Cotswolds

Cots = sheep's shelters
Wolds = hills

Driving around Cotswolds, one can understand where the name came from. Gentle hills and sheep, horses and other animals everywhere around. What is also charming and makes this place so enchanting are the villages.

Bibury is said to be the most beautiful place in Cotswolds and looking at this and the picture above, I can easily say that they are right. If only there were not the tourists (one of them was me - oops) this place would be even more charming.

Just look at the roofs and the stonework. And we were lucky with the weather as well. Simply beautiful.


Before arriving to Bibury, we had to stop in Burford, a gateway to Cotswolds. Apart from admiring the picturesque village, we also visited the church which is some 900 years old.

Apparently, you can really recognise the age of such structures by simply looking at the towers. It is the one on the left, the one with the flat roof, that dates the church as far back as c.1175 (or so we were told). The tower on the right, the one with the spiky roof, is much 'younger' (though I think it is still pretty old anyway).

Whenever I come to a church I have to admire the windows, the vaults and the complexity and wisdom with which they were built. People had to be so clever to achieve such beauty.


We visited few more villages before reaching the finale of our trip, Stratford upon Avon. Yes, the birthplace of William Shakespeare (also a place where he died in between living in London).

What you can see here is a close-up of William Shakespeare's birthplace revealing the original section of the building.

Displayed behind a sheet of glass, yet again I have to admire the skill and knowledge of craftsmen of that time.

And this building is still standing, some 450 years later...





What I also remember about this place are the exteriors of the buildings around as you can see in the selection underneath. So eye-catching, so visually pleasing.

I would say, Cotswolds is a place worth visiting. There are some hidden gems in England but Cotswolds is not even hidden. It is there in the open. I am glad I have finally seen it all with my own eyes. We spent one day traveling from one village to another, stopping for lunch (trout that they claimed was caught just before we ordered the meal) and scones (proper English ones with jam and clotted cream) at teatime. If you ever come to England, I have just recommended a place for you. This is a must.

Tangled

Yes, I have finally managed to visit Tate Britain and see the 'Picasso & Modern British Art' exhibition on show until 15 July 2012. My plan for last week, yet again, did not happen so I am rather proud that I have done it one week later. Despite the fact that there was a lot to read (each image and each room had an explanation), there was also a lot to see (as you might imagine - it is Pablo Picasso after all).

Duncan Grant, Wyndham Lewis, Ben Nicholson, Henry Moore, Francis Bacon, Graham Sutherland and David Hockney are the listed British artists whose work have been influenced one way or another by Pablo Picasso. Each of these seven artists have their work on display alongside Picasso's work and I must say, one can see very clearly the connections and from where the artists drew.

As I looked and read and was soaking as much as possible I finally approached 'Guernica' (its B&W reproduction to be precise) displayed together with a few preparation studies for the iconic painting.

I have seen this image in books and magazines before but nothing could have prepared me for the emotion that shot through my body when I saw such a big image (even though it was only a B&W reproduction). The twisted human and animal bodies, the despair in their faces, the suffering; I could almost hear their cries. No wonder 'Guernica' is recognised throughout the world.

When leaving the Tate and still full of emotions, I sat down by its side for a bit of a rest realising that it is the time of a year when the trees are cut down and getting ready for further re-growth. And so I took a few pictures. One of these is above. What is great is that you can see the structure. What I can also see here are the twisted branches as if in pain and this is the Guernica influence on me. Yet, all is so neat, even beautiful; especially during sunset, wouldn't you say? Kx