The first place I went to in LA was The Getty Center, which was quite far from my hostel. To save time, I got a taxi. The centrepiece of The Getty Center is the museum, which has an extensive art collection from around the world. The funding for the museum came from J Paul Getty, … Continue reading / view photos The Getty Center
Category: Culture
Golden Gate Park
The lungs of San Francisco are in Golden Gate Park. I found myself often gravitating towards it. It’s a huge park at the city’s centre. In the park, there is the de Young art museum, a botanical gardens, a Japanese garden, the California Academy of Sciences, a conservatory, buffalo (!), and two windmills (a gift … Continue reading / view photos Golden Gate Park
A little taste of San Francisco art
The de Young museum in Golden Gate Park is a pleasant way to spend an afternoon. It had a Gauguin exhibition on and a permanent collection of modern and classical art. The Legion of Honor, another art museum, had a surprisingly large Rubens collection, including a large version of The Thinker sculpture. View photos A little taste of San Francisco art
“They hate our country”
The Republican husband of an adviser to President Trump describes in a few pointed words what others have taken pages to say: “No, I thought, President Trump was boorish, dim-witted, inarticulate, incoherent, narcissistic and insensitive. He’s a pathetic bully but an equal-opportunity bully – in his uniquely crass and crude manner, he’ll attack anyone he … Continue reading “They hate our country”
The geeks shall inherit the earth
Great news: Alan Turing to be the face of new £50 note. Alan Turing was an extraordinary man whose life unjustly ended too soon. He helped lay the foundations of modern computing and artificial intelligence. To think what he might have achieved if, instead of being persecuted, he’d lived beyond his 41 years. https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/news/2019/july/50-pound-banknote-character-announcement
The Custard Factory
A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on. John F Kennedy I’m not sure what the connection with JFK is but there’s a large mosaic mural of him on the way to The Custard Factory, a colourful corner of Birmingham. It’s full of an eclectic mix of shops and … Continue reading / view photos The Custard Factory
Chihuly at Kew Gardens
From now until October 2019, you can see the stunning glass sculptures by Dale Chihuly at Kew Gardens. The photos don’t do the sculptures justice. I wonder how they managed to transport all these fragile sculptures around the world and put them up in various positions around the Gardens. The cherry blossom trees and tulips … Continue reading / view photos Chihuly at Kew Gardens
Highgate Cemetery
A few weeks ago, there was an open day at Highgate Cemetery. I hadn’t been there for years. There are many famous people buried there. You can see some of the names in the map below. It was sad to see the Karl Marx tomb, which had recently been defaced twice. It reminded me of … Continue reading / view photos Highgate Cemetery
Coal Drops Yard
Interesting new area in Kings Cross. View photos Coal Drops Yard
People’s Vote march
It was a jolly, sunny day for the People’s Vote march today. I don’t know how many people were there (I lost count after 9,527) but Hyde Park Corner was chock-a-block. People around me were in good humour aided by the colourful and funny placards. They ranged from the heavily statistical to the blunt “Brexshit” … Continue reading / view photos People’s Vote march