how to be a bad artist » places to visit

Gnome table spotted in Milan

Diane — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 22:25:38 +0000

Hmmm…so much for high fashion

Konigsallee, Dusseldorf in Germany

Diane — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 09:01:41 +0000

Konigsallee is a famous street in Dusseldorf, Germany, and is also very beautiful. It has designer shops that run alongside a canal.

I was there in November, which is a good time to catch the Christmas markets, but also to create sketches of the river and the people with their funny little dogs.

Milan Cathedral

Diane — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 19:55:35 +0000

Public art in front of the Duomo Milan.

Claydon House, Buckinghamshire

Diane — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 16:05:15 +0000

This is the Chinese room at Claydon House, a National Trust property in Buckinghamshire.

The Polar Museum, Cambridge, UK

Diane — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 21:40:27 +0000

Where else could you get to see a pair of polar bear trousers? The Polar Museum in Cambridge is unique in its display of polar artifacts, art and other materials. Its collection of letters, books, and equipment includes objects from the famous Scott expedition, as well as other expeditions. The letters were hidden away in drawers, so be nosey and make sure you’ve explored everything the museum has to offer. They were among several of many objects that I found both moving and fascinating.

It’s a great museum if you are interested in arts and crafts, as well as learning about the science of the polar regions. Its Polar Art Gallery shows temporary exhibitions of polar art and artefacts and the works of other contemporary and earlier artists.

See: Polar Museum for more details

Frenchman’s Creek, Helford, Cornwall

Diane — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 19:20:35 +0000

When a friend kindly invited me to stay in Frenchman’s Creek cottage in Cornwall, I jumped at the chance. Frenchman’s Creek features in a novel of the same name by Daphne Du Maurier. We read it aloud while we were there, while drinking gin & tonics, and laughing hysterically at our fake Cornish/French accents. The heroine goes to stay near Frenchman’s Creek and falls in love with a French pirate while she is there. As you do!

The cottage is managed by the Landmark Trust and is located in woodland owned by the National Trust. It’s such an idyllic location, I had to console myself when I left by buying lots of Cornish pasties from a nearby farm shop (and eating them on the M42 on the way back).

I managed to do lots of sketching and painting while I was there and I recommend it as a place for artists, walkers, or couples seeking a Romantic spot.

[Click here for a SLIDESHOW]

Frenchman's Creek Cottage, Helford, Cornwall
Frenchman's Creek Cottage is run by the Landmark Trust located by land managed by the National Trust.

Helford River, Cornwall
This is where Frenchman's Creek joins Helford River, Cornwall.

Helford, Cornwall
Helford is the nearest village to Frenchman's Creek.

Helford, Cornwall
Here is the view as you come into Helford on the Helford River, Cornwall.

Kynance Cove, near Lizard Point Cornwall
Kynance Cove is situated just a few miles north of Lizard Point.

Kynance Cove, near Lizard Point Cornwall
The huge waves crash against the rocks at Kynance Cove.

Bulgaria

Diane — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 10:17:05 +0000

Bulgaria is a great inexpensive holiday with lots of sun, sand, sea and birdwatching. I travelled there independently and rented a self-catering apartment, but Thomas Cook have some great package holiday offers to the more popular beach destinations.

I recommend Thomas Cook as a travel company and if I’m not travelling independently, always choose them for package tours. Click on the image below to check their competitive prices:

I visited Kavarna, Varna, Golden Sands, Aladzha Monastery Museum and the Balchik Botanical Gardens. Bulgaria is also great for skiing, so I’ve been told.

[Click here for a SLIDESHOW]

Cape Kaliakra fortifications

Cape Kaliakra

Wild plants at Cape Kaliakra

Cape Kaliakra fortification

View from Cape Kaliakra

Cape Kaliakra Museum
The Cape Kaliadra Museum is in a cave (with resident swallows). This is a model of Cape Kaliadra fortifications

Swallows at Cape Kaliakra Museum

Statue at Cape Kaliakra

Kavarna beach

Aladzha Monastery Museum

A visit to Derbyshire and Manchester, UK

Diane — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 21:33:46 +0000

I stayed in self-catering accommodation when I visited Hadfield in Derbyshire. It is a great place to stay as you have access to walks (such as the Pennine Way) and it is a short train journey away from Manchester. See derbyshireholidaylet.com for more details.

[Click here for a SLIDESHOW]

Pennine Way near Crowden
The Pennine Way is well documented in Wainwright's walks.

Pennine Way, Derbyshire

The Lowry Centre, Manchester
The Lowry Centre has a theatre and galleries. It is most well-known for its L S Lowry Collection.

John Rylands Library, Deansgate Manchester
This Victorian Gothic building is joined to a more contemporary building creating a strange mix of old and new.

Manchester Cathedral window

Havana and Varadero, Cuba

Diane — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 18:47:25 +0000

I travelled to Cuba on an all-inclusive Thomas Cook holiday. I visited Havana (the capital) and its surrounding areas, and Varadero (on the coast). Cuba was a favoured haunt of Ernest Hemingway and tourists still visit his hangouts (see my photos for more details).

I recommend Thomas Cook as a travel company and if I’m not travelling independently, always choose them for package tours. Click on the image below to check their competitive prices:

[Click here for a SLIDESHOW]

Old American car in Havana, Cuba
American cars from the 1950s can be seen everywhere alongside newer cars imported from France.

Traffic surrounding Parque Central
The traffic that circulates around Parque Central is a mixture of old American cars, horses and carriages for tourists, and more recent imports.

Paseo de Marti (Prado), Havana, Cuba
Paseo de Marti leads from Parque Central towards the Capitol building.

Hotel Ambos Mundos, Havana, Cuba
American novelist Ernest Hemingway stayed in Hotel Ambos Mundos and frequented two bars nearby, La Bodeguita del Medio and El Floridita.

Old city of Havana, Habana Vieja, Cuba
The old city of Havana was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982.

Fountain in Plaza de San Francisco, Havana, Cuba
The Fuente de los Leones is modeled on one found in Alhambra, Granada, Spain.

View to port near Old Havana, Cuba
It is a short walk from Habana Viejo (Old Havana) to the port area.

Plaza de Armas, Old Havana, Cuba
This colonial square houses a second-hand book market among tropical vegetation and Baroque buildings.

Plaza de la Catedral, Havana, Cuba
Catedral de San Cristobal is a Baroque cathredral in Old Havana that is a magnet for tourists.

Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Havana, Cuba
Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes houses works of art from all over the world in two separate buildings.

Artwork by Roberto Fabelo at the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Havana, Cuba
Ten giant cockroaches with human heads created by Roberto Rabelo climb the exterior of the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Havana, Cuba. The artwork was created in 2009 and titled "Survival".

Museo de la Revolucion, Havana, Cuba
The Museo de la Revolucion is housed in the former presidential palace of the dictator Batista. The grounds show the tank used to attack US ships in the Bay of Pigs in 1961.

Sculpture by Rita Lonja, Cuba
The modernist sculpture of Rita Lonja stands outside the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes.

Old cars parked in front of Hotel Telegrafo

Parque Central
Parque Central is surrounded by grand hotels and historic buildings.

Old American car, Cuba, Havana

Local form of transport in Havana, Cuba

Apartment blocks, Cuba, Havana

View from Hotel Nacional, Havana and Cuban flag
The Cuban flag flies in front of the Hotel Nacional, one of the most famous hotels in Cuba.

Egypt, The Valley of the Kings, Luxor Temple, and Hepshetsut Temple

Diane — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 12:09:30 +0000

I travelled to Egypt on an all-inclusive Thomas Cook holiday. I recommend them as a travel company and if I’m not travelling independently, always choose them for package tours. Click on the image below to check their competitive prices:

[Click here for a SLIDESHOW]

Entrance to the Valley of the Kings
This is the entrance to the Valley of the Kings, Egypt. It is the first glimpse of what is to come and its modest appearance hides how amazing this place actually is.

Entrance to a tomb in the Valley of the Kings
Entrance to the tombs are down steep steps and then after showing your ticket, you go through a doorway into a passage. The walls and ceiling of the passage are decorated with paintings, with rooms leading off to the sides. At the end of the passageway is the Pharaoh's burial chamber.

Entrance to Rameses 1 tomb
Tombs are marked with simple signs.

Please no photo
Photography is strictly forbidden within the tombs.

Valley of the Kings
Entrance to many of the tombs is prohibited.

Valley of the Kings
You are restricted to visiting just a few of the temples in The Valley of the Kings. Many are closed to the public.

Inside the Valley of the Kings
The valley is a dry, dusty place and the sunlight reflects off the rock making it hard to see without sunglasses. Entrances to the tombs line the pathway, but not all are open to the public.

Valley of the Kings
Entrances to the tombs are very modest and would originally have been hidden.

Hepshetsut Temple
Hepshetsut Temple is situated in a vast flat landscape and dominates with its grand facade.

Hepshetsut carvings
The relief carvings once completed were painted.

Hepshetsut's Temple
Every bird or animal you can think of appears somewhere in a carving. Even birds wearing hats.

Hepshetsut stone carving
...shame about the face

Hepshetsut hieroglyphics
Nice legs...

Hepshetsut hieroglyphics
There are many animals, insects as well as people depicted in Egyptian carvings.

Hepshetsut Temple
All hieroglyphic carvings would originally have been painted and sometimes you can still see the colours.

Hepshetsut Temple
The temple has been badly damaged over the years, but has undergone restoration. You can still see paintings on the walls.

Hepshetsut Temple
Queen Hepshetsut's Temple is directly aligned with her tomb on the other side of the mountain.

Collosus of Memnon
You can see how huge these monuments are by how small the people next to them are.

Luxor Temple
You can see Luxor Temple from the Nile.

Water buffalo on the Nile
You can see water buffalo grazing along the sides of the Nile.

Many think of the pyramids when they think of Egypt, but I think the Valley of the Kings and Luxor are a must-see for any tourist visiting Egypt. From Luxor, we visited the Valley of the Kings, Karnak Temple, Collosus of Memnon, Luxor Temple and even managed to float down the Nile in a brightly coloured boat.

Luxor in Egypt is a place I only thought of as existing in the Bible. And when I visited it, it looked like it still belonged in the Bible. Cars and trucks mingle on crowded roads with donkeys and camels. Farmers and agriculture are situated right next to the city. Ancient sits next to brand new.

The Valley of the Kings is an amazing place, full of entrances to tombs that tunnel down into the rock of the mountains. It is a very hot, bright place and conditions for those who created the tombs of the Pharaohs and for those who discovered them in the Valley of the Kings must have been far from comfortable. Even the tombs themselves are hot. There is no respite from the heat.

Photography is not allowed in the tombs of the Valley of the Kings. But you can take photos of the entrances and the mountains that the tombs are carved into. All the tombs differ in design. No two are the same. The magnificence, depth and splendour of the tomb depends on how long the pharaoh lived. The tombs were begun as soon as the Pharaoh began his reign. The longer he lived, the deeper and more elaborately decorated his tomb.