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Monthly Archives: September 2013

Cambridge Clock

28 Saturday Sep 2013

Posted by pat in England, Uncategorized

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Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, The Corpus Clock

Walking down the main street of Cambridge past the beautiful architecture of the various colleges, we saw a group of people on the corner watching something.  On closer inspection, it was a phenomenal “clock”.

on the corner of Cambridge. Photo by me.

On a corner of Cambridge. Photo by me.

The Corpus Clock is outside the Taylor Library at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge University, in the UK. It is beautiful, large and very sculptural. It was conceived and funded by John C. Taylor, an old member of the college, and officially unveiled 19 September 2008 by Cambridge physicist Stephen Hawking.

IMG_8513The clock’s face is 24-carat gold-plated stainless steel.  It has no hands or numbers but displays the time by opening individual slits in the clock face, backlit with blue LEDs; these slits are arranged in three concentric rings displaying hours, minutes and seconds.

Of course what you notice first is the intricate metal sculpture of an insect similar to a grasshopper or locust.  Taylor calls this beast “Chronophage” (literally, time eater). It moves its mouth as if to eat up the seconds as they pass, and occasionally blinks. The Chronophage is affectionately known by students variously as “Rosalind” or “Hopsy”.

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Below the clock is the inscription from the Vulgate 1 John 2:17: which translates as “the world passeth away, and the lust thereof”.

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Makes you think.

 

Highclere Castle

22 Sunday Sep 2013

Posted by pat in Uncategorized

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Downton Abbey, Highclere Castle

Downton Abbey, Season 4, will premier stateside on PBS January 5th, 2014, and will run 8 weeks before concluding on February 23rd. The news of it was already buzzing in England when we left mid-September. It premieres in the UK tonight, September 22nd on ITV at 9PM (that’s 4pm in the states on the east coast)!

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This summer, we finally did a side trip to Highclere castle, home to the Downton Abbey Clan. It was worth the ride through twisted roads and beautiful countryside to find it.

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It was just as lovely as I suspected, and surprisingly My Beloved Brit decided to go with me on the house tour.

IMG_8889Even though it was gloomy outside, inside the rooms were bright and just like the tv set.  They didn’t allow photography of the interior, but many of the rooms were very familiar from the television screen.  After the full tour of the downstairs and many of the bedroom suites on the first floor, we headed outside just in time for the misty rain to roll in.

IMG_8906It didn’t matter at all.  I had my rain gear on, so out I went.  MBB returned to the car to read his paper as I explored the lawn and gardens.

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The trees on the way to the secret garden are magnificent.

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I don’t remember seeing the white border or secret garden very much in the show.  I’ll have to look out for it this season.

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IMG_8922Downton Abbey or not, it is a beautiful house and garden.

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Let the season begin!

 

 

Services on the Motorway in Great Britain

18 Wednesday Sep 2013

Posted by pat in England, Travel, Uncategorized

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UK Services

One of the first things, and the last, that we see when we visit Great Britain is the “services” on the motorway.  Usually, we pick up a car at Heathrow, and move onto the M25 (the London beltway) heading out to our destination…this summer our first night was in Cambridge.

IMG_0072Very soon after leaving the airport, we always want to stop and have a cup of coffee or tea and a break.  That’s where “services” come in, the common name in GB for “rest stops” on the highway. They are usually on a fairly complex “roundabout” off a motorway exit.

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They almost seem American now, with Starbucks and KFC often featured.

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But they also feature very British breaks, such as M&S (Marks & Spencer’s), Waitrose and Costa Coffee. Last year we even pulled in, pushed our car seats back, and took a kip (nap in American) before continuing on to Cornwall after an all night flight.  I often see others doing the same thing in the services car parks.

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It now seems like a friendly greeting when we arrive…

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and our last farewell before we turn the car back in.

IMG_0069Goodbye England for now.  I promise some great future posts on our visit this summer. I never had enough time to fit everything in, but there are stories to come.

 

Llandudno and the sea.

16 Monday Sep 2013

Posted by pat in Travel, Uncategorized

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Llandudno, Snowdonia, Wales

Llandudno in Wales is a classic British Victorian/Edwardian seaside resort with the pier, the beach and a stellar crescent of old hotels.

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We stayed at the St. George, located right across the street from the promenade.  The gulls could be heard from dawn until dusk.

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Although it was rainy and grey, people were still packed in to the resort, hoping to catch a bit of sun before autumn took its final hold on the season.

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It was quite impressive, even in the misty rain. We had driven for hours through Snowdonia and the mountains to reach it on the northwest coast of Wales.

IMG_9864Llandudno is tucked into the cliffs and mountains, and does capture the rain coming east from Ireland.

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The west side of the resort, Great Orme,

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and to the east. Llandudno is wedged between two cliffs on a crescent of beach on Colwyn Bay.

IMG_9866The pier has seen better days, but children still flock there to get some sweets or try to win a prize at one of the games.

IMG_9857It wasn’t very active today, probably due to the weather. But the town was busy, the hotels full, and people were seen trying to find a place to sit and have a cup of tea or some fish ‘n’ chips.  A typical British day at the beach.

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It was my choice to visit Wales this trip.  I had never been, and it was lovely and different.  But I still prefer England, I think.

Driving across Wales

13 Friday Sep 2013

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Anglesey, Snowdonia, Wales

After we left St. David’s on the southwest coast of Wales, we headed up to the north coast.

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I wanted to see Anglesey, and we were going to stay at Llandudno, a Victorian Beach Resort town on Colwyn Bay. It was a 4 1/2 hour drive.  It was not boring.

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My Beloved Brit volunteered to drive the narrow winding roads along the coast…

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through the small villages and towns…

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that made their home by the sea.

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This is Wales as I imagined it.  We wound around the coast on the western most edge of the UK.

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And then on up in to the Snowdonia National Park.

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Mountains and the sea. As we left the coast behind, the roads seemed to get darker and windier.

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It was one of the times on this trip when I really felt like we were on holiday.

IMG_9849As we headed in to town at Llandudno,  I was rather sorry to leave the coast and mountains of Wales.

IMG_9851The next morning we headed over to the island of Anglesey.  It proved another lovely drive.

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We drove out to Holyhead where the ferries leave for Ireland.  It started raining…again… and as we saw a rescue helicopter overhead, I wondered if it was Prince William whose RAF base was nearby. f course in the news this week, it was announced that it was his last week at this job.  Perhaps this was his last flight.

 

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As we crossed the bridge back to mainland Wales, it was time to head east to England.

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We must have seen a half-dozen rainbows driving out of Wales.  Quite amazing. IMG_9879

Wales does have its own personality.  Rugged, and artsy and beautiful.

St. David’s, Wales

11 Wednesday Sep 2013

Posted by pat in Travel, Uncategorized, United Kingdom

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Barry Flanagan, Caerfai Bay, Pembrokeshire, St. David's, Wales

At the western most coast of the British Isle, there is St. David’s, Wales, and it is stunning.

A fourteenth century cross in the center of St. David's. Photo by me

A fourteenth century cross in the center of St. David’s. Photo by me

We came in after driving for hours behind a “wide load” vehicle through the countryside.  It was a slow, agonizing trip.

The town of St. David's slopes down towards the sea. Photo by me

The town of St. David’s slopes down towards the sea. Photo by me

But at the end was the small coastal town of St. David’s.

St David's. Photo by me.

St David’s. Photo by me.

Near the cathedral. Photo by me

Near the cathedral in the center of the “city”. Photo by me

The town in Pembrokeshire, Wales, is billed as the smallest city in Great Britain, both in size and population. It is also the final resting place of Saint David, the country’s patron saint.  The village of St. David’s was given city status in the 16th century due to the presence of St David’s Cathedral but lost the recognition in 1888.  City status was restored in 1994 at the request of Queen Elizabeth.

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St David’s Cathedral. Photo by me

St. David’s is a unique area.  It is very Welsh.  You see the signs in the Welsh language everywhere, and the food has local favorites like Welsh Cakes.  There is also fabulous seafood to be had.  The nearby fishing village of Solva provides an endless supply.

The grove, our home away from home. Photo by me

The Grove, our “restaurant with rooms” and home away from home. Photo by me

And on the edge of town is a great visitors center with a beautiful art gallery.

"Small Nijinsky Hare", Barry Flanagan. Photo by me.

“Small Nijinsky Hare”, Barry Flanagan. Photo by me.

Cwn Gwylt, Bay Catrin Howell. Sculpture of wild dogs is Howell's response to the legend of the sunken kingdom believed to lie between Ramsey and Bardsey islands. Photo by me.

Cwn Gwylt, Bay Catrin Howell. Sculpture of wild dogs is Howell’s response to the legend of the sunken kingdom believed to lie between Ramsey and Bardsey islands. Photo by me.

It was time to see the famous Wales’ coastline.

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Just outside “the city”. Photo by me.

Late afternoon and before the predicted rains, I decided to take a walk down the side road to the Pembrokeshire Coast Path and Caerfai Bay.

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Small cottages, campgrounds and farms line the road down to the sea. Photo by me.

And organic farm and campground. Photo by me.

And organic farm and campground. Photo by me.

Camping in Wales.  Photo by me.

Camping in Wales. Photo by me.

Laundry day in Wales. Photo by me.

Laundry day. Photo by me.

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From the Coastal Path as the rain approaches. Photo by me.

Photo by me

The well-travelled coastal path. Photo by me

The Irish Sea is treacherous and notorious for very strong tides and large numbers of offshore rocks. And it brings in lots of rain.

All those consonant and very few vowels...Welsh. Photo by me

All those consonant and very few vowels…Welsh. Photo by me

Photo by me

A hidden beach with cliffs of distinctive red sandstone. Photo by me

Carved in the stone on the side of the path.  Photo by me

Carved in the stone on the side of the path. There were symbols etched all over the area.  I have no idea by who. Photo by me

The whole area has a rather “new-age” vibe, with surfers, druids and artists all in the mix. There are a number of interesting archaeological sites along the coast such as burial chambers, Stone Age hut circles and Iron Age field systems.  It is also said this was the site where St. Patrick stood when he had the vision to travel to Ireland to convert the Irish to Christianity.

Photo by me

Looking out towards Ireland. Photo by me

Photo by me

Many dairy and sheep farms lined the coast. Photo by me

Photo by me

Photo by me

This walk along this lonely cliff was one of the highlights of my summer.  I felt like I was on the ends of the earth.

Wales is a different country

08 Sunday Sep 2013

Posted by pat in Travel, Uncategorized

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Breacons Beacons, Wales

Great Britain consists of four separate yet united countries: England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.  This week, for the first time, I crossed a fog-shrouded bridge into Wales.  It is lovely and does seem somewhat “foreign”. Everything is written in English, and also in Welsh.

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A strange “Totem” at the visitors center in Brecon Beacons. Photo by me

There are lots of “L”s and “W”s and “F”s in the Welsh language, unfamiliar and unpronounceable to the American tongue. We stopped in the town of Merthyr Tydfil for lunch, right after we had driven through LLwyn-0n.

Merthyr Tydefil Wales. Photo by me

Merthyr Tydefil Wales. Photo by me

It was a strange land, but the countryside was stark and beautiful. We started in the southern midlands, beautiful valleys and farmland, before we head for the western coast.

Wales in the Beacons.l Photo by me

Wales and the Beacons. Photo by me

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Driving through the valleys of the Breacons. Photo by me.

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A stop at the Visitors Center for the Breacons. Photo by me.

And the natives are very friendly.

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You have to love a country that has acres and acres of these friendly little residents walking around.

Kensington Palace Fashion Rules

06 Friday Sep 2013

Posted by pat in Art Museums & Exhibitions, England, Gardens, History, London, The Royal Family, Uncategorized

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Diana, Fashion Rules, Kensington Palace, Princess of Wales

We spent a morning at Kensington Palace earlier this week. Another glorious early September day in London.

The Sunken Garden. Photo by me.

The Sunken Garden. Photo by me.

I wanted to visit the palace again and see the new Fashion Rules exhibition.

The public entrance to Kensington Palace. Photo by me.

The public entrance to Kensington Palace. Photo by me.

New this year, the exhibition of dresses from the collections of HM The Queen, Princess Margaret, and Diana, Princess of Wales has proved to be very popular.

The 1950s: HM The Queen. Photo by me.

The 1950s: HM The Queen. Photo by me.

The workmanship and style of the dresses was amazing.  It was fabulous to see the craftsmanship of the garments up close.

1960s and 70s Princess Margaret. Photo by me.

1960s and 70s Princess Margaret. Photo by me.

It really did recall a specific time vividly through fashion.

My Beloved brit reckoned the fur trim was supposed to add some warmth to the coat. Photo by me.

The card said the fur added some warmth to the coat. My Beloved Brit reckoned they were kidding. Photo by me.

A past era, revisited in cloth and color and style.

Elizabeth I. Photo by me.

Elizabeth I. Photo by me of the exhibition film.

The Diana, Princess of Wales display featured five gowns that looked so familiar from past newspaper photos.

Photo by me.

Photo by me.

For the Japan State visit, a dress the color of cherry blossoms. Photo by me.

For the Japan State Visit, a dress the color of cherry blossoms on the left. Photo by me.

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I remember when she wore this dress with the metallic stars–she was such a style icon. Photo by me.

Photo by me.

Photo by me.

Photo by me.

Photo by me of the exhibition film.

And outside the palace, the golden gates on the south side were decorated with notes, clippings and floral tributes in memory of the princess.  It was the anniversary of her death on August 31st, and there were reminders throughout London.

Photo by me.

Photo by me.

Kensington Palace had been her home where she raised her boys, so here more than anywhere there were thoughts of her life.

The gates outside the road to the palace. Photo by me

The gates outside the road to the palace. Photo by me

Even across the street from the palace road, a cafe helps keep her memory alive.

Cafe Diana across from the palace road. Photo by me.

Cafe Diana across from the palace road. Photo by me.

And then there is the future, celebrated at this same cafe Diana herself used to pop in to for a cold drink.

In celebration of baby George. Photo by me.

In celebration of baby George. Photo by me.

The line of a tradition carries on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back to Bath

05 Thursday Sep 2013

Posted by pat in Bath, England, Travel, Uncategorized

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Pulteney Bridge

I love Bath.  It is lovely anytime of year.  Last time I was here it was late autumn and the leaves were golden.  This year, it is end of summer and there are flower baskets everywhere.

Bath on an early September day. Photo by me.

Bath on an early September day. Photo by me.

It is a spectacular city. Classic and modern, Roman and English, country and city.  The best of contradictions all in one very walkable location.

The Roman section of town. Photo by me

The Roman section of town. Photo by me

The main shopping promenade. Photo by me

The main shopping promenade. Photo by me

Flower baskets are everywhere. Photo by me

Flower baskets are everywhere. Photo by me

The Bath Abbey. Photo by me

The Bath Abbey. Photo by me

Around every corner there is another great scene. Photo by me

Around every corner there is another great scene. Photo by me

The lovely park in the center of Bath. Photo by me.

The lovely park, Parade Gardens, in the center of Bath. Photo by me.

Classic Bath. Photo by me

Classic Bath. Photo by me

We’re off to Wales, and the weather is supposed to change from sunny and 70s to cool, autumnal weather and rain.  Sounds like England to me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

London Old & New

04 Wednesday Sep 2013

Posted by pat in London

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The Shard, Tower of London

Nowhere was it more obvious the contrast between old and new London as when we came out of the Tower Hill underground station and saw the new “Shard” rising up behind the Tower of London.

The "Shard" and The Tower of London. Photo by me

The “Shard” and The Tower of London. Photo by me

There is new construction all over the city.  What a challenge to blend modern construction with a historic city.

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