The original two buildings were built in the 1840s and were converted into hotel in the 1870s and 1890s respectively. The new Grand building was built between 1911 and 1913. __________________
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Grand hotel before and after
The original two buildings were built in the 1840s and were converted into hotel in the 1870s and 1890s respectively. The new Grand building was built between 1911 and 1913. __________________
Travel in the UK
Set on the River Mersey, Liverpool was once one of the world's most important seaports, but today is more famous as the home of The Beatles and of Liverpool and Everton football clubs. The city has many grand buildings from its 19th century heyday and has two cathedrals, one Anglican and one Roman Catholic. The centre of tourist Liverpool is the Albert Dock, which houses the Maritime Museum, Tate Gallery Liverpool and The Beatles Story. There is also a bus tour - the Magical Mystery Tour - which covers all the places associated with The Beatles. Liverpool is the European Capital of Culture for 2008. Journey time: Train - 2.5 hours, Coach - 4 hours
Find more information on www.visitliverpool.com
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
WITTE, Emanuel de
De Witte was born in Alkmaar, the son of a schoolmaster. He worked in Delft and entered the Delft guild in 1642. By 1652 he settled in Amsterdam where he spent the rest of his life.
In Amsterdam de Witte continued to paint views of Delft churches, but he was inspired more often by the metropolis's grand buildings: its Old Church, lofty New Church, Stock Exchange, and, after it was consecrated in 1675, its Portuguese-Jewish Synagogue. By the late fifties the contrast of light and shadow grows stronger and powerful, and he abandons oblique views for more frontal ones. At this time his interiors also become more fanciful. To be sure, other specialists made changes in the architecture they portrayed but de Witte was capable of radically rearranging it to increase massiveness, and to heighten spatial and chiaroscuro effects.
He also painted purely imaginary interiors of Catholic and Protestant Gothic and Renaissance churches, and designed others using elements taken from well-known Dutch buildings. But he always convinces us, in an uncanny way, that he has painted a view of a real church. It is a surprise to learn that the Interior of a Church in the Boymans-van Beuningen Museum, Rotterdam (this picture) is one of de Witte's compilations and not a view of a known building. The wooden ceiling and the little organ on the left are based on what de Witte saw at the Old Church in Amsterdam, the massive columns - but not their capitals - were modeled after the huge piers at St Bavo in Haarlem. The round arches and the late afternoon sunlight, which glows through the building, are purely imaginary. Distances are still clear, yet darkness will soon fall over this articulated play of forms. And de Witte not only could create majestic church interiors giving the convincing impression of reality; he also endowed them with a profound personal mood. His tonal design organizes the picture plane in a slightly geometrical fashion and substantially contributes to the articulation of the spatial effect. The movements and gestures of his figures are appropriate to the silence suggested by his dark interiors.
Comparison of this great artist's works with those by Houckgeest and van Vliet shows his wider range, his more powerful spatial effects, and his more interesting pictorial qualities. In general, there is the same noble restraint as in Pieter de Hooch's best genre pieces, Kalf's mature still-lifes, and the grand solemnity of Ruisdael's forest scenes. In the Rotterdam church interior an aspect of his reserve is seen in his understated handling of the skull that is hardly visible in the shadowed debris of the open tomb.
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Córdoba
My overnight 11 hour bus ride to Córdoba was not as luxurious as I was expecting, I elected to go with the semi-cama class instead of the full cama class due to the price so I wasn’t expecting a near horizontal recline but based on what I’d read and heard I thought this class would be nicer. The seats weren’t particularly comfortable, no more so than buses I’ve taken other places before. The seat did recline farther than any night bus I’ve taken before though, I managed to get some sleep. Unfortunately the state of my budget means I wont be upgrading to cama class on this trip with the price for that going up 50% over semi-cama.
That’s enough on the bus though. I arrived in Córdoba at 8AM and was met by my couchsurfing host soon after at the station. This was the first place in South America that I had gotten a positive response on couchsurfing, though I’d been trying for everywhere I’ve been the last 2 weeks.
We walked around central Córdoba in the afternoon, but since it was Sunday almost everything was closed so it wasn’t particularly interesting. In the evening we went to a nearby art street market, on a road lined with small shops, bars and cafes, people everywhere and a band playing in the road.
Córdoba
My overnight 11 hour bus ride to Córdoba was not as luxurious as I was expecting, I elected to go with the semi-cama class instead of the full cama class due to the price so I wasn’t expecting a near horizontal recline but based on what I’d read and heard I thought this class would be nicer. The seats weren’t particularly comfortable, no more so than buses I’ve taken other places before. The seat did recline farther than any night bus I’ve taken before though, I managed to get some sleep. Unfortunately the state of my budget means I wont be upgrading to cama class on this trip with the price for that going up 50% over semi-cama.
That’s enough on the bus though. I arrived in Córdoba at 8AM and was met by my couchsurfing host soon after at the station. This was the first place in South America that I had gotten a positive response on couchsurfing, though I’d been trying for everywhere I’ve been the last 2 weeks.
We walked around central Córdoba in the afternoon, but since it was Sunday almost everything was closed so it wasn’t particularly interesting. In the evening we went to a nearby art street market, on a road lined with small shops, bars and cafes, people everywhere and a band playing in the road.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
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sevill sightseeing
The cathedral and the Alcazar are clearly Seville’s most spectacular buildings but the city is graced with many other notable architectural masterpieces. Some are old, some are distinctive and all are worth a short piece of your time.Archives of the Indies.This is now housed in a dignified Renaissance building adjacent to the cathedral. You will not miss the building but may be uncertain as to its use. The archive includes drawings, documents, plans of South American towns and much more. The building dates from the 14th-century.City Hall.This stretches between Plaza Nueva and Plaza de San Francisco in the heart of the commercial district. The two facades are quite different. The original Diego de Riano building from the 16th-century can be seen on the Plaza de San Francisco while the other side shows a 19th-century plasteresque front.The Bullring.This deep ochre painted building was built in the 1760s and is still used today, mainly on Sundays. It is one of the oldest and prettiest bullrings in Spain. There is an adjacent museum with English-speaking guides which opens daily. The statue of the matador outside the building is a highlight.University of Seville.Since the 1950s the University has occupied the old Royal Tobacco Factory building on Calle San Fernando. The factory was built in the 1750s and is said to have employed some 3000 female cigar makers at its peak including the mythical Carmen in Bizet’s opera. You are welcome to wander around the lower floors and courtyards.Torre de Oro.The Tower of Gold is on the banks of the Guadalquiver River close to the city centre. The twelve-sided tower was built by the Moors in 1220 as part of the city’s protection system. It is believed a chain was stretched across the river from here to another tower on the opposite bank. It now houses a small navel museum.Hospital de los Venerables.This interesting Baroque building in Santa Cruz was once a retirement home for priests. It is now often used for art exhibitions and there is a 20-minute guided tour to show you the building’s highlights. The outstanding room is the chapel where there are frescos by Juan Leal and an imposing pipe organ. Other areas of interest are the azulejo patio and the upstairs gallery.Museum of Fine Arts.This excellent collection is housed in the former convent of La Merced Calzada in El Porvenir within walking distance of the city centre. Most of the building dates from the 17th-century while the art work, including works by Leal, El Greco and Murillo spans several centuries.
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