Breuer Chair Display, Bauhaus Archive, Berlin
The Bauhaus Archive in Berlin is a small museum, but chock full of examples of the work of Walter Gropius, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Herbert Bayer, and, of course, … Read more
Europe
Our Very Own Guided Tour of England
Who doesn’t love the information imparted by a zealous local who guides you around their turf like a friend. Even better if he or she is a friend. Oliver Nicholson … Read more
Advice for Driving in the UK and Ireland
I can talk about this now, and I’ll start by saying Tom is a very good driver. And I am a very good navigator. I can read a map, have a good sense of direction, and am good at planning routes, scenic or otherwise. But things are different here in the UK and in the Republic of Ireland, and I’m not just talking about driving on the left. For both driver and passenger, I offer these true stories and tidbits of advice.
Durham Cathedral, England
The pillars and walls at Durham Cathedral, built in the 11th Century, are so massive when compared to the delicacy of the Exeter Cathedral, built almost 400 years later. The bulk is relieved slightly by carved design visible on the left pillars, but the overall sense is one of pure weight.
Site Blocked, and Other Little Surprises in the UK and Ireland
The message read, “This site has been blocked as potentially politically controversial. If you think this message has appeared in error, please see your network administrator,” or something like that. Had I accidentally Googled my way into a terrorist site? No, as a matter of fact, I was trying to look up UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Ireland. I was in my room at Bewley’s Hotel in the Ballsbridge neighborhood of Dublin, a fairly nice place, the nicest place I’d been in for quite a while.
Coventry Cathedral, England
The Cathedral at Coventry, England, once thought to be among the most beautiful in England, was destroyed by German bombs on November 14, 1940. Some of the 14th Century walls … Read more
County Wicklow, Ireland
From various high points in County Wicklow, you can see the sea both to the west and to the east. It’s just a faint blue line from here, so you … Read more
The Dark Hedges, near Ballymoney, Northern Ireland
I’m told that fans of Game of Thrones will recognize this scene from Northern Ireland, where much of Game of Thrones is filmed, evidently. Sorry, but I’ve only seen snippets … Read more
Graffiti Artist, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Just after finishing a spray paint portrait of Margaret Thatcher, a graffiti artist sprayed a white rectangle next to Maggie to prepare his next canvas. We stopped a bit and … Read more
Giant’s Causeway, Northern Ireland
When we’re somewhat close, we usually go out of our way to visit Unesco World Heritage sites. In this case, we tore ourselves away from the Bushmill’s Irish Whiskey Distillery … Read more
