July, 2016 | Suzanne Havens

Along the River Thames

Jul 312016

Tower Bridge lifted so boats can pass through. I was told the bridge is only opened completely for Her Majesty the Queen of England.

Riding under Tower Bridge you can see people looking down at us through the glass floor

The machinery that lifts the Tower Bridge is immense

Ship and boat traffic on the Thames is a combination of commercial and pleasure crafts. Note all the building cranes in London!

Yachts are docked at a marina.

Modern architecture with non-rectangular forms takes advantage of river vistas.

the London Eye is a popular way to see the city.

A telephoto view shows the Coca-Cola London Eye logo and people inside.

Afternoon Walk in Bath, England

England No Responses »

Jul 242016

The weather turned sunny and we could not bring ourselves to go inside and tour the damp Roman baths. Instead we climbed the steep hill to see the famous Circus and Royal Crescent as well as the Royal Victoria Park, hiked back down to the posh shops, took a look at the exterior architecture of the baths, and strolled along the River Avon.

The Royal Crescent was erected by John Wood Jnr 1767-75

A closer view of the Royal Crescent. It sits atop a hill with views of Royal Victoria Park

Royal Victoria Park. The nearby Circus development also on the hilltop, was erected by John Wood Senr & Jnr 1754-75, overlapping their Royal Crescent by two years

We walked down Royal Avenue and gates with lions seemed to mark the entrance to the park

Pulteney Bridge on the River Avon

Pulteney Weir

From the River Avon looking east

Bath Abbey

England No Responses »

Jul 242016

“The Abbey Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Bath, commonly known as Bath Abbey, is an Anglican parish church and a former Benedictine monastery in Bath, Somerset, England. Founded in the 7th century, Bath Abbey was reorganised in the 10th century and rebuilt in the 12th and 16th centuries; major restoration work was carried out by Sir George Gilbert Scott in the 1860s. It is one of the largest examples of Perpendicular Gothic architecture in the West Country.” wikipedia

We visited there on June 2 and I found the abbey to be lively with people installing what looked to be a temporary sculpture of hope. The art and architecture blended ancient and contemporary Christian expressions of faith, love, and hope.

The stone against the brilliant blue sky

A soaring tower at Bath Abbey

Are those buttresses flying?

The high ceilings and fan vaulting are truly awe inspiring

The stained and painted glass windows are filled with Bible stories

The altar, light on the cross, the dazzling altar cloth, and the stone architecture support the message of hope for all

Reflection of the stained -glass windows onto the glass covering this sewn work of art

Artists are putting up a whimsical sculpture in the nave of the abbey

The memorial sculpture, signed Chantrey, SC .1834., is especially evocative

Stonehenge

England No Responses »

Jul 172016

The day we visited Stonehenge (aka the stones) was cold, windy and dreary. Somehow it fits my mood today as I mourn the deaths of those killed in Nice, Istanbul, Minnesota. Baton Rouge, and Dallas. On one hand I marvel at the capacity of human beings to imagine and build lasting monuments with millions of hours invested and on the other hand we use our advanced technology 5,000 years later to take the lives of fellow human beings.