For an unrelated reason, on 23 March, I went to Birmingham. I’d planned to stay a week. Later that day, the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, announced that the UK would be going into lockdown! I could have got the train back. I think it was permissible to return home but I wasn’t sure. However, … Continue reading / view photos Lockdown in Birmingham
Category: Culture
Walking in Birmingham
In the 1980s, someone I worked with, Ken, often spoke about Birmingham in the office. Most of us had never been there but had heard the cliches about its dreariness and joked about it with him. Ken stayed in London during weekdays but went back to Birmingham over the weekend. Eventually, he invited a few … Continue reading / view photos Walking in Birmingham
Cannock Chase and Stafford
Cannock Chase in Staffordshire is an area of outstanding beauty. The dense woods are a wonderful place to walk and relax. We did a short walk there in the limited time we had on Saturday before going to Stafford. I noticed how much more friendly people were in Cannock Chase than on the Gorring walk … Continue reading / view photos Cannock Chase and Stafford
Pigs in Notting Hill
This Sunday, in trying to avoid coronavirus-drenched crowds but still wanting to make the most of the British summer, we turned to Stephen Millar’s book, London’s Hidden Walks. We went to Notting Hill. It was an illuminating day. The origins of the name Notting Hill are uncertain. An early version, Knottynghull, was recorded in 1356. … Continue reading / view photos Pigs in Notting Hill
Freedom Tower
Apparently, those who were around when President John F Kennedy was assassinated remember where they were and how they heard of his death. I wasn’t alive to have a JFK moment. I did, however, have an Elvis Presley moment: I was playing football on the street and a friend shouted to me from an overlooking … Continue reading / view photos Freedom Tower
Camp rock guitars
When I first went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art (“the Met”) in 1988, two things struck me. The first was how well the collection was curated: everything from the selection to the colour of the galleries was well coordinated. The second was Jackson Pollack. I’d never heard of him at the time but I … Continue reading / view photos Camp rock guitars
Vessel
After the morning bagel breakfast in Brooklyn and the walk along the scenic High Line, we went to see Vessel. When we went, it was free to enter but you had to pre-book, which my generous Airbnb hosts, Max and Alia, had done. I loved The Vessel. There was something different yet familiar about it. … Continue reading / view photos Vessel
Rainbow bagels to the High Line
I had the perfect hosts at the Airbnb I stayed at in Manhattan. My hosts, Max and Alia, were kind, considerate, and knowledgeable. They took me for breakfast at the best bagel place in New York. We then went on to walk the High Line and, finally, they’d booked a trip to the breathtaking Vessel … Continue reading / view photos Rainbow bagels to the High Line
Brooklyn Botanic Gardens
New York has not one but at least fifteen botanical gardens! I spent a good chunk of the day at the trendy Brooklyn Botanic Gardens. The Gardens were partly closed for a large expansion that was in progress. Despite that, there was still a lot to see. I ambled around. I spotted a large turtle … Continue reading / view photos Brooklyn Botanic Gardens
