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The St. Lutwinus Church in Mettlach is a Roman Catholic parish and pilgrimage church. The church is the destination of the Lutwinus pilgrimage, which took place for centuries and has been revitalized since 2003.
The architectural style is called Neo-Romanesque, but I would rather say eclectic
The revitalized Central Market has recently been reopened after being closed down for 18 years.
This Bauhaus style structure was completed in 1938 and opened on 1 May 1939 and was the 4th generation of the Central Market. It has now been transformed into a "Playground for All" as advertised.
中環街市
P9203140-TopazStudio
Europe, The Netherlands, Zuid Holland, Rotterdam West, Delfshaven, Dakpark Vierhavenstrip (slightly cut)
Rotterdam urban revitalization project are often centred around abandoned harbours and their rail yards. The largest one in Rotterdam West is the M4H urban redevelopment project.
A while ago I showed you an element of it, the former HAKA building. here.
Roof park Vierhavenstrip is also an integral element of it. It’s the redeveloped railyard of the adjacent 4 havens (four harbours). And its large: it’s length 120 m, and its breadth 80m, the largest roof park of Europe. It’s a well used park too. There’s a lot of green and is easily accessible from the Bospolder/Tussendijke neighbourhood. There are places to eat and drink, themed gardens and facilities for children.
The park can be reached via various stairways and also has a lift. One of the stairways is shown here, with the side façade of the park´s restaurant (Park restaurant, with its own vegetable garden). Under the roof of the park is a shopping mall.
This is number 252 of Urban Frontiers and 565 of Rotterdam architecture.
Parker Evans New Image taken at Southern Roots in the Town Square Area!!!
LM: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Miller%20Creek/75/181/2000
Browary Warszawskie (Warsaw Breweries) is an urban revitalization project located in the district of Wola in Warsaw. Formerly an industrial and forgotten part of the city, now the quarter is filled with offices, residential buildings and food halls.
Trillo is a Spanish municipality in the province of Guadalajara, located on the banks of the Tagus River, in the region of La Alcarria. It has a population of 1355 inhabitants (INE 2017). In addition to the municipal capital, the districts of Azañón, Morillejo, La Puerta and Viana de Mondéjar are part of Trillo.
Already in Roman times Trillo was a known population, being located in the border region between Carpetania and Celtiberia. Its settlement was consolidated after the Reconquista at the end of the eleventh century when Alfonso VI the Brave was King when it became part of the Common of the Villa and Land of Atienza, ruling by its Jurisdiction.
In 1325, the Infante Don Juan Manuel built the castle whose ruins crown the nucleus. In the middle of the fifteenth century it passed into the jurisdiction of the Counts of Cifuentes, until, in 1630, Trillo was declared a town with its own jurisdiction.
In the sixteenth century the churches of Trillo, Azañón and Morillejo were built. During centuries it was a prosperous town and in 1580 its population reached the 320 inhabitants, according to the census realized in times of Felipe II. Its decline came at the beginning of the eighteenth century with the War of Succession. The mountains and fields were cut down, cattle and hives were destroyed, and more than two hundred houses were burned, which led to a drastic decline in its population from 1752 to 82 inhabitants.
Already in the twentieth century, the construction of the Trillo nuclear power plant, inaugurated in 1987, meant the economic revitalization of the municipality. It is currently the most modern nuclear power plant in Spain. (Source: Wikipedia).
Trillo es un municipio español de la provincia de Guadalajara, situado a orillas del río Tajo, en la comarca de La Alcarria. Cuenta con una población de 1355 habitantes (INE 2017). Además de la capital municipal, forman parte de Trillo las pedanías de Azañón, Morillejo, La Puerta y Viana de Mondéjar.
Ya en época romana Trillo era una población conocida, estando situada en la región fronteriza entre Carpetania y Celtiberia. Su poblamiento se consolidó tras la Reconquista —a finales del siglo xi siendo monarca Alfonso VI el Bravo— cuando pasó a formar parte del Común de la Villa y Tierra de Atienza, rigiéndose por su Fuero.
En 1325, el infante Don Juan Manuel construyó el castillo cuyas ruinas coronan el núcleo. A mediados del siglo xv pasó a la jurisdicción de los Condes de Cifuentes, hasta que, en 1630, Trillo fue declarada villa con jurisdicción propia.
En el siglo xvi se construyeron las iglesias de Trillo, Azañón y Morillejo. Durante siglos fue una próspera villa y en 1580 su población alcanzaba los 320 habitantes, de acuerdo al censo realizado en tiempos de Felipe II. Su decadencia llegó a principios del siglo xviii con la Guerra de Sucesión. Se talaron sus montes y plantíos, se destruyeron ganados y colmenas, y fueron quemadas más de doscientas casas, lo que conllevó un drástico descenso de su población de 1752 a 82 habitantes.
Ya en el siglo xx, la construcción de la central nuclear de Trillo, inaugurada en 1987, supuso la revitalización económica del municipio. Actualmente es la central nuclear más moderna de España. ( Fuente : Wikipedia)
For Kreative People's December 2018 Contest "Social Distortion"
www.flickr.com/groups/1752359@N21/discuss/721576981211521...
The Riverfront Revitalization And Freedom Landing Project is mostly funded by the Appalachian Community Grant Program. In Ripley a new amphitheater, interactive splash pad, riverfront shelter, public restrooms, concessions, modernized boat ramp and docks. The new Freedom Landing Project is funded separately and will have a light tower and honor Ripley's participation in the "Underground Railroad."
The revitalized former Hintonburg Pumping Station (1899) in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
It was originally built in 1899 for $4,435 (about $120,000 – $130,000 in today's money).
In 1924, the building was turned into a residence and gatehouse for Lemieux Island, connected by a bridge adjacent to the original one. Lemieux Island is where the current pumping station is located.
It fell victim to flames in 1989 and had been left to deteriorate and surrounded by fencing to avoid injuries to the curious.
Since 2025, the City of Ottawa invested $2.2 million to stabilize its ruins, "revitalizing" it as a public space and heritage site along the Ottawa River.
Here are two images of the ruins when I photographed it in November 2018:
www.flickr.com/photos/hansraffelt/30830013517/in/photolis...
www.flickr.com/photos/hansraffelt/30830010847/in/photolis...
A temporary splash of white on the TD Centre exterior as part of an ongoing revitalization project. Originally designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohein 1967, in association with B + H and John B. Parkin Associates.
The revitalized former Hintonburg Pumping Station (1899) in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
It was originally built in 1899 for $4,435 (about $120,000 – $130,000 in today's money).
In 1924, the building was turned into a residence and gatehouse for Lemieux Island, connected by a bridge adjacent to the original one. Lemieux Island is where the current pumping station is located.
It fell victim to flames in 1989 and had been left to deteriorate and surrounded by fencing to avoid injuries to the curious.
Since 2025, the City of Ottawa invested $2.2 million to stabilize its ruins, "revitalizing" it as a public space and heritage site along the Ottawa River.
Here are two images of the ruins when I photographed it in November 2018:
www.flickr.com/photos/hansraffelt/30830013517/in/photolis...
www.flickr.com/photos/hansraffelt/30830010847/in/photolis...
As I was leaving the nearby beach to head home, I turned to enjoy this view as I walked through Tatlow Park which has (fairly) recently undergone an extensive restoration and expansion that's completely re-energized it as a place to enjoy and hang out on your own or with friends/family/pets, etc., and now providing scenic views and improved beach access.
The larger group of people to the left seemed gathered for a wedding or celebration of some sort - nice backdrop for it :-)
This is an iphone shot from a couple of weeks ago. I was back in this area last night (Aug. 24) with my DSLR. Photos to follow soon :-)
In 1974 the National Parks Service, hoping to revitalized the area surrounding Grants Tomb, hired sculptor Pedro Silva to design and build a series of benches in conjunction with members, mostly children, of the neighboring communities . City Arts, an organization that creates community-based art projects, was enlisted to oversee the work. The resulting piece is a brightly colored, undulating bench that moves around the east, north, and west sides of Grant's Tomb. The images on the bench range from historical depictions of Grant's life, to fanciful, imaginary scenes of castles and dragons, to more contemporary subject matter such as cars. The bench's irregular contour often seems to be designed to accommodate the images in the work as well as elements of the environment such as trees and distant views.
The rounded edges, the color, and the flow of the bench contrasts with the white, straight edges of the monument that it surrounds. While some people have applauded this contrast in styles, others have contested the placement of the bench, and have fought to have it removed. Those who have spoken out strongly against the bench include members of historical and preservation societies, as well as Grant's descendents. However, in 2008, a project was undertaken and completed to renovate the bench! Yeah! (taken from NYC Public Art Cirrculum website, no author's name given. The Yeah is mine.)
To see an excellent video re the creation and restoration of this project click here:
www.revver.com/video/1135506/truly-public-art-the-rolling...
A post-industrial building in the current center of science and technology (formerly heat and power plant No. 1 in Łódź).
The cooling tower after revitalization serves as the base of the Foucault pendulum (a pendulum that can swing in any vertical plane. The slow change of the plane of the pendulum's motion relative to the Earth proves its rotation around its axis. The name of the pendulum commemorates its inventor, Jean Bernard Léon Foucault, who demonstrated it in February 1851 at the Paris Astronomical Observatory.
At the top of the former cold store there is an observation deck from where you can see one of the most interesting panoramas of the city of Łódź.
Revitalization of downtown Selma, NC. A beautiful small town America, where people were all so friendly to chat, true southern hospitality.
They took this building that was abandoned in 1972 and refurbished it. They had a "Soft Opening" in 2020 but because of Covid they were only carry-out.
Excerpt from www.littlestepsasia.com/hong-kong/shop/malls/central-market/:
Central Market was originally built in 1939 and is Hong Kong’s first wet market. Situated on Des Voeux Road Central, the building is finally opened its doors to the public on August 23, 2021, after a 12-year revitalization project costing over HK$500 million.
Referring to itself as a “Playground for All”, the new space houses an array of dining and shopping venues, ranging from local boutiques, homeware stores, and a wide variety of restaurants. It will also be a hub for various cultural and educational activities. This concept of “Boundaryless” is the central pillar in the Central Market’s design concept.
In the new design, the idea of boundaryless spacial integration is obvious throughout – double folding doors on the ground floor, that once opened, provide a view through the entire market; an open design plan without the pillars that are normally used in commercial spaces; open seating, comfy dining spaces, and free Wi-Fi coverage throughout.
Enchanted areas.
Fallen city.
This area of the city is currently being prepared for revitalization. A significant proportion of people were resettled - but not all.
The place resembles an apocalypse time in the middle of the city.
There is hope that this will change soon.
A separate issue is the lack of programs affecting the state of life of some people in this area and changing their social situation and their perception of the world.
Post-industrial landscape.
In the background is the former Ludwik Grohman manufacture. The oldest buildings come from the 19th century. Currently, the area of the Łódź special economic zone.
The former factory grounds have been revitalized. Sky and water plus an old factory create a nice whole.
Former vodka monopoly plants in Łódź.
Construction started in 1897, production began in 1902.
Last product in 2007.
Currently, after the revitalization of the facilities center called Monopolis. Restaurants, theater stage, museum and more.
Excerpt from www.stepsinitiative.com: Over the summer of 2014, STEPS collaborated with street art duo Alexa Hatanaka and Patrick Thompson to transform a derelict rail underpass, plagued by graffiti and litter into a celebrated local landmark, as part of a wider effort by local City Councillor Josh Colle and residents to reclaim the historic York Beltline for public use.
Along the high traffic Dufferin corridor, this revitalization project included a large-scale new public artwork, including the two interior walls of the underpass and two pedestrian tunnels, as well as infrastructure improvements, such as new wayfinding signage and enhanced lighting.
This colourful and multifaceted new work, inspired the community’s rich textile history, was designed in collaboration with local residents, particularly with members of the Friends of the Beltline. Countless community members, recruited through local social serving agencies and schools were engaged in the various stages of the work production and celebration, through a series of community paint days and the culminating unveiling.
This project was generously supported by the City of Toronto’s StreetARToronto program, alongside area businesses, including Toronto Hyundai and local residence associations.
Comix Home Base is a collaborative project by the Hong Kong Arts Centre and the Urban Renewal Authority. … on cultural and creative industries. A revitalization of a cluster of ten pre-war Grade 2 historic buildings on Mallory Street and Barrows Street, Comix Home Base serves as an important connector to the neighborhood. … In fact, Hong Kong is the world's third largest comics market, after Japan and the United States. … The establishment of Comix Home Base … provides a new cultural landmark in Wan Chai .... Besides, Comix Home Base acts as a platform for the communication and interchange between local and overseas artists. … Comix Home Base, a unique "art community", connecting and serving comics artists, animators, other industry players, and community members. … www.comixhomebase.com.hk/#/en//aboutus/vision_mission/
photo taken at the public open space at ground floor of the Comix Home Base. Main building is on the left, main entrance is on the right, the background is residential neighborhood.
it is panorama of three shots…it just the comic characters are very happy and dancing on the air…
Old wooden house in the sunshine.
The building has recently been revitalized.
Low autumn sun position with its counter-lighting in my opinion, she made this street scene vivid.
One of the few oldest wooden buildings in the city. It comes from the 19th century.
I really like very early morning moments. Low warm light can conjure up a magical appearance of architecture. I liked the undulating glass facade (upper part of the building) of the revitalized building. Also, the combination of the style of old buildings and the glass superstructure in this case is acceptable.
A view while walking along the shoreline, looking to the east-southeast, across Naknek Lake to Mount Katolinat and other distant mountains and ridgelines on a mostly cloudy and overcast day. I later used a recipe in Color Efex Pro 4 that I came up with to match work I used to do in Capture NX2, after doing some initial post-processing work and making adjustments to contrast, brightness and saturation while playing around as I learned how to work with DxO PhotoLab 3.
Decay reflection.
Abandoned tenements have become a medium of expression for the artistic and graphic design.
Until recently, this area was not known for its security.
It is currently undergoing revitalization. A large part of the buildings will remain after reconstruction and reconstruction. Part of the area will change by adding new buildings.
I feel a bit sorry that the place inscribed in urban stories will go away in the shadow of history, but I believe that people will write a new, happier story.
First signs of revitalization of the former metropolis were destroyed by the warlike events at the end of the 17th century (Palatine war of succession) and the 18th century (French revolution and Napoleonic conquest). The strived regeneration could first be fulfilled bit by bit a few years after the Congress of Vienna in the first half of the 19th century.
With the opening of the "Binger Loch" ("Bingen hole") as the biggest boat trip barricade at the Middle Rhine river, the subsequent Rhine river regulation and the introduction of steam boats, the historic ware emporium was taken over by the boat landing stages for passenger boats. Since this time, several excursion day cruise boats pushed their way through in place of the former floating crane between Munztor (coin gate) and Zolltor (toll gate). The passengers of these boats, such as Victor Hugo, want to see and admire the Rhine river romanticism in Bacharach
A fragment of the revitalized housing estate of old workers' houses - Priest's Mill. The photo shows old coal cells. Before renovation, their condition was very bad. Currently, they have been used to create premises for business, artistic and cultural activities.
I am glad that buildings from the 19th century gained a second life.
t.co/tFyhNL4UeR Revitalize Paving Pros 3015 Greenridge Drive, #30D Houston, TX 77057 281 888 8226 t.co/WMZ579DLz8 (via Twitter twitter.com/revitalizepavin/status/786935112684310530)
9.4.09
The flight arrived on time; and the twelve hours while on board passed quickly and without incident. To be sure, the quality of the Cathay Pacific service was exemplary once again.
Heathrow reminds me of Newark International. The décor comes straight out of the sterile 80's and is less an eyesore than an insipid background to the rhythm of human activity, such hustle and bustle, at the fore. There certainly are faces from all races present, creating a rich mosaic of humanity which is refreshing if not completely revitalizing after swimming for so long in a sea of Chinese faces in Hong Kong.
Internet access is sealed in England, it seems. Nothing is free; everything is egregiously monetized from the wireless hotspots down to the desktop terminals. I guess Hong Kong has spoiled me with its abundant, free access to the information superhighway.
11.4.09
Despite staying in a room with five other backpackers, I have been sleeping well. The mattress and pillow are firm; my earplugs keep the noise out; and the sleeping quarters are as dark as a cave when the lights are out, and only as bright as, perhaps, a dreary rainy day when on. All in all, St. Paul's is a excellent place to stay for the gregarious, adventurous, and penurious city explorer - couchsurfing may be a tenable alternative; I'll test for next time.
Yesterday Connie and I gorged ourselves at the borough market where there were all sorts of delectable, savory victuals. There was definitely a European flavor to the food fair: simmering sausages were to be found everywhere; and much as the meat was plentiful, and genuine, so were the dairy delicacies, in the form of myriad rounds of cheese, stacked high behind checkered tabletops. Of course, we washed these tasty morsels down with copious amounts of alcohol that flowed from cups as though amber waterfalls. For the first time I tried mulled wine, which tasted like warm, rancid fruit punch - the ideal tonic for a drizzling London day, I suppose. We later killed the afternoon at the pub, shooting the breeze while imbibing several diminutive half-pints in the process. Getting smashed at four in the afternoon doesn't seem like such a bad thing anymore, especially when you are having fun in the company of friends; I can more appreciate why the English do it so much!
Earlier in the day, we visited the Tate Modern. Its turbine room lived up to its prominent billing what with a giant spider, complete with bulbous egg sac, anchoring the retrospective exhibit. The permanent galleries, too, were a delight upon which to feast one's eyes. Picasso, Warhol and Pollock ruled the chambers of the upper floors with the products of their lithe wrists; and I ended up becoming a huge fan of cubism, while developing a disdain for abstract art and its vacuous images, which, I feel, are devoid of both motivation and emotion.
My first trip yesterday morning was to Emirates Stadium, home of the Arsenal Gunners. It towers imperiously over the surrounding neighborhood; yet for all its majesty, the place sure was quiet! Business did pick up later, however, once the armory shop opened, and dozens of fans descended on it like bees to a hive. I, too, swooped in on a gift-buying mission, and wound up purchasing a book for Godfrey, a scarf for a student, and a jersey - on sale, of course - for good measure.
I'm sitting in the Westminster Abbey Museum now, resting my weary legs and burdened back. So far, I've been verily impressed with what I've seen, such a confluence of splendor and history before me that it would require days to absorb it all, when regretfully I can spare only a few hours. My favorite part of the abbey is the poets corner where no less a literary luminary than Samuel Johnson rests in peace - his bust confirms his homely presence, which was so vividly captured in his biography.
For lunch I had a steak and ale pie, served with mash, taken alongside a Guinness, extra cold - 2 degrees centigrade colder, the bartender explained. It went down well, like all the other delicious meals I've had in England; and no doubt by now I have grown accustomed to inebriation at half past two. Besides, Liverpool were playing inspired football against Blackburn; and my lunch was complete.
Having had my fill of football, I decided to skip my ticket scalping endeavor at Stamford Bridge and instead wandered over to the British Museum to inspect their extensive collections. Along the way, my eye caught a theater, its doors wide open and admitting customers. With much rapidity, I subsequently checked the show times, saw that a performance was set to begin, and at last rushed to the box office to purchase a discounted ticket - if you call a 40 pound ticket a deal, that is. That's how I grabbed a seat to watch Hairspray in the West End.
The show was worth forty pounds. The music was addictive; and the stage design and effects were not so much kitschy as delightfully stimulating - the pulsating background lights were at once scintillating and penetrating. The actors as well were vivacious, oozing charisma while they danced and delivered lines dripping in humor. Hairspray is a quality production and most definitely recommended.
12.4.09
At breakfast I sat across from a man who asked me to which country Hong Kong had been returned - China or Japan. That was pretty funny. Then he started spitting on my food as he spoke, completely oblivious to my breakfast becoming the receptacle in which the fruit of his inner churl was being placed. I guess I understand the convention nowadays of covering one's mouth whilst speaking and masticating at the same time!
We actually conversed on London life in general, and I praised London for its racial integration, the act of which is a prodigious leap of faith for any society, trying to be inclusive, accepting all sorts of people. It wasn't as though the Brits were trying in vain to be all things to all men, using Spanish with the visitors from Spain, German with the Germans and, even, Hindi with the Indians, regardless of whether or not Hindi was their native language; not even considering the absurd idea of encouraging the international adoption of their language; thereby completely keeping English in English hands and allowing its proud polyglots to "practice" their languages. Indeed, the attempt of the Londoners to avail themselves of the rich mosaic of ethnic knowledge, and to seek a common understanding with a ubiquitous English accent is an exemplar, and the bedrock for any world city.
I celebrated Jesus' resurrection at the St. Andrew's Street Church in Cambridge. The parishioners of this Baptist church were warm and affable, and I met several of them, including one visiting (Halliday) linguistics scholar from Zhongshan university in Guangzhou, who in fact had visited my tiny City University of Hong Kong in 2003. The service itself was more traditional and the believers fewer in number than the "progressive" services at any of the charismatic, evangelical churches in HK; yet that's what makes this part of the body of Christ unique; besides, the message was as brief as a powerpoint slide, and informative no less; the power word which spoke into my life being a question from John 21:22 - what is that to you?
Big trees; exquisite lawns; and old, pointy colleges; that's Cambridge in a nutshell. Sitting here, sipping on a half-pint of Woodforde's Wherry, I've had a leisurely, if not languorous, day so far; my sole duty consisting of walking around while absorbing the verdant environment as though a sponge, camera in tow.
I am back at the sublime beer, savoring a pint of Sharp's DoomBar before my fish and chips arrive; the drinking age is 18, but anyone whose visage even hints of youthful brilliance is likely to get carded these days, the bartender told me. The youth drinking culture here is almost as twisted as the university drinking culture in America.
My stay in Cambridge, relaxing and desultory as it may be, is about to end after this late lunch. I an not sure if there is anything left to see, save for the American graveyard which rests an impossible two miles away. I have had a wonderful time in this town; and am thankful for the access into its living history - the residents here must demonstrate remarkable patience and tolerance what with so many tourists ambling on the streets, peering - and photographing - into every nook and cranny.
13.4.09
There are no rubbish bins, yet I've seen on the streets many mixed race couples in which the men tend to be white - the women also belonging to a light colored ethnicity, usually some sort of Asian; as well saw some black dudes and Indian dudes with white chicks.
People here hold doors, even at the entrance to the toilet. Sometimes it appears as though they are going out on a limb, just waiting for the one who will take the responsibility for the door from them, at which point I rush out to relieve them of such a fortuitous burden.
I visited the British Museum this morning. The two hours I spent there did neither myself nor the exhibits any justice because there really is too much to survey, enough captivating stuff to last an entire day, I think. The bottomless well of artifacts from antiquity, drawing from sources as diverse as Korea, and Mesopotamia, is a credit to the British empire, without whose looting most of this amazing booty would be unavailable for our purview; better, I think, for these priceless treasures to be open to all in the grandest supermarket of history than away from human eyes, and worst yet, in the hands of unscrupulous collectors or in the rubbish bin, possibly.
Irene and I took in the ballet Giselle at The Royal Opera House in the afternoon. The building is a plush marvel, and a testament to this city's love for the arts. The ballet itself was satisfying, the first half being superior to the second, in which the nimble dancers demonstrated their phenomenal dexterity in, of all places, a graveyard covered in a cloak of smoke and darkness. I admit, their dance of the dead, in such a gloomy necropolis, did strike me as, strange.
Two amicable ladies from Kent convinced me to visit their hometown tomorrow, where, they told me, the authentic, "working" Leeds Castle and the mighty interesting home of Charles Darwin await.
I'm nursing a pint of Green King Ruddles and wondering about the profusion of British ales and lagers; the British have done a great deed for the world by creating an interminable line of low-alcohol session beers that can be enjoyed at breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner; and their disservice is this: besides this inexhaustible supply of cheap beer ensnaring my inner alcoholic, I feel myself putting on my freshman fifteen, almost ten years after the fact; I am going to have to run a bit harder back in Hong Kong if I want to burn all this malty fuel off.
Irene suggested I stop by the National Art Gallery since we were in the area; and it was an hour well spent. The gallery currently presents a special exhibit on Picasso, the non-ticketed section of which features several seductive renderings, including David spying on Bathsheba - repeated in clever variants - and parodies of other masters' works. Furthermore, the main gallery houses two fabulous portraits by Joshua Reynolds, who happens to be favorite of mine, he in life being a close friend of Samuel Johnson - I passed by Boswells, where its namesake first met Johnson, on my way to the opera house.
14.4.09
I prayed last night, and went through my list, lifting everyone on it up to the Lord. That felt good; that God is alive now, and ever present in my life and in the lives of my brothers and sisters.
Doubtless, then, I have felt quite wistful, as though a specter in the land of the living, being in a place where religious fervor, it seems, is a thing of the past, a trifling for many, to be hidden away in the opaque corners of centuries-old cathedrals that are more expensive tourist destinations than liberating homes of worship these days. Indeed, I have yet to see anyone pray, outside of the Easter service which I attended in Cambridge - for such an ecstatic moment in verily a grand church, would you believe that it was only attended by at most three dozen spirited ones. The people of England, and Europe in general, have, it is my hope, only locked away the Word, relegating it to the quiet vault of their hearts. May it be taken out in the sudden pause before mealtimes and in the still crisp mornings and cool, silent nights. There is still hope for a revival in this place, for faith to rise like that splendid sun every morning. God would love to rescue them, to deliver them in this day, it is certain.
I wonder what Londoners think, if anything at all, about their police state which, like a vine in the shadows, has taken root in all corners of daily life, from the terrorist notifications in the underground, which implore Londoners to report all things suspicious, to the pair of dogs which eagerly stroll through Euston. What makes this all the more incredible is the fact that even the United States, the indomitable nemesis of the fledgling, rebel order, doesn't dare bombard its citizens with such fear mongering these days, especially with Obama in office; maybe we've grown wise in these past few years to the dubious returns of surrendering civil liberties to the state, of having our bags checked everywhere - London Eye; Hairspray; and The Royal Opera House check bags in London while the museums do not; somehow, that doesn't add up for me.
I'm in a majestic bookshop on New Street in Birmingham, and certainly to confirm my suspicions, there are just as many books on the death of Christianity in Britain as there are books which attempt to murder Christianity everywhere. I did find, however, a nice biography on John Wesley by Roy Hattersley and The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis. I may pick up the former.
Lunch with Sally was pleasant and mirthful. We dined at a French restaurant nearby New Street - yes, Birmingham is a cultural capitol! Sally and I both tried their omelette, while her boyfriend had the fish, without chips. Conversation was light, the levity was there and so was our reminiscing about those fleeting moments during our first year in Hong Kong; it is amazing how friendships can resume so suddenly with a smile. On their recommendation, I am on my way to Warwick Castle - they also suggested that I visit Cadbury World, but they cannot take on additional visitors at the moment, the tourist office staff informed me, much to my disappointment!
Visiting Warwick Castle really made for a great day out. The castle, parts of which were established by William the Conquerer in 1068, is as much a kitschy tourist trap as a meticulous preservation of history, at times a sillier version of Ocean Park while at others a dignified dedication to a most glorious, inexorably English past. The castle caters to all visitors; and not surprisingly, that which delighted all audiences was a giant trebuchet siege engine, which for the five p.m. performance hurled a fireball high and far into the air - fantastic! Taliban beware!
15.4.09
I'm leaving on a jet plane this evening; don't know when I'll be back in England again. I'll miss this quirky, yet endearing place; and that I shall miss Irene and Tom who so generously welcomed me into their home, fed me, and suffered my use of their toilet and shower goes without saying. I'm grateful for God's many blessings on this trip.
On the itinerary today is a trip to John Wesley's home, followed by a visit to the Imperial War Museum. Already this morning I picked up a tube of Oilatum, a week late perhaps, which Teri recommended I use to treat this obstinate, dermal weakness of mine - I'm happy to report that my skin has stopped crying.
John Wesley's home is alive and well. Services are still held in the chapel everyday; and its crypt, so far from being a cellar for the dead, is a bright, spacious museum in which all things Wesley are on display - I never realized how much of an iconic figure he became in England; at the height of this idol frenzy, ironic in itself, he must have been as popular as the Beatles were at their apex. The house itself is a multi-story edifice with narrow, precipitous staircases and spacious rooms decorated in an 18th century fashion.
I found Samuel Johnson's house within a maze of red brick hidden alongside Fleet Street. To be in the home of the man who wrote the English dictionary, and whose indefatigable love for obscure words became the inspiration for my own lexical obsession, this, by far, is the climax of my visit to England! The best certainly has been saved for last.
There are a multitude of portraits hanging around the house like ornaments on a tree. Every likeness has its own story, meticulously retold on the crib sheets in each room. Celebrities abound, including David Garrick and Sir Joshua Reynolds, who painted several of the finer images in the house. I have developed a particular affinity for Oliver Goldsmith, of whom Boswell writes, "His person was short, his countenance coarse and vulgar, his deportment that of a scholar awkwardly affecting the easy gentleman. It appears as though I, too, could use a more flattering description of myself!
I regretfully couldn't stop to try the curry in England; I guess the CityU canteen's take on the dish will have to do. I did, however, have the opportune task of flirting with the cute Cathay Pacific counter staff who checked me in. She was gorgeous in red, light powder on her cheeks, with real diamond earrings, she said; and her small, delicate face, commanded by a posh British accent rendered her positively irresistible, electrifying. Not only did she grant me an aisle seat but she had the gumption to return my fawning with zest; she must be a pro at this by now.
I saw her again as she was pulling double-duty, collecting tickets prior to boarding. She remembered my quest for curry; and in the fog of infatuation, where nary a man has been made, I fumbled my words like the sloppy kid who has had too much punch. I am just an amateur, alas, an "Oliver Goldsmith" with the ladies - I got no game - booyah!
Some final, consequential bits: because of the chavs, Burberry no longer sells those fashionable baseball caps; because of the IRA, rubbish bins are no longer a commodity on the streets of London, and as a result, the streets and the Underground of the city are a soiled mess; and because of other terrorists from distant, more arid lands, going through a Western airport has taken on the tedium of perfunctory procedure that doesn't make me feel any safer from my invisible enemies.
At last, I saw so many Indians working at Heathrow that I could have easily mistaken the place for Mumbai. Their presence surprised me because their portion of the general population surely must be less than their portion of Heathrow staff, indicating some mysterious hiring bias. Regardless, they do a superb job with cursory airport checks, and in general are absurdly funny and witty when not tactless.
That's all for England!
feminine element (in architecture)
Fragment of the facade of the revitalized tenement house. The building is located on a street that had previously had a bad reputation. Most of the facilities were in very poor condition. Currently, it is an area of intensive revitalization and construction and renovation works. After they are finished, I will try to show you what came out of it.
So far, I can see that the focus was on a strong differentiation of building facades, colors, decorative elements and so on (perhaps an exaggerated effect). It remains with the evaluation to wait for the final result.
The Centre Theatre is a success story here in Montpelier, Idaho. Many small cities have lost their theaters over the years, and this one had been closed for a year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The theater has struggled for years and had become pretty run down. Recently, the Montpelier Community Foundation arranged for a purchase / donation deal to acquire the theater and reopen it. The outside was refurbished with restored lighting and an updated marquee. Volunteers from the community cleaned up the interior, new seats were installed, and the rest rooms repaired. So far, attendance has been good and it looks like the theater will anchor more downtown revitalization.