The English countryside

 The sunburnt countryside outside Salisbury. The tour guide said that there were reports of UFO's around here as well as crop circles. That would've been an interesting visit.

Stonehenge of course. Smaller than you think. The light and the clouds were just so beautiful that summer day.

Medieval decoration inside Salisbury Cathedral. The anonymous artisans were sensitive and bold in their work I think. The expressiveness of these faces really moved me.

Occasionally when you're in London you need a bit of fresh air so (when we got back to Stockholm I couldn't believe how country fresh the air smelled) we decided to take a day tour (Golden tours-ok) by bus to see Stonehenge, Salisbury Cathedral and Bath. It's an easy way to see the countryside when you want to cover a lot of distance. The tour guide was like an army general though but she did give us some good info. They are all magical places to go and I loved them all both visually and spiritually but next time I'd choose to see them without the tour guide.

 Countryside outside Bath. Just beautiful. I had to pinch myself it was like being in a dream.

Bath is a remarkable little Roman town in the middle of England with it's ancient baths still working and it's so well preserved you forget what century you're living in. There are really no modern buildings here at all. If it was in Australia it would've been razed long ago! It has the Jane Austen connection too. Jane lived here for a period and 'Persuasion' is partly set in Bath.  Bath is the place you must go in England. It's so unique. My camera batteries went dead by the time we got there so I only have a couple of photos from the cameraphone unfortunately.

 The main door of Bath Abbey. Closed of course.

 The Roman Baths, Bath.  There were heaps of school groups of children waiting outside in the queue, singing at the tops of their voices to pass the time. We decided to skip the kids and walk around the town as the tour group only gave us 45 minutes there. It was the better idea as the water pumps decided not to work that day at the baths.

 These little hills next to Stonehenge are actually heaped pagan cemeteries. You can see why the painter John Constable was inspired to paint clouds as well.

 The procession to Stonehenge. Here on Salisbury Hill for 5000 years. Just recently archaeologists have discovered another henge near this one. There was a lot of tourists at Stonehenge on the day so you just shuffle around with the multitudes taking photos. The cameraphone phenomenon has kind of got out of control. No one's looking at the sight anymore. It's all about the camera or phone.

 Salisbury Cathedral also has the Magna Carta (1215) on display. Yes it is the first document that you could kind of call a bill of rights and was a foundation stone for the English legal system. That is amazing but we didn't pay much attention really and walked by quickly to get outside into the sun because it's a bit gloomy in the church to be honest. You get exhausted looking at things, ungrateful wretch I am.

On a house near to Salisbury Cathedral. Thoughts to ponder as you drive through the countryside listening to Led Zeppelin? I thought of Led Zeppelin a couple of times in England, not that I listen to them much, but their mystical lyrics partly were inspired by the english countryside and I could understand why.

Read more about England: The London tales
Time travelling in Oxford

The London tales

 

The hurly burly of London traffic. I took this picture sitting in the front upstairs seat in the bus behind. It's the best way to see the sights if you're sick of walking.

 Looking through the arches in the Courtauld Institute. Not many people seem to go to this museum which is great for art lovers.

They still have the old red telephone box all over London. Convenient as not everyone has a mobile phone. Telstra take note.

 Inside the sculpture gallery of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
 The most incredible free museum of decorative arts with 145 galleries which are simply impossible to see in 1 day. I really wanted to see the Constable drawings which you can make an appointment to look at by yourself in the prints department. My favourites things in the end were the english medieval stained glass which were simple and moving. The tea rooms are superb too.

 Medieval stained glass angel at the Victoria & Albert Museum.

The difference between the hype of London and the peacefulness of the countryside is enormous, (except for Hyde Park). I suppose that's why many Londoners pack up and leave on the weekends so they can get a bit of peace.

School kids playing cricket in Hyde Park, London

London is the most full-on city. It's huge. It's gargantuan. The whole world meets there. The amount of cultural activities going on there is mind boggling. My head was spinning like Linda Blair in 'The Exorcist' trying to choose where to go and what to look at and you simply can't see it all so you must choose. Alas. So we didn't see Buckingham Palace and all those royal things. Though their influence is everywhere in the city so we saw it inadvertently anyway while wizzing past in the bus. I must say I felt kind of negative to the english royal family. Why do they still have a role? The english people obviously still want them to.

The atmosphere's buzzing all over London but at Piccadilly Circus it's particularly intense.

There are just dozens and dozens of major theatres in London. Here people are going to see a matinee of 'Legally Blonde' at the Savoy Theatre.

 In Trafalgar Square with Big Ben in the distance and Nelson's column on the right.

Note the lion. There are lions all over London. They're on the English flag too and in the logos for the national soccer team. You gotta love the lion.

 Coming up to St Paul's Cathedral (1708) which was designed by Sir Christopher Wren. We joined the service there for a while. St Paul's kind of overwhelms the spirit a bit.

There are pots of flowers around everywhere. Flowers decorate the telephone and light poles too which is a nice touch. 

The city is cram packed with monuments to lost times and won battles.  You walk down a small deserted street and there's a tiny war memorial that someone is still placing flowers upon. It's moving. People take history seriously here. And it's a political stage for the world too. A protest vigil by exiled Zimbabweans outside the Zimbabwean embassy on The Strand has been going on every Saturday for the last 8 years in the hope of getting rid of the Robert Mugabe regime. Songs are sung and petitions are signed. It will happen. Look at what happened in Estonia.

 Fountains in Hyde Park. Still on, unlike in Australia. They should put them on in Australia regardless of the drought I think.

There are pubs around everywhere, most with interesting history and decoration in old english style.

 We went to see the Royal Academy of Art to see the yearly members exhibition. It was quite enjoyable. I always like to see paint on canvas no matter what it is, though Hiie didn't think much of it. It's in Burlington House.

 The London eye overshadowing the tourist ferries and the County Hall. Didn't get to go on it. You need a lot of time to do everything in London. Maybe next time.

Outside the Houses of Parliament (1870) too, (which is a neo gothic masterpiece and has to be seen) there is on the opposite side of the road a group of activists opposed to the British involvement in Afghanistan, camped out in tatty tents with hand made placards as decoration. Good on them I say, war should never be easy for politicians though their welcome is probably ending soon. The detritus that is piling up is causing a bit of contraversy at the moment but the fact that it has been allowed and tolerated for the last few years is an incredible testament to the British belief in allowing everyone to have a voice. Though the government has tried to stop it legally and are still going.

  Demonstration opposite the Houses of Parliament.

 Police guarding the entrance of the Houses of Parliament. The police were very friendly, particularly with people wanting to take photos surprisingly.

 Close up of Houses of Parliament. The fineness and intricacy of the exterior is strikingly beautiful in a gothic kind of way.

The medieval Westminster Abbey where Princess Diana's funeral was held. We didn't go in as it was closed by the time we got there.  We tried to get into the Temple Church later which is in 'The Da Vinci Code' but alas it was closed for a service.

The museums are absolutely mind bogglingly great. And free. That says a lot about the UK though there's talk at the moment about charging fees. Don't do it. The whole world can learn about world culture in these museums and they need to know. People seem to forget easily.

The neo-classical facade of the National Gallery, London

This is the incredible Van Gogh 'Sunflowers' in the National Gallery. One of Hiie's favourite paintings and her favourite artist. Nothing else is as good as Van Gogh according to her.

Yinka Shonibare's 'Nelson's Ship in a Bottle' (2010) on the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square. It commemorates the Battle of Trafalgar.

Street entertainment in Trafalgar Square.

The British Museum. Not just for all things British but the history of the whole world. Seeing real Ancient Greek sculpture and wall friezes was the highlight for me as the artistry is unsurpassed. You can't really tell from the books but it's like there really is a living body in the marble and stone. The sculptors of the Parthenon werer magicians.

 Centaur and man in battle. From the Parthenon. The Elgin marbles have been on display since 1817.

The Courthalt Institute on The Strand. An incredible gallery brimming with priceless perfect gems of art. Some great impressionist masterpieces. And for the first time I saw some 20th century German expressionists such as Erich Heckel, Schmidt-Rottluff and Kirchner that were still wonderfully fresh and still powerful.

Unmistakably Monet in the Courthault Museum.

The National Gallery is absolutely one of the best galleries in the world and unmissable. So many great paintings- Velazquez, Titian, Turner,  no not Tina. Turner's painting 'The Fighting Temeraire' is the British peoples favourite work of art. We followed a plan to see all the major paintings first thing. Doing that is kind of crazy in the end because you're just hurtling through all the galleries trying to see everything as you're only there for one day. We did the same thing in the Louvre. It's hard to find a balance. In the end my favourite things to see in the National Gallery were the two Piero Della Franscesca paintings which were just beautiful and timeless. They're in the stunning new Sainsbury wing of 13th to 15th century paintings. If I went there again I'd just focus on one gallery like the Sainsbury wing. Just that is quite enough. No cameras allowed though unfortunately.

 Inside the portico of the National Gallery looking towards the famous St Martins-in-the-Fields church. It was a bit of a dismal grey day so everything looks a bit dull in this light.

After seeing the galleries you want some light entertainment too so we went shopping a few times as all the sales were on. The clothes are absolutely fantastic in London. So much choice and gorgeous, imaginative clothes, some are quite reasonably priced like at the Topshop which are everywhere. Knightsbridge is really expensive ie. Harrods but great to see. And near Oxford Circus there's heaps of shops to go to for clothes. They love wearing colour in London and it looks great. I noticed you see lots more older women really strikingly dressed around town. But convert your money before you get to London as there are very few cash machines around. They have them but they're really hard to find.

 Umbrella shop and we did need one a couple of times though it was stinking hot.

 The insane crowds in Oxford Circus. The London underground runs really well considering the amount of people that use it. There's a million things to do and the red double decker buses are a great way to see the London sights easily. We got an oyster card for the week and it's better value than if you just buy tickets one at a time.

 After the insane crowds you want some silence with your dog in Hyde Park.

More reading: Time travelling in Oxford. 
The English countryside.

Time travelling in Oxford

The beginnings of Oxford lie in the Saxon period when a princess and a nun, Frideswede, founded a monastery in the 8th century. Old ain't it! This is a view from the University Church of St Mary the Virgin (first recorded in the Domesday book in 1086- unbelievable) over Christ Church College, Oxford University. Oxford University has 38 colleges, 8 of which had been founded by the end of the 14th century. We climbed up an extremely narrow stone tower to get to the roof. It was quite gutsy of Hiie as she can't stand heights. Either can I much but the view was worth it. Many of the buildings are in very good condition considering how old they are. Unlike Salisbury Cathedral which is really worn and was a bit of a disappointment.

The silhouette is actually a statue. One of the colleges in medieval Oxford.

Exterior stonework on the 14th century gothic spire of The University Church, of St Mary the Virgin, Oxford. I was standing on the roof of the church when I took this picture and looking up was truly vertigo producing.

Taken from St Mary's spire. It's a great view. The building in front is a private reading room for the Bodleian library.

In the St John's college courtyard.

Fancy going back to the 12th century? Go to Oxford which is 99 kilometres north-west of London and an easy train ride. Everyone knows about Oxford, the medieval town famous for its university. Various well known luminaries- prime ministers, poets, politicians, even the Obama administration has 6 members- have all studied at Oxford.  I listen to a soul music show broadcast from Oxford. My mother tells me the english tv show 'Morse' is filmed there. Now I know what it's like.
It's a magical little town that is completely dominated by the university which lies in it's centre whose spires you can see everywhere. I don't think I'd like to live there though. It's too much of a university town. Though like London it seems to have a lot of live theatre and arts happening. Bath was the same. And it's probably like that all over England I imagine. I think it says a lot about a place- the level of creativity.

Beautiful decorative metalwork in Paddington station, London where you catch the train to Oxford from.

Walking's a good way to discover Oxford. 

Heaps of tourists were buzzing around on the day. You don't actually encounter that many 'real' english people. There were heaps of French and Spanish school groups.

Stone man popping out of a student window.

The gardens are really well kept and in traditional English style. Well actually it's not really english style here  it's really Italian/French style that had a huge influence on the english aristo's in the 18th century.

We only went to Oxford for a day and caught the train from London which takes about 1 hour. It was over 30 degrees on the day so it was pretty hot wandering around along with the throngs of tourists and tourist buses thronging the roads.  We still managed to have our cups of tea and coffee though in spite of the heat. That's addiction for you. We managed to cool down in the Ashmolean museum which has to be one of the greatest museums on earth. It's a beautiful building with a classical facade and portico, newly designed galleries and not too big in size to get to grips with the collections. The artworks are incredible. Just the most perfect examples of renaissance art you'll see in one room.

 Ashmolean museum, Oxford. One of the best galleries you'll ever visit.

 Here's one mannerist painting (can't remember the artist) that reminded me of our own times. This style is really common in  movies such as 'Avatar'. We're living in a mannerist time I think.

In the renaissance room. I was never that big a fan of high renaissance art really. I preferred the simplicity of early renaissance or medieval art. I found the classical influences took over but seeing them in real life I appreciate them a lot more. There's a softness and grace that isn't captured in the books. The tranquillity and sense of order and harmony in these paintings is incredible up close and personal.

 I just love the Della Robbia terracotta reliefs. Just blue and white and supremely beautiful. They are perfection.

The Virgin Mary's mantle was mostly painted in blue in paintings of her. Sometimes it was the semi precious stone lapis lazuli that was used as the basis of a blue paint. This doesn't look like it though.

We couldn't see everything as usual because you just can't absorb it after a while and it was too hot. I couldn't believe England got this hot but a tour guide told us they may have to have water restrictions in future. Join the club. Hyde Park in London was as dry as a bone. Lots of yellow grass. Reminded me of Australia. But the difference here is that the fountains are all still working and the ponds and lakes are filled with water. In Stockholm there's quite a few fountains that are of course spurting out water in profligate fashion and I feel kind of a guilty pleasure when I look at them after knowing how water is so scarce in Australia and other countries.

St John's college, Oxford.

St John's college, Oxford

We went into a couple of the colleges and sat on the lawns in the shade to get cool. You had to pay for some of them too, I suppose to keep up the gardens and maintain the buildings which would be an ongoing battle. I think some of the top universities have had some hard times financially in recent years though. Some of the Harry Potter movies had scenes filmed in some of the buildings and you can imagine it. It was pretty deserted in the university colleges as students were on holidays.

We saw this written on the footpath while we were walking. It really moved me. The other side of the picture perfect ideal Oxford. 

 Oxford seems to be a cycling town. But even in London I saw many cyclists willing to risk life and limb amongst the double decker buses. The Sheldonian theatre is in the background.

 Landscape looking very dry. Taken from the train on the way back to London. The soft light is so different to Australia. After seeing the landscape in real life I realised that all those english painters of the 18th and 19th century such as Turner were really accurate in their depictions of the landscape.

When we got back to the hotel in London I read an article in the Times magazine by Naomi Wolf who wrote 'The Beauty Myth' inspired, she says, by the sexism she experienced at Oxford in the 1980's which caused her to leave. She recently went back to finish her doctorate and says it's changed. Good.

More England reading: The English countryside

The London tales