Monthly Archives: January 2012

Photo Of The Day From London: Ornate Sculptured Cherub Lamp Post

Waiting for the light to change at the pedestrian crosswalk, ever-present camera in hand, I took this picture of a lamp post across from Trafalgar Square in London. What wonderful detail used to be routinely applied to everyday objects!

This charming sculptured cherub item was created by William Sugg and Company who operated from 1837 to 1969 and their website shows a fascinating range of items that they produced and is well worth perusing for an understanding of how lovely London was in the late 1800s.

If you scan to the bottom of the page that I have linked above, you will see a drawing that indicates the appearance upon installation 129 years ago. The original glass globes were particularly pretty, in my opinion. But the lovely base is still there for the observant pedestrian in London to enjoy.

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Photo Of The Day From London: Trajan’s Column at Victoria and Albert Museum

This close-up of a section of a reproduction of Trajan’s Column was taken in the Plaster Cast room at the V&A (Victoria and Albert) Museum in London.

I’ll share some more images from that splendid gallery in the museum in the coming days. And please remember, these are ALL copyrighted images that have tracking attached to them!

Detail shot from the massive plaster cast of Trajan's column at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, England

Photo Of The Day From London: Don’t Treat A Thief

For any of us who have grown up in more safe and secure environments, seeing a sign like this posted so prominently in a public place is a bit of a shocker. This photo was taken in a pub dining room in London and the sign warns the diners to be alert to the presence of thieves.

Warning sign in pub dining room in London, England about the presence of thieves

Back in Blustery Brehal in Normandy

We’re back in Brehal, St. Martin de Brehal to be specific — right on the coast in Normandy. Having arrived back on one of the Brittany Ferries a few days ago, we’re happily re-ensconced at the beach. We love this beach house and it may be blustery and rain-battered most winter days, but we wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Wet and windy weather on the English Channel

The picture above was the weather outside my window on the ship on the day that we sailed back — and nothing has changed. Winters in Normandy are wet, wet, wet!

So is it any wonder that I was more than willing to push this button and go back inside whilst on the ship?

Press the button to go back inside

I had gone up on the decks to find out just where the lifeboats were on this ship. And after the shipwreck of the Costa Concordia last week off the coast of Italy, this picture below (which is not exposed correctly due to shadows) shows the FIRST THING that I looked at when we got into our cabin!

The all important evacuation route map on the back of the cabin door

Keep coming back for a series of Photo Of The Day posts from quite a LOT of places we have travelled in the last 14 months. I’m doing edit-and-upload sessions to my various agencies and I continue to come across wonderful slices of life in various European cities that aren’t necessarily commercial or sales-worthy, but they might be funny or poignant or simply an interesting angle on the world.

Back To France on Brittany Ferry

Long term travel in Europe has certainly been aided by the purchase of a motor vehicle from our first month of arrival over a year ago. We are now on our 3rd vehicle, a diesel van, after fine-tuning our transportation requirements.

Traversing the English Channel or the North Sea several times a year has become normal since we moved back to Europe. And one of the most comfortable trips we have had recently was on a Brittany Ferry a few days ago as we travelled from Portsmouth, England to Ouistreham outside of Caen in France.

Brittany Ferries keycard and brochure for the Armorique

Here are several pictures of the Armorique, a two year old ferry with ample amenities including multiple restaurants and cafes or bars, two movie theatres, several shops, a reading lounge, a casino, and more viewing platforms or decks than we have seen on previous versions of the Brittany Ferries that we have sailed on.

Cocktail bar on Level 7

Duty Free sign at shop entrance

Shops on Level 6

Lounge on Level 7

You’ll notice that there are very few passengers in any part of the ship. That’s one of the absolute joys of travelling in the middle of the winter when it’s a much more relaxed and adult atmopshere. The decks are not heaving with tourists, you can get a meal within minutes, and the hallways in the cabin area are free of screaming children. Bliss!

Dining area on Level 7

Airline style reclining reserved seats on Level 7

Lifeboats with easy to use ramps on Level 7

Deck diagram posted at elevator

Looking through layers of outdoor decks with a blue & white colour scheme

Compact but very comfortable cabin on Level 9

Medieval St. Mary the Virgin in Diss, Norfolk, England

As promised several days ago, here is a small photo essay of the lovely St. Mary the Virgin church in the historic town of DISS in the county of Norfolk, England.

Arched passage and exterior of medieval St. Mary The Virgin church in Diss, Norfolk in England

Medieval stone St. Mary The Virgin church exterior in Diss, Norfolk in England

Sculptured stone face on exterior of medieval St. Mary The Virgin church in Diss, Norfolk in England

Stained glass inside medieval stone St. Mary The Virgin church, Diss, Norfolk, England

Down the aisle to the altar at medieval St. Mary The Virgin church in Diss, Norfolk, England

Front tower of the medieval St. Mary The Virgin church in Diss, Norfolk, England

Back In Britain

We’re back in Britain for a few days and having a lovely time in Norfolk. Mark’s parents live here and we use them as our ‘home base’ whilst travelling across Europe. And my, what a lot of mail had accumulated while we were in France!

Yesterday afternoon we went into Diss which is just a handful of miles from the family home — and we had a nice lunch and then picked up the passport renewal forms that Mark needed and he managed to get an acceptably attractive passport photo taken.

Here I am in front of the post office and that lovely tower behind me is the medieval St. Mary the Virgin church.

Deborah on the High Street in Diss, Norfolk, England with St. Mary the Virgin church in background.

In the next few days, I’ll try to get some more photos posted of the interior and exterior of St. Mary’s because it is a lovely church with quite harmonious energy.