Lesbian With A Gun

The Shard on a clear day.


The Shard when it's overcast.


The Shard from Waterloo


London Charring Cross Station from Waterloo

This was the first time I saw Big Ben since the UK voted to leave the EU back in June 2016 taken days after that week and world media was still there...
and... This it what it looked like to me...

This was the first snapshot I took of it from across the river..

'Brexit'
I call it, because to me it looked like Westminster was screaming that day I saw it that week in June 2016.
As I got closer, it looked all gloomy.



Random coolness near Nido Tower.


I should probably grow up though, at London Grind, London Bridge


The Royal Palace of Amsterdam, NL, June 2016

Cuthbert

>>>

Ninetales

^ yep I went there too I should find my pics of the trip and post some

Lisnaholic

In northern Europe it's quite easy to become blasé about the gothic style of church architecture; in London, there seems to be a soot-blackened example in every high street. Nevertheless, they were fabulous buildings whose principal aesthetic goal was to inspire awe by going as high as technology permitted.



Notre Dame, Paris, was started in 1163 and encloses a huge high space with its cutting edge technology and elegant design. They spent 200 years on the building of it, but still didn't put the spires on the front. This is typical of the bl**dy French, who can't finish anything unless the Brits are helping them.



^ And here is what an English spire looks like: St.Walburge's in Preston, Lancs. Though in fairness I have to mention that this is a Gothic Revival church, built in the 1860s, by which time they'd had 700 years more practice than the Notre Dame guys. Just with my thumb, it looks like the spire is three times higher than the body of the church. As was the intention, Praise the Lord! - or at least, Look heavenward and be amazed!

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"Am I enjoying this moment? I know of it and perhaps that is enough." - Sybille Bedford, 1953

Lisnaholic

Of course another design goal for the gothic cathedral builders was to give church-goers a transcendent experience through the use of stained glass:-



It was pretty effective too; short of going to church, it wasn't until LSD became available that adults would again whisper in wonder, "ooh look at the colours!"

__________________
"Am I enjoying this moment? I know of it and perhaps that is enough." - Sybille Bedford, 1953

MicShazam

Very impressive buildings. Especially the Notre Dame, which I haven't ever seen up close. I'd very much like to.

Lisnaholic

Yeah, it's pretty nice, but always full of tourists, which rather detracts from the sense of wonder. I´m sure there are some quieter gothic cathedrals near you that might make for a more rewarding visit.

__________________
"Am I enjoying this moment? I know of it and perhaps that is enough." - Sybille Bedford, 1953

MicShazam

Not really in my own country, but there are a lot of old, beautiful churches (and beautiful little towns and villages) in Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, etc.

Lisnaholic

Yes, absolutely! I was once lucky enough to stay in a town right where the old East/West German wall hit the Baltic coast, so it can't be so far from you.

Lübeck, old and new:-

.....

__________________
"Am I enjoying this moment? I know of it and perhaps that is enough." - Sybille Bedford, 1953

MicShazam

I like those spires. I might have been there once with my parents many years ago. It reminds me that I want to finally find out what that old, Danish turn of phrase is all about: "You look like death from Lübeck". Which is sort of like saying someone looks not well, or like they've just seen a ghost. What about Lübeck has something to do with death in particular. Now I want to know.