This photo looks fairly normal…
until I point out that it is actually…
August 21, 2008
August 20, 2008
Tomb of the unknown soldier
Two soldiers guard the memorial day and night in one hour shifts, ignoring the tourists. Every now and again they swap sides, starting and stopping simultaneously. I think I eventually worked out what the secret signal was, but I don’t recall now. (It was twenty years ago, cut me some slack…)
I notice they have presented a brief tribute to the Isle of man here in passing. (Three legs, geddit?)
P.S. If you haven’t worked it out, it is in Athens, Greece.
August 19, 2008
The Musical Museum, Brentford
This picture is of Frank Holland MBE, the original owner of the collection at the Brentford Museum when it was housed in an old Church. He died in 1989 and this photo is probably from the year before.
I particularly like the portrait of him looking “scrubbed up”. Frank couldn’t read or play music but was fascinated in mechanical means of playing. The Wurlitzer Organ Console behind him was originally in the Regal, Kingston upon Thames.
Nowadays, the Museum is in a swish new building next door to where the old Church was, funded by the sale of the original site which Frank had the good sense to buy freehold a long time ago (if I remember correctly).
I haven’t been since they moved as it has been a long time getting finished, being ran as a charity by volunteers. I’m looking forward to seeing some of the fascinating instruments again in due course.
August 18, 2008
Dusty old photos
In a change to blogging style, rather than wait for something interesting to happen and then blogging about it (which can be awkward sometimes when noting of note happens) I’m having a rummage through my archive of old photos, choosing a couple, scanning them and then talking about them. Sometimes it might only result in a sentence or two, other times a lengthly story, we shall see.
Back in 1988, on reaching the grand age of thirty and increasingly disappointed with Corporate life, I decided on a change of career direction. I found a job I knew I would like (despite halving my salary) and having left the Corporate Comfort of Northern Telecom with some holiday owing, I went off on a brief holiday to the Greek island of Domestos Aegina, the closest island to Athens, although still an hour or two by ferry ship.
I stayed at the Hotel Apollo near Agia Marina and I signed up for the various cultural trips during the day, whilst relaxing in the evening in the local hostelry, the appropriately named Red Cock.
Whilst on one of my several visits to Athens, I was wandering around the old town in the shadow of the Acropolis, when suddenly this flat hatted Ninja Warrior swept out of a side street and strode purposefully onwards, turning into a side street.
Curious, I followed him and was delighted to find myself in the religious equivalent of Habitat. Here were numerous shops selling church paraphernalia: Pulpits, Screens and huge gaudy light fittings. Here is a taster.
August 17, 2008
Cathedral City
We intended to go to the new improved York Maze today but on arrival we were warned that it was extremely muddy inside and our combined footwear of two pairs of Crocs and some old trainers were probably not ideal. Instead, we popped into York to do a bit of shopping.
Even though we live in Yorkshire, we probably don’t go to York often enough and it is easy to overlook what a fantastic City it is. It is a Medieval walled city and much of the wall survives, along with a layout straight out of the middle ages. Everywhere you go there is heritage and for a Sunday the centre was very bustling indeed. It is my second favourite Medieval City after Berne in Switzerland (The bear pits and the child eater swing it for me).
Of course it is a big tourist attraction with the Cathedral and the National Railway Museum but it is full of literally hundreds of small specialist shops along with old fashioned pubs. A particular favourite of mine from my childhood is the Castle Museum with its Victorian street, which has had a big makeover so is due another visit.
Fortunately, I took pocket snappy™ with me so reproduce a few shots of what was going on.
