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| From widefield |
Well I don't know about you, but I like poppies!
Panorama of London
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| From widefield |
I used to have a customer in Chalk Farm, and it was nice getting the bus to Regents Park and then walking through the park to Chalk Farm because you get a great view of London.
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society - panorama
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| From The Scotch Malt Whisky Society |
While at the The Scotch Malt Whisky Society I did a panorama in the restaurant.
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society
Found myself in Edinburgh, and the customer wanted to go to the Scotch Malt Whisky Society for lunch, well what could I do?
Its a really nice building both outside and inside, but then what do you expect in Edinburgh... gracious and elegant.
If this is your thing then the £100 for individual membership £85 if you are overseas (I wonder if England counts?) could well be the best bargain. And you can gift membership as well.
Here's the blurb from their web site:
"Freedom and whisky gang thegither" wrote Robert Burns over two hundred years ago. It's a sentiment we uphold.
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society began life some twenty years ago when a group of friends clubbed together to buy a cask of fine malt whisky. It took a few years before they opened their doors wider and today the Society has three superb venues and over 20,000 members worldwide.
The Society remains true to its origins in camaraderie, retaining its personable and companionable atmosphere in its publications, events and premises. At the Society yours is the freedom to be yourself and make yourself at home. You don't even have to like malt whisky! Indeed, one of the joys of the Society is that enthusiasts blend easily with those who simply enjoy good company.
The Society's traditional home is in one of the oldest commercial buildings in Scotland - The Vaults in Leith, Edinburgh's bustling old port area."
Its a really nice building both outside and inside, but then what do you expect in Edinburgh... gracious and elegant.
If this is your thing then the £100 for individual membership £85 if you are overseas (I wonder if England counts?) could well be the best bargain. And you can gift membership as well.
Here's the blurb from their web site:
"Freedom and whisky gang thegither" wrote Robert Burns over two hundred years ago. It's a sentiment we uphold.
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society began life some twenty years ago when a group of friends clubbed together to buy a cask of fine malt whisky. It took a few years before they opened their doors wider and today the Society has three superb venues and over 20,000 members worldwide.
The Society remains true to its origins in camaraderie, retaining its personable and companionable atmosphere in its publications, events and premises. At the Society yours is the freedom to be yourself and make yourself at home. You don't even have to like malt whisky! Indeed, one of the joys of the Society is that enthusiasts blend easily with those who simply enjoy good company.
The Society's traditional home is in one of the oldest commercial buildings in Scotland - The Vaults in Leith, Edinburgh's bustling old port area."
Another semi-random photo
Here's a photo of Lancing College in West Sussex. Its a great looking place in a lovely part of the world. The river is the river Adur.
The London Underground
The BBC are saying the Tube is 150 years old... well so that would mean it started in 1858? The problem is that even the Tube's own web site says "but its history dates back to 1863 when the world's first underground railway opened in London" , and a brief bit of investigation shows that public service started on 10th January 1863.
So another 5 years to go then.
In the meantime, here's one of my favorite pictures of a Tube station, in fact Swiss Cottage, for no reason other than the lights on the escalator point upwards and give a lovely pattern on the ceiling.
One of the things that comes back to me again and again when I take photographs is that if you see it take it! Its possible it just won't be there even minutes later.
I took some more shots but something had changed, and now instead of the play of light on the ceiling... gone!
The BBC documentary described the great tragedy of the July 7th bombings.
I had a near miss. I'd just started working for a new company and I had to commute to Aldgate. It was my 4th day, and with a near 10 minute walk from Aldgate to the office, I had established that there were 2 ways to get there, but which was fastest?
I remember standing outside Aldgate tube station and looked at my watch. It said 8.51. I set off and walked to work.
Only later did I find out that at approximately 8.50 the Circle Line train behind mine was blown up, between Liverpool Street and Aldgate. I got on the Underground at Baker Street, so if I had been delayed just a few minutes at Baker Street...
So another 5 years to go then.
In the meantime, here's one of my favorite pictures of a Tube station, in fact Swiss Cottage, for no reason other than the lights on the escalator point upwards and give a lovely pattern on the ceiling.
I took some more shots but something had changed, and now instead of the play of light on the ceiling... gone!
The BBC documentary described the great tragedy of the July 7th bombings.
I had a near miss. I'd just started working for a new company and I had to commute to Aldgate. It was my 4th day, and with a near 10 minute walk from Aldgate to the office, I had established that there were 2 ways to get there, but which was fastest?
I remember standing outside Aldgate tube station and looked at my watch. It said 8.51. I set off and walked to work.
Only later did I find out that at approximately 8.50 the Circle Line train behind mine was blown up, between Liverpool Street and Aldgate. I got on the Underground at Baker Street, so if I had been delayed just a few minutes at Baker Street...
Bayeux Cathedral
We were in Bayeux to see the Tapestry. As we got approached the city it soon became obvious that the Cathedral is one of the most fantastic in Europe!
Built to replace the previous wooden Cathedral which burnt down, it was built in the 1070s was consecrated on 14 July 1077 in the presence of William, Duke of Normandy and King of England.
Most of the texts say that it was here that William forced Harold Godwinson to take an oath to allow the Crown of England to pass to William, the breaking of which lead to the Norman conquest of England. If so then the oath was taken in the old Cathedral
Inside is just as amazing
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| From Bayeux and Arromanche / Gold Beach |
Built to replace the previous wooden Cathedral which burnt down, it was built in the 1070s was consecrated on 14 July 1077 in the presence of William, Duke of Normandy and King of England.
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| From Bayeux and Arromanche / Gold Beach |
Most of the texts say that it was here that William forced Harold Godwinson to take an oath to allow the Crown of England to pass to William, the breaking of which lead to the Norman conquest of England. If so then the oath was taken in the old Cathedral
Inside is just as amazing
Bayeux Tapestry
Being English I was only taught the Norman Conquest from one view. So it was really nice to go to Bayeux to see the Tapestry, and find the French version of events.
My first surprise was that the Tapestry is not per se about the Battle of Hastings. Its about what happens if you promise to do something, and then renege on your promise. Harold had promised to William that he would not accept the English crown from Edward, instead letting it pass to William. Harold reneged on his oath, Halleys comet put in an appearance (which was considered a sign of impending doom), and God's divine retribution was inevitable. And so Harold got his comeuppance.
You can see a quicktime VR of the Tapestry here.
Photography of the Tapestry is forbidden, so here's a photo of the museum.
- it says that its actually a tapestry because the design is not woven into the fabric. Its actually an embroidery.
- its says that while the Tapestry was commissioned by Bishop Odo (and William's half brother) the Bishop of Bayeux it was made in England, in Kent in fact.
- it seems that some of the Tapestry has been lost over the years.
The entry fee includes an audio tour available in mutliple languages, including Australian.
I found the pace a little too fast, and a pause facility would have been nice.
My first surprise was that the Tapestry is not per se about the Battle of Hastings. Its about what happens if you promise to do something, and then renege on your promise. Harold had promised to William that he would not accept the English crown from Edward, instead letting it pass to William. Harold reneged on his oath, Halleys comet put in an appearance (which was considered a sign of impending doom), and God's divine retribution was inevitable. And so Harold got his comeuppance.
You can see a quicktime VR of the Tapestry here.
Photography of the Tapestry is forbidden, so here's a photo of the museum.
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| From Bayeux and Arromanche / Gold Beach |
The book we bought from the museum where the Tapestry is housed gave 3 more surprises:
- it says that its actually a tapestry because the design is not woven into the fabric. Its actually an embroidery.
- its says that while the Tapestry was commissioned by Bishop Odo (and William's half brother) the Bishop of Bayeux it was made in England, in Kent in fact.
- it seems that some of the Tapestry has been lost over the years.
The entry fee includes an audio tour available in mutliple languages, including Australian
I found the pace a little too fast, and a pause facility would have been nice.
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