 Olympic Madness – Salisbury shopfront. Olympic fever has gripped the television-watching-world. As I write this, the games are well into their second week and the people of the United Kingdom seem to have thrown themselves behind their Olympic athletes.
Two weeks before the games started, however, the people I talked to in London were grumbling about the inconveniences the games were causing and were expressing doubts about the city’s willingness or readiness to play host. I’ve lived in two previous host-cities, and I was sure they would have a change of heart once the games commenced. But with rain, gloom and traffic-grid-lock, Londoners were not convinced.
So, we were happy to leave the pessimism (if not the rain) behind us and drive southwest to the green fields of Wiltshire, and the medieval city of Salisbury. There, the shop-fronts, at least, were celebrating the upcoming games. To our surprise, so was Salisbury Cathedral!
 Tourists huddled under umbrellas in the rain en-route to Salisbury Cathedral.  The Walking Madonna by Elisabeth Frink (1930-1993)  “London 2012”: Concept torso by Ben Dearnley, outside Salisbury Cathedral. “London 2012”: The “concept torso” by Ben Dearnley features the London skyline on the inside to celebrate the UK’s role as Olympic host nation. Salisbury Cathedral has an Arts program, and when we were there the cloisters of the cathedral were playing host to a series of works by the contemporary British sculptor Ben Dearnley (1964- ) in honour of the games. I was thrilled by this for two reasons: I love sculpture; and entry into the cathedral itself was prohibitively expensive for the short time we had available to us.
Intended to echo the classical sculptures of competitors from the original Greek games, these beautiful works are modelled on some of the UK’s Olympic and Paralympic athletes and focus on the ‘power zones’ central to their sports.
“Adam”, a concept sculpture featuring a keyhole in his arm to symbolise inner strength, sits at the entry to the cloister arches. (Salisbury Cathedral) Louis Smith, Gymnast: Bronze medal Olympics 2008; Silver and Bronze medals Olympics 2012; European Champion, 2012. Ade Adepitan, MBE, Basketball: Bronze, Paralympic Games 2004; Paralympic World Cup Champion 2005. Oscar Pistorius, Athlete: Multiple Gold Medallists; Paralympic Games 2004/2008; Paralympic World Cup 2005; “Blade Runner” Olympics 2012. Christine Ohuruogu, Athlete: World Championship 2007; Gold Medallist, Olympics 2008; Silver Medallist, Olympics 2012. (Background: Leon Taylor, Diver: Silver Medalist, Olympics 2004; Commonwealth Championships 2006). Mark Foster, Swimmer: Olympics 1988/92/96/00/08; World Champion 1993/99/00/04 – in the cloisters of Salisbury Cathedral. Salisbury Cathedral cloisters are reflected in the sabre of Alex O’Connell, Fencer: Olympics 2008. Steve Williams OBE, Rower: World Champion 2000/01/05/06; Gold Medallist, Olympics 2004/08. Lee Pearson OBE MBE, Dressage: Gold Medallist Paralympic Games 2000/04/08, is joined with his horse in this stone sculpture. Concept sculpture: “Eve” celebrates all the female athletes at the London 2012 games. Behind her, a video presentation shows Ben Dearnley talking about his artistic inspiration and process. These classical, yet modern, sculptures were a wonderful foil for the early English Gothic (1220 – 1258) cathedral. They were also a timely reminder that Olympian efforts come in all shapes and forms: physical, artistic and architectural.
The beauty and balance of the archways of the cloisters are an example of gothic architectural grace. Flower-shaped keyholes look onto the spire (circa 1300) of Salisbury Cathedral. Salisbury’s spire, Britain’s tallest contrasts elegantly with the glass and chrome roof of the cafeteria and gift-shop. Medieval tapestry, cafeteria, Salisbury Cathedral. The next generation of Olympians? Children in the play corner: Salisbury Cathedral. It was a wonderful celebration of “humankind’s ability to make the most of the bodies and talents God has given us.”
It was also a great respite from the gloom and rain… which continued outside.
A quintessentially British scene: red call boxes, umbrellas and rain… more rain. Salisbury, Wiltshire.  I trust you are enjoying the Olympic efforts of the athletes and artists from whatever country you are in.
Happy travels!
Photos: 16July2012
Posted in Architecture,Culture,Fine Arts,Great BritainTags: architecture,arts and crafts,cathedral,church,London 2012,olympics,Photo Blog,Salisbury,sculpture,travel,Travel Blog,Ursula Wall
Follow the “Walking Man”… An Old Irish Blessing
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
If you walk Ireland’s Dingle Way, many a road will rise up to meet you. If you walk it during the wettest June in recorded history, much rain will fall soft upon your face and much rain will pound upon your head. Some winds will, indeed, be at your back – but many more will whip the plastic raincoat around your ears and impede your progress. And, you may despair of the sun shining ever again!
Or so it was for us, as we walked the 167 or 179 kilometres (depending on whom you believe) from Tralee to Camp and back again, around the Dingle Way. It was ten days of rain, wind and occasional sun – and it was marvellous. It must be VERY special in good weather!
Day 1: Travel to Tralee
Tralee is Ireland’s newest visitor destination; better known as the capital of Kerry and the Gateway to the Dingle Peninsula.
We had booked our walk well ahead of time with “Footfalls”, who manage Irish walking tours: both guided and self-guided, which is what we were doing. They sent us travel notes and maps, booked our hotels, suggested places to eat, and got our bags from A to B. Once we got ourselves to Tralee, making use of the rather excellent Irish buses (Bus Éireann), we just had to walk the planned route, along mostly well-marked (albeit muddy, rocky and narrow) trails, to get ourselves to our nightly destinations.
“Follow the canal…” Day 2: Tralee to Camp
An excellent start to your holiday, the way offers some superb views of Tralee and coastline. Traverses along the flanks of the Slieve Mish Mountains. Takes you through an old deserted village and ruined church.
Distance: 17.5 km/11 miles, Ascent: 200 m/600 ft
Our first day of walking – “Day 2” – lured us into a false sense of security. The sun was shining and the birds were singing as we set off along the canal and across the River Lee to find the path around Slieve Mish Mountains, overlooking Tralee Bay.
The trail following the canal leading out of Tralee is well used by walkers and runners, and lined with modern buildings. Life on the canal: a family of swans Foothills of the Slieve Mish Mountains provide a backdrop to a modern thatched resort-complex. A boat tied up on the River Lee – we think it might have been there a while! Mudflats and clouds on the River Lee, at the mouth of Tralee Bay. Once we cross the River Lee, we are into quiet country roads ~ ~ and before long, we are passing bucolic fields. Fuchsia grows wild all along the country lanes. For a short while, we are amongst fields and farms ~ ~ following roads bordered by hedges of honeysuckle, brambles, fuchsia and wild roses. After what seemed like a long climb up a dwindling road, we carefully crossed a gateway onto the rocky paths and boggy grasslands of the Slieve Mish Mountain foothills.
The Tonavane Walk into the Slieve Mish Mountains. Bog Cotton The creeks are just marginally wetter than the bog-lands surrounding them. Shire horses and sturdy ponies use the foundations of a ruined house to keep their feet dry on the bog. The patch of lilies growing within the frame of the ruined house was a surprise! One of the ponies was curious about what I was up to. Tralee Bay and the North Atlantic can be seen behind. We saw more than a few sheep as we picked our way over the rocks and through the boggy patches; most, however, turned tail and scrambled away as soon as we were near. I was happy to catch this lamb with its mother. The wet, black bog reminded me of The Beverly Hillbillies and their “black gold”. We crossed numerous creeks… … and countless styles. Rocky piles formed partial fences. All around the foothills, we had views of the North Atlantic, and parts of the Dingle Peninsula ahead. Eventually, we worked our way out of the open bog and into forested paths, to find ancient ruins: this one of an old house. Killelton Church, built in the 10th or 11th century with thick walls… … made of piled rocks. Outside the ancient church grounds, we find more fuchsia ~ ~ and wild strawberries. Finally! We come around a bend over Camp, our stop for the night.
We had no rain this day (the first and last day without rain for the whole of our walk – indeed for the whole of our stay in Ireland), but our boots were muddy and our pants were wet to the knees from the bogs we had sloshed across.
“I’ve seen worse!” our hostess laughed as we hobbled into our night’s accommodation.
So, we knew we were in good hands – and ready for the challenge of the next day’s adventure.
Sláinte – Good health!
Photos: 18June2012
Posted in Ireland,Nature,Rural,TravelTags: blog,Dingle Peninsula,Photo Blog,rural,The Dingle Way,travel,Travel Blog,Ursula Wall,walk
The Phra Achana Buddha of Wat Si Chum Sukhothai, the UNESCO listed collection of Thai ruins that was, in the 13th and 14th centuries, the capital of the Sukhothai kingdom, is a remarkable place. Inside the ancient walls are the remains of the old royal palace and twenty-six temples. What is even more remarkable, however, is the beauty to be found outside the walls.
Beyond the northern walls of the ancient city of Sukhothai, but still part of the official “Historic Town of Sukhothai and Associated Historic Towns”, are further treasures. When we saw the beautifully crafted marionettes and other carved products at the shops lining the quiet packed-dirt car-park outside Wat Si Chum, we knew we were in for a treat.
Delicate and elaborate marionettes welcome us to the parking lot of the Sukhothai North temples. Lucky fish mobiles, woven from colourful bamboo, are also for sale. The Mondop (small square temple building) of 13th Century Wat Si Chum lies at the end of a path across and expanse of grass. As you get closer, the magnificent “Phra Achana” Buddha statue of Wat Si Chum comes into view behind the three-meter thick walls. Phra Achana, the 15 meter Buddha seated in the Subduing Mara (Maravijayan: Calling the Earth to Witness) pose, is possibly one of the most beautiful Buddhas I’ve seen. The lap of the Phra Achana Buddha is 11.5 meters wide. The fingers of the right hand are covered with gold leaf, applied by visitors paying their respects. The roof of the mondop (mandapa: pavilion for religious ritual) has long-since fallen in, allowing a wonderful view of the sky above. Close to the Phra Achana mondop is a smaller one built of laterite bricks, housing a smaller seated Buddha. Bits of gold leaf are pressed to the Buddha’s upturned fingers. Also north of the ancient city walls is the Khmer style Wat Phra Phai Luang, which pre-dates Sukhothai and was probably built during the reign of the Khmer king, Jayavarman VII (between 1181 and 1219). Worn and weathered: Buddha head at Wat Phra Phai Luang. The building was originally a Khmer Mahayana Buddhist temple, built on a site with evidence of earlier Hindu worship. It was later converted to a Theravada Buddhist temple, and today shows the signs of modern Thai worship. The remains of a giant standing Buddha at Wat Phra Phai Luang. Even the ruins of these ancient Buddhas have a timeless elegance. Near the old Wat Phra Phai Luang is the modern Wat Phra Phai Luang, where a new hall is being build. Inside the unfinished building, a Thai woman lovingly sands the new wooden baseboards. It reminded me of “The Karate Kid”: “Wax on, wax off.” The building of temples is a timeless way of creating calm and making merit. Meanwhile, in the field outside, a young lad was determined so show me how he could chase the cattle. Although the cattle are unmoved, I found his joy infectious as he ran around with his slingshot. And so, life in all its aspects continues around these ancient temples built by long-dead kings – and we can continue to find joy and beauty in them.
Pictures: 22May2012
Posted in Architecture,Craft,Culture,Fine Arts,Thailand,TravelTags: architecture,arts and crafts,blog,buddhism,Photo Blog,religion,ruins,sculpture,Sukhothai,temple,travel,Travel Blog,UNESCO,Ursula Wall,worship
Masks and Marionettes Feathers and glitter. Florentine masks. Masks and marionettes…
In the street stalls and in the shops: elaborately sequinned and feathered masks of all sizes and shapes, and Pinocchio marionettes, pencils, pictures and paraphernalia.
Pinocchio marionettes and Florentine masks. Pinocchios on strings. Apparently, Florence was the birth- and resting-place of Carlo Lorenzini (1826 – 1890), who (as Carlo Collodi) wrote the original stories of the woodcarver Geppetto and the marionette he crafted and named Pinocchio.
This is one of the many facts about Florence or Firenze that I didn’t know before visiting that fabled city last week.
My daughter and I were taking advantage of a cheap deal: one of those last-minute-specials that are available in Europe if you are willing to weekend with no more than you can carry in one small bag. Whatever I learned about the birthplace of the Renaissance in art history I had long-since forgotten, and my knowledge of the Medici family and the religious and political struggles in Italy is negligible.
So, before going, I looked Florence up on the web, and found a Top 10 Things to Do list, which I scanned and emailed to my daughter. But, we’ve been busy. By the time I was on the plane, I couldn’t remember anything about the art and the museums; all I could remember was the instruction to eat two scoops of gelato a day. I can do that!
My daughter wanted to see David, who (for reasons of modesty?) declined to be photographed. So, we had three days and two tasks: David and gelato. Lots and lots of gelato.
Fresh fruit, chocolate and coconut ~ all in gelato form. Colourful gelatos are an integral part of the Florentine streets. It didn’t take long, walking through the streets and markets, to realise that while Florence is the home of masks (which I had thought of as Venetian) and marionettes (which I hadn’t thought about at all), it is also home to all kinds of beauty, in leather, glass, ceramics, paper and jewels.
The street markets are full of colourful leather coats, bags and gloves. Shops sport shoes and boots in gelato shades. The magnificent churches aren’t the only place to find stained glass in all forms and styles. Ceramics are everywhere: from ornately gilded and painted vases, jugs and containers ~ ~ to Renaissance figurines ~ ~ and “Tuscan” glazed pottery. Beautiful paper-products are hand-made on site. Deep, dark shops sell life’s staples: wines and cold-cuts. Breakfast at Tiffany’s? The beauty of Florence is in its streets; in its world-renowned architecture.
Florentine rooftops. Beauty on the pavements: A chalk Mona Lisa. Cheerful carousels. Violent struggles. Conquest. The magnificent Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral (Duomo) is a work of art in and of itself. The Ponte Vecchio, now home to expensive jewellery shops, is a glorious reminder of Florence’s equally decadent past. Of course, people-watching is much more fun than architecture, and Italy is always a treat.
The modern Italian family – dressed for a special occasion. A street musician, with his adoring fan, plays chill music. And as a Florentine finale: newlyweds on a bicycle – what could be more Italian? 
The city was bathed in heat and light – a wonderful change from the rain and overcast I’d been enduring for the previous five weeks in England, Ireland and Wales. I fully understand why people love the city – I’d go back any day, and not just for the gelato.
But, I’d be sure to have my two scoops a day!
Bon appétit!
Photos: 10-13July2012
Posted in Architecture,Craft,Fine Arts,Italy,TravelTags: architecture,arts and crafts,blog,Italy,market,Photo Blog,sculpture,travel,Travel Blog,Ursula Wall
Karen Girl in Pigtails Late into our last visit to Thailand, I made another trip “up-country” to visit schools deep in the hills of Mae Hong Son. I’ve talked about previous trips (Budding Potentials, Building Better Futures, Schools at the end of the Road, and True Colours) in several previous posts, but I never tire of accompanying the indomitable Susan Race on her visits north to interview study-scholarship recipients and to inspect building projects.
I’m a little slow on posting about this particular trip for a number of reasons: early into day two my brand new camera decided to stop working (this sort of thing happens to me a lot!), so I was limited in the pictures I took; I’ve been on the road constantly since then, and so am distracted by other things; and most importantly, about two years ago, I promised Susan a website, which I still haven’t finished.
Fortunately, Susan is a very patient woman, which explains how, brick-by-brick and student-by-student, she has succeeded, over the last 20+ years, in improving school retention rates for children living in remote Hilltribe villages in several districts within the Mae Hong Son area of Chiang Mai. You can read more about that when I get the website finished! In my defence, I didn’t know the first thing about web-design or web-construction when I made that rash promise, and it has been a long, slow learning process.
There is a small teaser to the site on the sidebar at the right. At the moment, the link effectively goes to a “bookmark” and no further; the rest will happen in the next month or so… Watch this space!
When I have some free time, I do plan to write more about that particular trip and the various projects we visited and the students we met, but in the meantime I will share a few pictures from the first school we visited: Ban Huay Sa Paet School in Chom Thong district, Chiang Mai Province.
When we arrived at the school, the children were all sitting outdoors, on the wide bench around the bodhi tree, practicing their reading.
Under the bodhi tree in the school yard, Karen children practice their reading together. On Fridays, children come to school in traditional dress. Thai is a second language for these children, as they all speak Karen at home. Two Karen girls in their beautifully embroidered hand-woven dresses smile for the visitor. The boys have that impish sparkle in their eyes that says: “Here’s trouble!” Two girls work on their maths problems in the classroom. A young teacher at the school. Behind the school, there is a weaving area – one of the Queen’s projects – where Karen women weave cloth for export to the city. Weaving requires co-ordinating foot pedals with the shuttle on the weft thread. The weaver is pleased to pause for a picture. The children are happy to take time away from their reading to show the visitors around. Boys join us in the weaving room. Before we can leave, Susan Race (centre) has to have her photo taken with other Expat visitors from Bangkok, men from the District Education office, and the students. While gathering sponsorship money to build auxiliary buildings and support children’s educations, Susan has also been building relationships. Everybody in the area knows her – and knows her energy and staying-power. Neither she, nor the teachers she works with, like Kru Apichart, whose new school this is and who is pictured in Schools at the end of the Road, are ‘fly by nights’. All have demonstrated a longterm commitment to improving educational access for Hilltribe children in the remotest of Thai communities.
The perfect man for the job of official photographer: Khru Sunthorn, another of the dedicated teachers who has been part of helping make Susan’s THEP projects work for more than twenty years.  These faces certainly make me feel better on a gloomy day in London!
As does the knowledge that these children, at least, are getting the educational opportunities they deserve.
Enjoy.
Pictures: 25May2012
Posted in Culture,Education,Thailand,TravelTags: blog,children,education,Mae Hong Son,people,Photo Blog,portrait,portraits,rural,thai,Thailand,Thailand Hilltribe Education Projects,THEP,travel,Travel Blog,Ursula Wall
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Beautifully done
interesting sculpture and nice views Ursula. Your report is nice too. Greetings Dietmut
http://dith-plukeenogenblikvandedag.blogspot.com/
http://dith-eenkijkjeoverdegrens.blogspot.com/
http://dietmut.blogspot.com/
Thanks, Dietmut! We enjoyed them. 🙂
Great post as always, love, love, love the sculptures… thanks for sharing your visit with us.
Thanks, Signe ~ love, love, LOVE your enthusiasm! 😀
Really nice photos – I’ve only seen the sculpture outside as yet. I will go and see the one in the cloisters soon.
Thanks, Matt! They really are worth a visit. 🙂
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