Monday 28 April 2014
Sunday 27 April 2014
EASTER ALE
We braved the crowds and chill winds to visit The Royal
Standard, Wooburn Common Road near Wooburn Common.
Fine ales in abundance
but a little crowded hence we shivered outside with friends Derek and Sarah.
Just because the sun shines at Easter the wind is in the
north east, to prevent us getting too smug of an evening.
Saturday 26 April 2014
BARBARISM AT THE BRITISH MUSEUM
Visited Vikings Life
and Legend at the British Museum, the latest blockbuster show at the BM
that has easily drawn the hoards (of tourists) from across Europe.
"I think its only a reproduction Dear" . . |
Along side a thousand others we dutifully shuffled past some
delightful treasures that the exhibition’s organisers have pillaged the museums
of Scandinavia and Germany.
The most exciting discovery I made was in conversation with
Sian after the show relating to the origin of the word berserk: Berserkers (or
berserks) were Norse warriors, primarily reported in the Old Norse literature
to have fought in a nearly uncontrollable, trance-like fury, a characteristic
that later gave rise to the English word berserk. (Wikipedia – thank you)
Most historians believe that berserkers worked themselves
into a rage before battle, but some think that they might have consumed drugged
foods. This preparation would help you enjoy the exhibition more fully I am
sure.
Viking Bits |
Friday 25 April 2014
JAYWICK
Another
in the series Travels with my architect
A
semi-sunny day, Trevor and I travelled through the yellow rape fields of east
Essex to the coast, to Jaywick.
down the Broadway Jaywick |
Jaywick,
planned in the 1930’s as a holiday village for Londoners and now on record as
one of the most deprived places in England.
We
had a jolly time.
Parking
easily we headed down the Broadway, the main street and into the arms of
Phrills Diner. We chatted with Mr and Mrs Phrills, their excellent
establishment is open all year round “for
our regulars” said Mrs P.
After
a sausage sandwich (me) and egg and bacon sandwich (Trevor) we strolled down
the Broadway, admiring the architecture, T taking many photographs.
Eventually
out onto the sands, clouds scudding across the sky, a multitude telegraph wires
and sand blown across the roads and walkways.
A wide clean sandy beach and quite unspoilt.
A wide beach quite unspoilt |
Friendly
locals responded to greetings from two odd strangers, one bearing a Moleskine
the other a huge camera. However Jaywick has become a bit of a mecca for
writers and filmmakers because of isolation and despair (and strange)
disposition.
Back
along a narrow promenade, towards our car, we stopped coffee and bourbon
biscuits at LJ’s Beach Bar. Another good chinwag, with the LJ’s, Mrs was
polishing the already spotless counter and Mr was perfecting his cheese toastie
for intended for Mrs LJ.
We
headed to the south-western outskirts to the Martello Holiday Park, acres and
acres of trailer homes with shops and laundrette and key-pad gates; a complete
city-state.
Jaywick’s
very own Martello Tower, thoughtfully refurbished in 2005, afforded fine views
out to sea, I suppose in the direction of Belgium, inland we gazed out over the
roof tops of trailer homes and mused it would be a great place for a spy to
hole up.
The
sun was now out and the ice cream van had kindly parked right next to us so we
were really obliged to relish a Ninety-nine Flake before heading home not
before buying some lovely free-range eggs on the way out.
Wednesday 23 April 2014
A NIGHT OUT AT THE BREWERY
The Marlow Brewery, constantly at work on our behalf,
brewing beer in a traditional style supplying the local pubs with quality beer
all year round. Praise the Lord.
On the second Tuesday of the month, we who are members enjoy
good fellowship and fine beer, the brewery doors open 19:00 last drinks 21:30
About five hundred people are cheek by jowl enjoying the
very best in ale, conversation, burgers if needed, tall tales and silly
stories.
A more uplifting, wholesome and good-natured gathering is
hard to imagine.
Monday 21 April 2014
TALL TOWERS IN GLASGOW
From the window in room 729 in the Thistle Hotel.
This is the bleakness that forges a strong human spirit and constant good humour in this part of the world.
I gazed out across the permanent greyness.
In the foreground of my view is the roof of the multi-storey
car park almost the bereft of vehicles.
Behind this is housing, concrete on concrete, interlaced with
flyovers guarded by tall neon lampposts.
Yet more towers stretch into infinity.
This is the bleakness that forges a strong human spirit and constant good humour in this part of the world.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)