Wednesday 28 August 2013

Chateau de Pierrefonds -Merlins Castle, France #2

Part 2
 
Inside the chateau
 
Now, anyone who has been to French stately homes or castles will know what I mean when I say there is always a bizarre part to it.  There is a castle in Brittany where there is a huge red fridge in an inglenook fire place?  Strange
 
The man told us in broken English that the reason some of the items are roof top spires, is because the family that owned the chateau were huge in the building trade at one point.  I don't know if that is true.
 
Now for some displayed objects
 









spire tops.

More tomorrow... lol

Tuesday 27 August 2013

Chateau de Pierrefonds - Camelot, Merlin's Castle

The restaurants were full so we had a car picnic, below the castle.
A few months back we went to France for a whirlwind weekend to complete another of my bucket list items.  Merlin's Castle.

See the details here in English

(are you saying 'Merlin' like the narrator does, in your head?  I did!)  cough*geek*

I have lots of pictures so will post a few every few days. 

This Dragon/crocodile was a down pipe for the rain water


Look at that fantastic gargoyle!  its another rain water spout.  And the castle turret on the castle wall.  Now that is a stone mason with attention to detail


amazingly ornate

this one reminds me of a place in Oxford

mythical beasts

children acting out parts of Merlin.
 
That's it for today.  Lots more to come.  Have you guessed what I loved most about it all?...

Its the limestone blocks.  I love this buttery stone.  Its the same as Bath City.  Stunning.  More tomorrow...

Friday 23 August 2013

Toe Prints

Toes of the Reclining Buddha, Wat Pho, Bangkok,Thailand

Wednesday 21 August 2013

Wednesday 14 August 2013

Bibliophile



Greetings fellow Bibliophiles.

I love books and I make no excuse for my paper back filled heaving shelves and my need to have my kindle in my special compartment of my handbag.  And yes, I did choose my bag just for that space.

I read before I go to work, whilst walking to work, at lunch time, on the way home and before I go to bed.  Lets not forget that I also read what feels like a billion peoples blogs.  If I was a robot, my name would be Johnny 5, need input.

I have commented on various blogs and to the people I work with that I think and feel to my very core that being able to read, is one of the single most exquisite gifts a parent can bestow a child.  If you can read, you can learn another language, teach yourself maths, how to sew, how to cook... The possibilities are endless. 

When I read magazines or see house programmes on TV I tilt my head to read the titles to see if they have books that I have read.  This will tell me if they are "my people".  On blogs it can be hard to know if people read the same books as you, as I have found on a lot of the decorating blogs they seem to buy them for the colour of the spine of for coffee table books.

After reading some blogs I came across this site.  Have you used it?  I think it is a mixture of the way Amazon give you 'your recommendations' and a magic 8 ball.  Have a go see what it tells you.  I popped on Twilight, to see what it said and it came up with The Hunger Games.

I have actually just finished The Salem Witch Society, by K N Shields.  I really quite liked it.  It gets shocking reviews.  Maybe people pick it up as they think it will be like Twilight or Dead Witch Walking, I don't know.  It is more like Sherlock Holmes, the new addition with Robert Downey Junior and Jude Law (phwoar)

I am now reading Umbrella, By Will Self.

Do you believe reading is important?  What's your favourite word?  Your comments please...

I love how this is worded.