A Little Light Reading

I know there's no such thing as 'too many books' but having just moved house sometimes it felt that way.  It took a lot of effort to give my wee library a new home.  Public libraries have the same problem on a larger scale.  This beautiful addition to the main library in Liverpool not only provides a home for thousands of volumes, it also creates a beautiful, cathedral-like workspace for the bookworms of the city.

Stone Cold Drunk

The British are famous for being a little disparaging about our European neighbours, but how could you fail to respect a nation that encourages drunkenness in its statues?  This tipsy lady is trying hard to stay on her plinth outside the Louvre in Paris.

Knobs and Knockers

I'm sure that somewhere, tucked away in a dusty office in an ancient university, is the world expert on Spanish 17th Century door furniture.  However, I don't think we need to disturb any experts to understand what the creator of this door had in mind when this church (!) door was commissioned. This could be the front door to every house in every 'Carry On' movie.

New Kid on the Block

This magnificently complex gothic edifice - Liverpool Anglican Cathedral - looks as if it has towered towards the heavens for many centuries.  In fact, that couldn't be further from the truth.  Construction was started a year after man's first powered flight, and wasn't finished until nine years after the first moon landing.  Famously, it is connected to the city's Roman Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral by Hope Street (more by coincidence than design unfortunately).  It is the longest cathedral in world and if you're fit and free from vertigo, its huge bell tower provides tremendous panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. 

The Downward Spiral

I spent a great day at the Museum of Liverpool perusing exhibits which tell the many different stories of this great city.  Some exhibits were plain and unassuming, while others were a bit more ostentatious.  But for me, the most eye-catching thing in the whole place was the central staircase.  Every angle brought a new view; and every view brought a new angle.  It's part lighthouse, part seashell and - at the risk of sounding like a staircase headcase - I could have wandered around it for hours.

Dying Light

There is plenty of light on the Western horizon but all of it is coming from the dying sun and none of it is coming from the distant lighthouse which, sadly, has already died.  Advances in maritime safety and navigational techniques meant that the beautiful structure was no longer needed to announce the dangers of this rocky coast.  The light was finally extinguished in 2012 but the local community wasn't ready to say goodbye, so bought the lighthouse and - after much refurbishment - it is scheduled to open to the public this year.

Water, Water (almost) Everywhere

As storm 'Doris' batters the UK, it's easy to forget that not everywhere enjoys our ready access to a plentiful water supply.  If you're building a palace or fortress in Southern Spain for instance, you could do worse than afford yourself the luxury of a few ornamental fountains.  Nothing too ostentatious of course - leave that to the Italians.  Just a gentle trickle from a beautifully simple source, coloured to reflect the surrounding terracotta roofs, with just enough of a babbling sound to echo around the sunlit courtyard.

Daily Commute

I've just been to Malta for the first time and was completely enamoured with the place.  It was a working trip and our daily commute began and ended with a water taxi across the harbour.  Being on the water as the last rays of the sun painted the magnificent sandstone architecture of Valletta was the perfect end to a busy day.

Blooming Housing Market

When I was a poor student, luxury accommodation consisted of a room with a window and access to a toilet that was shared with fewer than a dozen other students.  Things appear to have moved on a bit and most halls of residence here come with en-suite bathrooms and state of the art cooking facilities.  This building even looks quite good from the outside - and the view over a wildflower meadow must make even the most appalling hangover seem just a little more bearable.

Peace at Last

Scotland is an amazing place and the Scots are an amazing race.  We discovered half of the world and invented pretty much everything else.  Okay, I exaggerate slightly but we founded the US Navy and invented golf, marmalade and Sherlock Holmes; how much more diversity do you want?  The other thing that the Scots have been pretty good at is knocking lumps out of folk with very sharp objects.  And when we get fed up with that, we knock lumps out of each other with very sharp objects.

This cottage looks as if it's in the most tranquil of settings, but it sits on the site of the last pitched battle on British soil: Culloden.  In April 1746 a Jacobite army containing a large number of Scots charged into a Government army containing a large number of Scots.  The outcome is well documented in the history books.  Despite the beautiful sunny scenery on this moor above Inverness, it was impossible to stroll across the battlefield without feeling a distinct chill.

A Little Light Exercise

I love the shapes that architecture gives us and there are few old buildings with more dramatic shapes than a lighthouse.  This isn't an active lighthouse; it's now a museum in the north of Scotland and it has been beautifully preserved for the public.  The chains which disappear into the void of the stairwell support the weight which turned the lantern.  Once the weight had worked its way to the bottom one of the lighthouse keepers had to hoist it back to the top.  Every couple of hours. Every day.  Forever.  It's little wonder that they didn't feel the need to put gymnasiums into these magnificent structures.

Not in the Shade

If you're a building, it must be quite demoralising to discover that you've been constructed in the shadow of a magnificent cathedral.  Malaga cathedral, to be precise in this case.  Who's going to spare you a second look?  This building, however, refuses to be sidelined by its taller neighbour and just glows with confidence and style.  I think it's the Episcopal Palace, but don't quote me.

Take a Bow. Or Two...

Meanwhile, back in Liverpool...  The city is rightfully very proud of its maritime heritage.  The dock area is a great place to explore and a lot of money has obviously been spent on rejuvenation over the last few years.  Even the architecture has been carefully chosen to reflect the city's maritime roots.  This beautiful building literally mirrored the older buildings of the area, and metaphorically mirrored the bow of this very bright lightship.

Reflections of History

I currently live in the north of Scotland but the chap who manages my career has got a good sense of humour, so I've been working in Liverpool for a while.  I don't think I've ever been so surprised by a city.  All negative connotations evaporated as soon as I had the opportunity to explore the place on foot.  I'm sure if you look up 'architectural juxtapositions' in the dictionary it just says: 'Liverpool'.

Lovely Weather for Umbrellas

It's the last day of a pretty overcast year and, true to form, it's raining.  Pouring down in fact.  I doubt that you could venture outside today without an umbrella and not drown.  In a desperate attempt to retain a little bit of festive cheer, my thoughts turned to umbrellas in finer weather.  This colourful display was in the village of Alhama de Granada this summer and brightened up an already beautiful day in Andalucia.