The Anonymous Widower

In Search Of The Last Supper

I’ve seen Leonardo’s Last Supper in the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, in Milan twice, but felt that as it was a wet afternoon, that I might be greedy and have another look.

However, it was all fully booked, so I just looked at the outside of the church and then got a tram to the Duomo.

Incidentally, the first time I saw the mural, was when Ipswich played Inter Milan in the UEFA Cup in 2001. One of the staff was surprised at how many visitors they had that day all dressed in blue.

Although Ipswich lost as expected, we all had a great day in Milan.

But normally now, twelve years later, you have to pre-book the visit. I suppose now with most visitors having the Internet on their phone, this is not that easy.

October 12, 2013 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Reason To Visit Margate

Just read this report on a house in Margate on the BBC.

I’ll be going!

October 1, 2013 Posted by | World | , , | 3 Comments

Hundreds Of Sunflowers

On the forecourt at St. Pancras station, it was all happening this morning.

It’s an art installation, that will be opening on Tuesday.

I shall return!

September 29, 2013 Posted by | World | , , | Leave a comment

The MacDonald Gill Exhibition In Ealing

I was going to Ealing to see the Macdonald Gill exhibition. There’s more about the exhibition and an example,  here on the BBC

The MacDonald Gill Exhibition In Ealing

The MacDonald Gill Exhibition In Ealing

It was very much worth visiting. I seem to remember one of his maps, prints or posters somewhere in my past.

Perhaps, it was in an Underground station or my father had one in his print works. He had the machines to print large posters and I wonder if before the Second World War, he’d actually been asked to print some.

I’ll never know, as his print works is long gone.

September 25, 2013 Posted by | World | , , , | 1 Comment

John Lennon Gets A Building

I don’t know what John Lennon would have thought about this building at Liverpool John Moores University.

But at least it’s an impressive one in a prominent place in the City!

September 20, 2013 Posted by | World | , , , | Leave a comment

A Cafe In Liverpool

Liverpool generally doesn’t do boring and there is nothing boring about this cafe.

A Cafe In Liverpool

A Cafe In Liverpool

It is actually in the Victoria Building of Liverpool University, which gave red brick universities,  their name.

But the interior is a superb example of Victorian excess, in what is now the Victoria Gallery and Museum.

I particularly liked the clock.

The Clock

The Clock

The food and drink is not too bad either.

September 20, 2013 Posted by | World | , , , | Leave a comment

Liverpool’s Bucket Fountain

I mentioned this in the comments on an earlier post.  So today, instead of going direct to my meeting at the Unversity, I took the Wirral line to James Street station to see the Bucket fountain.

It was actually working, although I have read that normally the water is turned off.

September 20, 2013 Posted by | World | , , | Leave a comment

Endless Stair

Endless Stair is according to its publicity, a striking sculpture composed of 15 Escher-like interlocking staircases. For more about M C Escher look here.

The structure was certainly attracting attention by the Tate Modern.

Note the picture from the Millennium Bridge which shows it in front of the Tate Modern at the right.

September 15, 2013 Posted by | World | , , | 6 Comments

The Munch Museum

After the National Gallery, I took the metro to get to the Munch Museum to see the other half of the Munch 150 exhibition. It runs to October the 13th, so you’ve about four weeks.

I was also able to get some excellent Swedish meatballs at the museum.

Munchies At The Munch Museum

Munchies At The Munch Museum

Were they Munchies?

September 10, 2013 Posted by | Food, World | , , , | Leave a comment

Exploring Oslo

The hotel I was in, wasn’t bad, but it was in the wrong position, as the web site said it was ten minutes from the centre.  I assumed that was walking, but it was by car or taxi and there wasn’t any Metro station nearby. However I took a bus to the centre and friendly young lady, told me to get off at the National Theatre.

Norwegian National Theatre

Norwegian National Theatre

It was a good place to start, as a lot of the museums and other places to see are around that area.  There was also a customer service centre, where I was able to buy a 24-hour ticket for the trains, trams, buses and ferries. It is also a station from which you get the train to the airport.

One thing about Norwegian and Swedish for that matter, is that a lot of the words can be guessed.  For instance the stop for the Nation Theatre is Nationaltheatret. At least the Norwegian National Theatre is more centrally placed than ours in London.

From the theatre, I walked around for an hour or so, until I got to the National Gallery, as I wanted to see the Munch paintings.

Norwegian National Gallery

Norwegian National Gallery

At the moment there is a celebration of Edvard Munch, so I bought a ticket for the two venues at both the National Gallery and the Munch Museum.

September 10, 2013 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , | Leave a comment