Kitchen Garden Forum

I saw this in Paris.


And there is the undergardener centre in the second one (without absailing gear)!

That definitely needs a haircut. It will,probably be a very expensive one too!

I agree Primrose, it is overgrown - I'd worry about masonry being pulled off.

Here is an explanation.

In my younger and fitter days I was a member of a mountaineering club and did quite a lot of rock climbing. In some instances abseiling was the only sensible way down.

As you say, that would be an expensive "haircut". Surprisingly, the local council where the club was based had more sense than that. There was a monument which needed to have its upper light bulbs changed. A thing like Nelson's Column. Well, to get a construction business to do it would have required scaffolding, etc. Expensive!

Instead the council contacted the chairman of the mountaineering club to enquire if any of the climbers might be interested in this little adventure. Several of us jumped at the chance! Why not? The ledge at the top was so narrow there was a big chance of falling off so we were well anchored and roped up. (Very safety conscious club.)

We had got up there by being let into the horrible claustrophic spiral staircase in the middle of the monument. Once at the top, we did the job of changing the lightbulbs - free of course, it was a little adventure after all. While we were doing the job some busybody wifie phoned the police to report that there were hooligans running around the top of the monument! So, the police turned up for a look. Luckily the council official was still there at the bottom and explained our presence, so all was OK.

But "running"? How could anyone run around a ledge that's only a couple of inches wide? Not to mention we were at least a hundred feet up (probably more). We'd have to have been very skilled and unusual hooligans. We abseiled down (easiest way). At the bottom the local press were waiting for us. We made front page news! LOL!

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And I've just remembered who were in this group of 'hooligans'. The club chairman was a partner in the city's leading law firm, I was an accountant at the time, and... you get the idea. Hooligans indeed. Bah!

Re: Paris plant wall. Think of the spiders!!

In my younger days I worked on one particular motorway bridge that was around 110 feet high you seem to loose the sense of height at around 80 feet around 40 feet it can be quite nerve

I look at all the incredibly tall modern buildings which have been constructed in some cities these days and wonder who,s going to do all the necessary external repair work which will be needed when the time comes. There will probably be a high wage involved for anybody who has a head for these heights.

I can guarantee I won't be one applying for any job at heights!