Broadway by a really accomplished muralist, whose name I neglected to write down and post here, but I will. I'm an admirer.

*     *     *

Okay; went back down there for another look: The title is "Simple gift" by Sally Bryenton.


Up there; nice detailing.
Somebody did this; somebody made this mess. Why doesn't Asheville have cleaning lady come in a few days a week?  
  Looking up Wall Street darktime. What a neat street it is. Looming in the background is a building which reflects the architectural concept; "Duhh, I know; lets use aluminum and glass in a flat-surfaced box shape!"
A feast of color, design and fragrance and texture at A Far Away Place on Battery Park Avenue. A thousand distractions.

 

 

This is a woman who occasionally dresses as a monochromatic angel, sometimes black, sometimes white but always beautiful and intriguing. When the mood takes her, she appears in Pack Square and stands within a circle formed by the pattern of bricks in the sidewalk. She takes a pose, holds it as long as she can, then gracefully and slowly moves to another position. Sometimes buffeted by the wind, she persists bravely. The first time I saw her, she wore a black gown, black wings and blackened skin; the absence of light making it difficult to see the definition of her facial features. In white, the lovely proportions of her face are apparent. Just look at her. Who is she?

 

 

Asheville has really nice graffiti which is stood near by really beautiful women.

 

He is saying that a parliamentary system, with parties represented by their proportion of vote is far more democratic than our two-party "system." His little friend was trying to collect bone money from the crowd. Then they lost their train of thought.

 

Storm clouds.


Lazy, aimless weekend on Battery Park Avenue.  

I stood outside an open restaurant window one warm evening, listening to two men playing Spanish guitar, while two women accompanied their melodies on drums. The music was so good, but I was tired and wanted to go home, so I walked away from their sound with regret. By the time I reached Haywood Street, the Earth had turned enough to block the sun's precious light and darkness had descended. From inside Malaprop's bookstore, came the sound of six women singing in very early American harmonies to an enraptured crowd, their music simple and beautiful but sometimes intricate, their voices intertwining in almost medieval fashion. Ah; early American Madrigals.

I went in to listen and watch the faces of the audience, which occasionally broke into grateful song. After a few songs, I turned to a lady next to me and said "I love Asheville," and her eyes glowed as she spake, "So do I". And again, annoyed at that which doth make us tired, I left the music and closed Malaprop's door behind me.

There was a distant rhythmic thunder coming from the direction of Pritchard Park. My car lay in the opposite direction and my feet protested, "Oh no; here he goes again," as I pointed them toward the thunder and we argued about pain versus weakness.

Drums; dozens of beautiful, thundering drums being played in rising crescendos by a group of percussionists seated upon the ampitheater formed by steps. And below them, in the golden light of the street lamps, a whirling crowd of people danced freely to the throbbing rhythms.  
  A beautiful woman danced with her young child sometimes in her arms, sometimes not, and I wondered at what his memories would be of this gathering of joyful expression of souls and bodies.

I love Asheville.