A Grand Day Out

Last Saturday morning I was woken by an unnatural light in our bedroom. Peeking through the curtains, I saw, the sun rising in the eastern sky, uninhibited by the usual hazy cloudy layer. The sky was a perfect blue with promise of a lovely summer day ahead.

After breakfast, while we were lounging about reading, in the conservatory I had this urge to go to the coast so we jumped in the car and set off towards Norfolk. The coastal resorts along the North Norfolk coast have always been our favorite destination for a day out, winter or summer.

On reflection the first Saturday of the school holidays was not a good day to be heading for the coast and popular holiday destinations. However, after a few traffic delays on the A47 at Wisbeach and Lynn, which nearly saw us turning back, we found the road to be relatively busy but smooth running. When I think of the traffic and the nose to tail jams on narrow bottleneck roads running through tiny village we use to encounter when we were small impatient kids on a outing to the coast, Saturdays journey the journey along the bypass was a breeze.

Our first destination was going to be Cromer as it has been a good few years since our last visit but, we actually finished up in Wells Next the Sea, our favorite resort. This little fishing resort hasn't changed greatly over the years and all the restored, derelict or unused, buildings have only added to the character of the town.

This exgrain store on the Quay side once removed and store gain from the ships that navigated the deep sea Chanel up to the Quay Side port. After a period of unuse it has now it has been tastefully converted into luxury apartments.

On the front of the building near the main ground floor entrance to an estate agents office that occupies part of the floor, is two marks gouged into the old bricks. These marks denotes the height flood waters came to in the two serious spring tide flood surges at the height of a gale that flooded part of the town. During the last big flood one of the large ships that visited the port was grounded over the sea bank that runs along the edge of the channel to the sea. Now the town is protected by water tight gates that close the Quay side off from the town.

This old masted sailing ship moored at the Quay in the photo is now restored as a small restaurant and near by fishing boats sell their fresh catches from their boats .

The warm sunny day had brought many visitors to the town even so, although it was busy, it wasn't overcrowded. After a delicious fish and chip lunch, (the fish was freshly caught and not over battered,) we wandered along the quay side watching the families with small children fishing for the small green crabs that scuttle about the waters.

This is one of the activities our boys use to enjoyed on our camping holiday here many years ago.

At the end of the Quay we sat for a while soaking up the sunshine and watching some of the small boats coming and going. A good few of the holiday makers seem to have arrived by boat as there were quite a few moored up in the estuary.

I actually remembered to grab my sun hat at we left that morning. The little boy was determined to be in the picture, bless!
The narrow main shopping street is pedestrianised and full of small interesting little shops. We walked along it and up onto the Green where we stopped for a refreshing Shandy at the Crown Pub.

The beach at Wells is a lovely wide sandy stretch and just over a mile along the sea bank out from the town. We decided not to go today but saw many people walking along the bank to the beach. It is a lovely stretch of beach if you enjoy just lazing in the sun.

At about four o'clock we decided to move on along the coast and drove along to Sheringham another coastal fishing town. Sherringham is not so popular or as pretty as Wells. It's become less attractive over the years with the arrival of the 'Penny Arcade' games places. We were decidedly surprised to find many of the shops and cafes already closed and closing at five o'clock on a Saturday evening at peak holiday time. Eventually we found a small cafe to have a snack and a cup of tea.

The Beach huts here, are all set along the Sea front Promenade. When I was a teenager I came to Sherringham with a group of school friends and our two Art teachers for a sketching holiday we stayed at the now demolished Grand Hotel on the Cliff top. Very Grand to an impoverished teenager! In those days there was no sandy beach just quite large pebbley shingle right down to the water. Now the shingle is piled up along the promenade sea wall and a sandy beach runs down to the sea edge. The evening was lovely and warm although it was now decidedly hazy. Quite a few people had striped to bathing costumes and were playing and swimming in the sea.

Most of the boats looked as if they hadn't been to sea for quite a while and fishing is no longer a much of a source of employment in the town.
Dave just couldn't help doing a bit of beach combing although this was as far onto the beach as he ventured!

The pebbles here are all flints stones and all the older houses in most of Norfolk are built with flint walls. These days though the flint is mined from quarries not removed from the beaches. Some of the flint walls and made with napped stones and some constructed from whole flints.

This flint I picked up on the beach was broken reveling the shiny flint interior but the out side of the flint intrigued me It was beautifully mottled with these different colours not the dull grey stone that normally encases the flint.
walking back through the town to the car we came across this sweet shop with jars of old fashion sweet. Not a sight that is common today!

No humbug about today! and yes we had a grand day out.

The Open Studios Close

Well folks, the three weekends of Peterborough Artists Open Studios are officially over. We haven't done a final head count of our visitors but we know we have been more successful than last year despite having a quite final weekend. The weather despite being slightly on the cool side mostly stayed good for us. Just one or two damp patches and showers over the weekends. All our visitors have been appreciative of our work and were happy to add their names and comments to our comments book. The only negative side of feedback was that several visitors were unhappy with the advertising of the event and the difficulty they had getting a catalogue I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all those art lovers who came along to visit us. It was much appreciated. Thanks folks. Hope to see you next year.

West End to East End

Day three Wednesday July 16th

Leaving our comfortable hotel in London's posh South West district we crossed via the hot airless undergound tube once more, to Kings Cross main line station to leave our luggage for the day. We had decided to hit the Museums but as it was a fresh warm sunny day we decided to head for the Docklands in the once notorious East End.

The Docklands in the East end have been the landing stage for immigrant for over 2000 years Romans, Saxons, Vikings, Jews, Russians and many more. The East End became a sink hole for all the poorest of the poor and the haunt of the notorious 'Jack the Ripper' The poverty was indescribable. After the blitz damage in the second world war the docks seriously declined as sea trade moved elsewhere and good were air freighted across the world,

Several of the original dockland tugs remain moored in the old docks. One has been converted into a church, another a conference venue.

Over the last decade the Thames Docklands have been transformed. A few of the derelict dockside warehouses have been saved and turned into desirable loft dwellings but many have been swept away completely and in their place new high rise glass sided office blocks and apartments have sprung up along the Thames side and clustered around the old docks. This new immigration into the London Docklands is like nothing ever seen in previous century's. These immigrants are from the London business communities and have nothing to do with the river except for enjoying the new ambiance created by the developers.

Some of the old warehouse still survive. These old sugar warehouses are smart restaurants and also houses the Dockland Museum . The main feature of the museum at the moment is a 'Jack the Ripper' display and presentation and gruesome it is!

Lovely well kept green areas with neat mown grass, shrubs and trees, rills of water and gushing fountains sweep between the tall office blocks. Every where is so peaceful, pleasent and well maintained.
......even a hugh television screen broadcasts the news chanel in one area of the gardens! These relaxing green oasis areas make a refreshing green space for the office workers to come out to have their picnic lunches.I commented on how it all reminded me of Vancouver when we came across this name plaque!

..............and this part of the underground shopping mall is called Canada Place. Its very Canadian! The shopping mall runs the whole length of this part of the Docklands All the wel known store have space here and its all so fresh and modern. Shopping or window shopping is so much more pleasurable when away from the smell, grime and noise of traffic.

Canary Wharf underground station terminal The trains run deep, deep underneath.The Cat and Canary pub on Fisherman's Wharf

The Dockland Museum in an old sugar warehouse and the statue of Robert Milligan who built the West Indian Dock in the 1700's

Pussy Cat Pussy Cat where have you been?

I've been up to London to look at the Queen.

Tuesday 15th July

Tuesday morning dawned sunny and warm with some patchy clouds. So after a gut busting full English hotel breakfast we decided to walk along the Edgeware Road to Marble Arch, we then headed along Oxford Street to Totenham Court Road and back to the hotel by the underground train.

The shops in Oxford Street are nothing special now days, the same as any city high street really. The buildings are a mixture of elegant Regency, fussy Victorian, Edwardian tasteful Art Deco and awful 60's square concrete block buildings. It's also very noisy, busy and smelly with traffic fumes.

A Bit of a Do

Back at the hotel we tarted ourselves up in our best posh clothes, asked the concierge to hail a cab and headed to to Buckingham Palace to join the crowds of other similarly suited and booted couples waiting to gain entrance to the fabled invitation only Garden Parties hosted by the Queen.
When we were first married my Mother in Law use to attempt to make me drink tea from a china cup with my little pinky stuck out. A habit just for the nobs and snobs was my reaction! A mug of tea was good enough for me! 'You'll never be asked to tea with the Queen' she use to say. Well, I wonder what she would have thought to this invitation!!!

In the Hotel reception, we're suitably dressed, Dave with a new suit. I went for a fascinator instead of a hat!

Several thousand couples line up to wait for the police to inspect your credentials before you are admitted into the Palace. Men must be suitably suited, uniformed or wear national costume. The Ladies usually have summer dress with a hat. On the whole the men were impeccable, but, the ladies fashion what can I say, went from understated elegance to downright bizarre.No cameras were allowed and phones had to be switched off. I left my camera in the hotel but whoops............. my phone has a good camera!! so along with a good many other people a few sneaky pictures were taken. The Tower of London has been decommissioned as a prison these days thank goodness.

Getting a glimpse of the Royal party though is a work of art. You need to be extremely fast and pushy to get anyway near, unless your forewarned that you will be spoken to. The Royal party this time consisted of the Queen and Prince Philip, Princess Ann, Prince Edward, and Prince and Prince Michael of Kent.

Two bands at opposite ends of the gardens play alternately and the Tower Beefeater's line the path the Royal party will take. Beefeater's are traditionally the Monarchs bodyguards although today they are just for ceremony

A green striped tea marque lines one side of the gardens and serves thousands of dainty sandwiches, bridge rolls and the most delicious cakes, Tea or juices are served and another army of waiters clear away any used china plated and cups. On the other side of the garden is the Royal tea marque and the Diplomatic Tea Marque. Hundreds of garden tables and chairs are available to sit and eat.

The weather was just glorious. Clear blue skies, warm sunshine and a gentle breeze. We had a lovely tea, wandered around the lake, sat and talked and laughed with other couples drank glasses of lovely lemon barley and ate ice cream.

It was almost eight o'clock before we got back to the hotel as we sat in the sunshine on the edge of the fountain outside Buckingham Palace 'people watching' while the guest without cars waited in a queue outside the Palace gates, for the taxis to arrive.

Chicargo

The Seven Dials area on the edge of Convent Garden, dates back to 1690 and has had a chequered history and deterioated to a dark slum. After considerable restoration and developement the area now has reemerged as a thriving bustling area. It's the area where seven roads converge and at it's centre is a column with seven sun dials on it's top. This coloumn is relative new as the ancient one was demolish some decades ago.

In one of the building between the converging roads is the Cambridge Theatre where the musical 'Chicago' is being performed. The lead at the moment is Suzanne Shaw.

After a early evening meal in an Aberdeen Angus Steak house we headed for the Theatre and took in the show. I had no pre knowledge of the story line of Chicago at all and was a little surprised by the sparse stage sets. Sumptuous it wasn't but the, singing and dancing certainly made up for it. Overall, I enjoyed it but I wouldn't say it was my most favourite stage show. Phantom takes allot of beating.

Summer Exhibition at the Royal Academy

Monday July 14th

We're having a three day London Break.

Monday morning saw us up early and on our way. First into Peterborough using our free travel passes, then on to the Capital via the train, across London on the Underground and finally a 10 minute walk up a leafy tree lined London Street to our Hotel. We managed to keep our luggage simple, one wheeled suitcase and a rucksack. The journey took us almost three hours, not bad as it would have been just as long by car and far more stressful with the Motorway then London traffic.

Our Hotel is the 'Darlington Hyde Park' on Sussex Gardens. Our room was a very quite one on the ground floor. Just ordinary, reasonably spacious and adequate, no view but then you don't need a view when your asleep!

After a refreshing cup of tea we headed back into the Capital. The hotel staff has directed us to a nearer underground station at Paddington, just five minutes away.

The Royal Academy of Arts is to be found in Burlington House, Piccadilly in the heart of the City. It was founded by George III in 1768. Governed by artists to 'promote the arts of design'

I had been wanting to visit the Summer exhibitions for several years now but had never had a chance before. This year is the Academy's 240th exhibition. It gives established and new artists a chance to exhibit.

The Academy is an impressive mellow stone building reached through and impressive carved stone archway. The Courtyard is dominated by Sir Anthony Caro's sculpture 'Promenade' consisting of five free standing steel structured.
The carved stone courtyard entrance

After a light snack in the little cafe in the sunny courtyard we did the rounds of the galleries of the Summer Exhibition. The vast number of pieces on display are overwhelming an its difficult to take it all in. Several pieces remain in my memory but none really shouted out at me I'm afraid. A series of eight large water colour paintings of a nude dancer entitled Burlesque Dancer Turning ' by David Remfry R.A. I found very compelling . A pencil, ink and watercolour piece by Chis Orr entitled 'General Strike or a Good Day Out' was great fun. The Charles Wollaston Prize went to Jeff Koons sculpture called 'Cracked Egg (Blue)' it's a big shiny blue egg with the top off. You can walk around it and look in it and see it's shiny silver reflective inside.

Eventually after two circuits of the exhibition we headed back in to the warm London sunshine and came across the Burlington Arcade. It's over 40 years since we visited this very elegant arcade of shops dedicated to selling only the very exclusive goods. We wandered along the ancient passage of .You need a seriously healthy bank balance to be able to shop here! The Arcade is Britain's very first shopping Mall! opened in 1819 and was the longest covered shopping street in England.

Peterborough Artists Open Studios

Our 'Open Studios' session is now two thirds over and from our point of view has been quite successful. Just one weekend to go now. Last week we had a slow but steady trickle of visitors. Yesterday, despite the rain, there was another steady flow of dedicated art loving people through the door. We thought today was going to be an absolute wash out with two o'clock arriving with just two adults and two children appearing. Then, just as we were giving, up the doorbell rang and didn't stop ringing for the next two hours. All our visitors were were happy to chat about art and paintings and were genuinely interested in where, who and how we painted.

Much of Prue's paintings this year are life pieces she has completed over the last three to four months. After the successful piece entitled '...of woman' displayed in the Pall Mall Galleries in London at the end of last year and it selling for over £300 the proceeds going towards the Sue Rider Foundation she has been buoyed up to do more Life work. A session at Whittlesey followed by two series of classes at the Stamford Arts Centre gave her the opportunity to develop a style and complete more pieces.

My work (below)is shown in Prue's garden studio once more. The red textured canvases developed over the last few month since seeing a wonderful canvas at the Vancouver Open Studios in Canada has drawn many complementary comments. As I hadn't completed many new canvases this year I've bulked out the exhibition with some older pieces. I have several pencil life drawings from the Stamford classes but unlike Prue I didn't feel they were right or good enough to display