I have been unusually silent

because we have been away on holiday. I am resisting the temptation to show you all the 200+ photos I took.

Sensible Brits head for warmer climes when they go on holiday – so have we been somewhere where we could expect to get a tan? Of course not. Just rust.

We went to Liverpool, Glasgow, and County Durham. For those not familiar with British geography, these are all much further north than Hampshire, two are on the [wetter] west side of the country, and all have proud industrial histories. Not, perhaps, your usual holiday destinations. And of course we had typical UK summer weather – cold and wet.

So why did we go? As Susan correctly worked out when I mentioned our trip to Liverpool – primarily for this.

http://www.tate.org.uk/liverpool/exhibitions/gustavklimt/

How could I not go?

There were relatively few of the famous pictures, but several of his earlier pieces and his less well known landscapes. There was a lot about the context of his work, particularly the design and architecture of the period, which included work by the reasons we were going on to Glasgow later. If you like Klimt it is well worth a visit – but don’t go into the last room unless you are very broadminded …
It was also good to visit Liverpool again – we think the last time we were there was in 1973. The first time I went there was on 2nd June 1953. Are you impressed by my ability to remember the date? [Actually, I had to Google it.]

I was taken to Liverpool in 1953 by my parents, to visit the only person we knew who had a TV, because there was a [so far] unique broadcast on the BBC. And if you know what it was you must be at least as old as I am, and you are probably British …

Unfortunately I cannot remember anything about the broadcast. I do remember eating a sausage roll for the first time. This accurately reflects my attitudes to the monarchy - and to
food …

Speaking of Liverpool and food - these appeared on the breakfast buffet. If you have read my blog before you will undoubtedly have realised that I am mad, and this confirms it. Who else but a mad woman would liberate a small processed cheese from a hotel buffet in order to photograph it?

It struck me that non-Europeans may not realise why I call Charlotte 'Babybel' - so here is one. They don't usually have what I thought were ladybird spots on them. However I have just realised it is probably meant to look like a football. Having a red football in Liverpool seems potentially dangerously partisan to me. [Obscure and feeble footballing joke by someone with no interest in football - you only need to know that Liverpool has two football teams, one of them known as 'The Reds'.]

Susan had told me to look out for the Superlambananas in Liverpool. So here’s the one outside the hotel.

And here’s one at Albert Dock – with this important message on it. Tate Liverpool didn’t appear to have one which I thought was remiss of them.




Between the hotel and the Albert Dock we also spotted some wonderful 1930s architectural details on and around the Mersey Tunnel office building.

On the way up to Glasgow we diverted off the main route to visit these enigmatic gentlemen.

I am a big fan of Antony Gormley and felt we couldn’t be in the vicinity without going to see ‘Another Place’. I wasn’t disappointed. Even the graffiti on a log on the beach was interesting.


This is getting rather long – so more tomorrow. Maybe.