A few early images from last night's Mass Sleepout Bedroom Tax protest on College Green, Bristol.  I could only stay a short time, but offer maximum respect and solidarity to the dedicated protestors in Bristol (and across the UK) who were preparing to stay all night to highlight the alleged injustices of the controversial 'Bedroom Tax'

I spent a week in France this summer - a laze-about-with-a-book, have-a-snooze-in-the-shade kind of actual holiday. I loved it. I stayed with relatives in Lauzerte, a gorgeous town in the Southwest, perched on a hilltop.  The surrounding countryside is all rolling hills and fields of relentlessly cheerful sunflowers calling you to stroll among them and pretend you're starring in a cheesy romcom.  Food and wine featured heavily, of course (well, when in Rome/Lauzerte!).  I was also lucky enough to be there for the annual Les Nuits de Lauzerte, a magical event where after dark the entire town becomes one huge installation of light, sound and image.  Photographs are projected onto walls, performers take to the streets, music is everywhere...  I enjoyed wondering about in the dark streets as a shadow, never quite sure what would be around the next corner. The main square was, of course, packed with people eating and drinking but a few seconds away an audience in the church sat hypnotised by a woman (who I later found out was Lunacello) with a cello, a loopstation and the voice of an angel. Definitely the star of the show, even if I WAS too busy listening to get a decent shot of her!