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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 16, 2017 19:42:26 GMT
On a lovely day in June of this year I set out to visit the Banqueting House, known for its monumental ceiling painted by Rubens. More about that later, as I didn't get to see it on my first foray. I did however, avail myself on the many well-known sights in the area and further afield. Those in the know should feel free to enhance this thread with identifications of and facts about things pictured, if they wish. Trafalgar Square, rather marred by the police barricade & poster combo ~
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 16, 2017 20:07:23 GMT
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 16, 2017 20:31:59 GMT
I've arrived at the Horse Guards building, directly across the street from the Banqueting House. This sign, clearly posted next to each horse portal, did not deter every bimbo and her brother from running up to get selfies with the horsies ~ Obviously there is no rule against mimicking the stance of the horse ~ Thought balloon: "Sheesh -- I hate this gig!" I skipped happily across the street, only to find that the Banqueting House had closed early that day for a special event. Humph. I'll just go off and entertain myself elsewhere ~ Do I love this building or what?! Does anyone recognize it? Hint: these are not The Pigeons of Peace ~ Is it not totally perfect for its purpose? I don't know what this thing is, but it's beautiful and goes so well with the building ~
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Post by lagatta on Jul 16, 2017 23:31:35 GMT
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Post by bjd on Jul 17, 2017 5:14:11 GMT
Looking at those pictures of the soldier on the horse with his metal helmet and his sword, I realize how stupid it is to retain those uniforms simply to please tourists. After all, that's all it is. If anything went wrong, it's not as if the guy would be able to do anything to help, dragging his sword and with his head heating up in a metal hat.
What kind of statue was on the Trafalgar Square plinth you didn't show? They change them around once in a while. Last time I was there (2006?), it was a naked, pregnant, limbless woman -- allegedly a real person.
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Post by kerouac2 on Jul 17, 2017 6:30:00 GMT
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Post by bjd on Jul 17, 2017 7:51:42 GMT
The new one sure does look dark and forbidding!
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Post by lagatta on Jul 17, 2017 11:11:57 GMT
So how does one get a flat in that posh social housing?
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 17, 2017 13:43:04 GMT
There are government buildings in Ottawa with that severe style. I am fascinated by the fact that the building was designed in 1915. Even though that was an era of striking modern design, the Ministry building seems so perfect in its proportions and its appropriateness to its function. It took over 20 years to get started on the construction, though, which makes me wonder how many other buildings that we associate with one time period were actually designed much earlier. The neo-classical Main Building was built between 1938 and 1959, which included delays due to the outbreak of World War II. sourceLooking at those pictures of the soldier on the horse with his metal helmet and his sword, I realize how stupid it is to retain those uniforms simply to please tourists. After all, that's all it is. If anything went wrong, it's not as if the guy would be able to do anything to help, dragging his sword and with his head heating up in a metal hat. Maybe it's just for the tourists, or maybe it's because it's tradition, which far too many people consider sacred. That metal breastplate in the full sun in a week the temperature was in the 80s must have been hell.What kind of statue was on the Trafalgar Square plinth you didn't show? They change them around once in a while. Last time I was there (2006?), it was a naked, pregnant, limbless woman -- allegedly a real person. Oh -- I didn't even notice it! I went back & looked at the fourth picture in this thread & assume you're referring to the plinth & statue on the far left. I've cropped it out & blown it up. Is it a thumbs-up? France just built a brand new Ministère de la Défense Now that is how a Ministère de la Défense building should look! *approve*
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 17, 2017 14:13:05 GMT
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Post by lagatta on Jul 17, 2017 14:54:21 GMT
Why is the flag at half-mast? Could it possibly be for the ordinary people killed and missing at Grenfell Tower? Or something else?
As for the metal breastplate and all, that is downright dangerous in such heat. Even for young healthy fellows. I understand that the whole display is of tradition, but traditions must change with the climate. I remember being in Amsterdam when the weather was even hotter; it is in the same climate zone as London and known for the same cool, grey, often rainy weather.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 17, 2017 14:54:28 GMT
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 17, 2017 15:00:38 GMT
Why is the flag at half-mast? Could it possibly be for the ordinary people killed and missing at Grenfell Tower? Or something else? As for the metal breastplate and all, that is downright dangerous in such heat. Even for young healthy fellows. I understand that the whole display is of tradition, but traditions must change with the climate. I remember being in Amsterdam when the weather was even hotter; it is in the same climate zone as London and known for the same cool, grey, often rainy weather. Oh, LaGatta -- of course you must be right about the Grenfell Tower tragedy! All of the flags I saw that day were at half mast. I asked a couple of people why, but no one knew. Obviously I was guessing it must be someone "important", rather than the loss of life of ordinary citizens. In various Caribbean countries the police have a summer uniform. In New Orleans, the mailmen have a shorts uniform for summer. Here in Oaxaca, where it can get very hot, the police are swathed in heavy long-sleeved clothing. I was at a taco stand in the big market once when a group of women traffic cops came in to eat. They were all quite flushed and obviously hot in their uniforms. I asked them if they gave motorists a harder time on hot days. They said that yes, they did. "We're in really bad moods!"
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Post by lagatta on Jul 17, 2017 15:18:36 GMT
And officials and businesspeople can look very sharp indeed in Caribbean formal business dress suited to the climate. www.artofmanliness.com/2012/07/25/guayabera/ Also Mexican, no? I presume that the café and the loos were welcome public conveniences.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 17, 2017 16:32:47 GMT
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 17, 2017 16:40:42 GMT
One of four massive bronze figures at the base of the Victoria Memorial. This one represent Agriculture ~ More fancy fencing. This is Canada Gate, at the entrance to Green Park ~ A nice sight to end my day of sightseeing as I enter the park ~ And on through the green corridor to the other side and the Green Park tube station ~ That concludes part one of this thread. I returned to The Banqueting House a week later. It was open that time, so I can justify the title of the thread with the pictures of its glorious ceiling plus other touristic delights. Stay tuned, please!
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Post by kerouac2 on Jul 17, 2017 17:38:01 GMT
Totally wonderful wandering.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 18, 2017 0:09:36 GMT
Hey ~ thanks! Now, in thread time, it's exactly a week later. Although rain was forecast, I rolled up my raincoat & set off again for the Banqueting House. First, a short post to show what all I encountered on the way there.
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Post by kerouac2 on Jul 18, 2017 6:09:02 GMT
Great memorial, but I am quite sure that not everybody likes the style.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 18, 2017 16:14:29 GMT
The link above sort of complains about the dark color as it relates to everything else on Whitehall. Personally, I feel that the actual site and even my own long shot photo "work" better than the close-ups, as that would be more how the eye actually perceives it. Well, we have finally arrived at the Banqueting House in thread time. Some background: Built by Inigo Jones for James I from 1619, Banqueting House was the only major part of Whitehall Palace to survive a devastating fire in 1698. Jones's work was considered to be his masterpiece. ... The Banqueting House is essentially a huge hall, like a basilica, with heavy walls supporting a chamber of double-cube proportions ... The wonderful painted ceiling was added by order of Charles I in 1636. Charles employed Peter Paul Rubens to create the ceiling as a memorial to his father James. Rubens was visiting Britain in his role as an ambassador, but Charles seized the opportunity ... to commission the artist to create an opulent ceiling of nine panels separated by ornate gilded borders. This source is quite interesting.On entering, you are invited into a chamber in the lower floor to view a video on the history of the building. It is quite interesting, especially as pertains to the succession of monarchs in relation to history. Still, the real reason to visit is up a flight of stairs into the Hall ~
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 18, 2017 16:41:23 GMT
On my way back to Buckingham Palace (full disclosure: I needed to visit all three of its gift shops ), I finally managed to visit St. Margaret's church. It is next to Westminster Abbey & this was my third attempt to get inside, due to its odd opening and closing hours. It's an operational church, in fact the parish church for the surrounding area. No pictures, so I was nailed after getting only one usable one. I spoke to one of the docents there, suggesting that they'd make a fortune by charging a fee to allow cameras to be used. He agreed with alacrity, and said he didn't understand the ban. Regardless, if you get a chance to visit this church, by all means take it. It is not very big, but absolutely crammed with a fascinating variety of memorials. Truly, I consider it as much of a must-see as the Abbey. There are not just large fancy marble memorials, but also painted wooden ones from one sister for another, for instance, or what appear to be deeply heartfelt ones from a husband for his wife, as in this one ~
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Post by mossie on Jul 18, 2017 18:47:55 GMT
Taking pictures in poor weather can be rewarding , sometimes. But those shots of the guardsmen really bring out the scarlet of the uniforms, no wonder they were called 'Redcoats'.
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Post by questa on Jul 19, 2017 5:48:34 GMT
Gorgeous photos again - such crispness and clarity.The light for the Redcoats series is wonderful. If I were invited to dine in the banqueting rooms, I wouldn't eat a thing. I'd be feasting on the glorious art work instead. I wonder how it affects people who work in places as sumptuous as this. Do they become blase to the beauty or still are awed after years of working there?
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 19, 2017 19:18:03 GMT
Thank you, Mossie! Yes, the true red of the coats really popped in that flat gray light. So kind, Questa -- thank you! I almost had a disaster viewing the ceiling pictures. Someone vacated one of the bean bags and I pounced on it. In my eagerness, I didn't look to see that part of it had been mashed down by previous butts, so plopped my bulk down with only a thin layer of naugahyde between me and the marble floor. The young people at the Banqueting House were friendly and professional, but I couldn't really discern how they felt about the place. A couple of other grand houses I visited, though, had extremely enthusiastic docents who obviously considered it a privilege to help protect and present those places. PatrickLondon kindly answered the question I had here about the building identification with a response over in the London diary thread. His answer is here: No, Somerset House is further round the bend, by Waterloo Bridge. I think what you were looking at there was the National Liberal Club, in Whitehall Gardens, next to the Royal Horseguards Hotel. Thanks so much, Patrick -- never would have found that on my own!
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