This is a lavish family home built to resemble an Italian palace. What an absolute gem of a place, crammed full with beautiful objects, paintings (among them Rubens, Titian and Brueghel), and even some Egyptian artefacts billed as one of the largest private collections in the UK. But the place that blows me away is the Japanese garden, probably the best I've seen outside Japan - what a joy.
Sunday, 9 June 2013
Wimborne Folk Festival
Festival goers gathered at the Wimborne Minster, Dorset
The Gugge 2000 brass band at the Wimborne Festival, Dorset
No two yellow and black outfits are the same.
An absolute joy to watch and to listen to
A band playing at the main Square, Wimborne Minster
For the men, it was either long hair or tattoos, or both
A band getting ready to play at one of the side streets A shoeless attire seemed to be the norm |
Head gear fit for Ascot.
A jolly couple posing for me, with big smiles
Either a stall holder or a festival goer.
The chair is unique, so is the dress style
Dog biscuits and free water for the canine friends
Sunday, 2 June 2013
Zagreb Series - Random memories
Zagreb is a beautiful city. Towards the evening, when foot traffic is light, and locals come out to sit at pavement cafes smoking and chatting, the city reveals her quiet and gentle charm.
The spacious Ban Jelačić Square, encircled by palaces and cafes |
Some of the grand buildings at Ban Jelačić Square, Zagreb |
Young boys playing football at Ban Jelačić Square, Zagreb Unthinkable in the UK, where children do not normally roam free |
Traffic policeman having a chat next to the National Theatre, Zagreb |
Lake Jarun, Zagreb, from the airport On board a Lufthansa flight |
Zagreb is not Zagreb with the iconic posh dress shop "Maria" |
Zagreb Series - Mirogoj Cemetery
Mirogoj, situated on the slopes of the Medvednica mountain, is probably one of the most beautiful cemeteries in Europe. Lime-green cupolas top the wall that surrounds the memorial park. It is not only a burial place on a grand scale but also a beautiful park and sculpture gallery. At the entrance is a plague erected to Hermann Bollé who designed the shape of the cemetery, applying a monumental composition of arcades, pavilions and domes, intermingled with trees and shrubs. From the city centre, a taxi to Mirogoj costs less than 40kn.
On a Sunday afternoon, the cemetery was a place of peace and tranquillity, with gentle birdsong and the quietness occasional punctured by the gentle sweeping sound of someone cleaning the graves of their loved ones. Most of the black marble slabs were spotlessly clean, as if they had been lovingly polished by angels whilst the occupants were asleep. I was deeply moved by a lot of the sculptures and by the love to which the living have displayed for the ones who had passed away.
The grand entrance to Mirogoj Cemetery |
I will miss you |
I will always guard you |
Christ on the Cross at an intersection The faithful still flocked here to pray |
Memorial to the fallen 1914-18 |
I will wait for you |
I will look out for you |
I've brought a rose for you |
I will dance with you |
Angels and flowers for a beloved son |
The golden strings of Balokovic I will sing for you |
I will comfort you |
I will remember you |
I will stay with you |
The grave of Franjo Tuđman, first President of Croatia |
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