London and Beyond Photo Book

Click here to view this photo book larger

In selecting the photos for this book my goal was to show similarities   across time and space, rather than a chronological representation of the trip. This was to illustrate what can bring us together in the world, buildings, art, nature, learning, in hopes that people will focus on this and not what separates us.

The Adventure Ends

On my last day in London I wanted to capture some scenes that were part of my daily life during the three weeks. These included the FSU Study Center, my room in Flat 19, Sainsbury's grocery store, my morning coffee stop, and the Tottenham Court Road tube station.

99 Great Russell Street London

Loved my window & the fresh air!

Where I ate in London

Morning mocha around the corner

Tube exit to the FSU Study Center

Exit 3 from the Tottenham Court Road station was next to the Dominion Theatre where a musical tribute to Queen was playing.

I LOVE LONDON!

London Then and Now

This is from my sisters diaries, when we visited London with our Mom on our way back to the U.S. 

July 26, 1965 Monday

"In the morning we went to London by train. We saw the movie Mary Poppins. Then we went to St. Paul's Cathedral. After that we went to the London Tower and walked around. We also went to the London Bridge. We rode on a double decker bus and got off and had a drink. After that we took a taxi to Westminster Abbey, and the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The we went home to Bookham by train."

Here are two pictures from that day. Alesha was sweet enough to go back to these sights on our last day and recreate the photos. Thanks Alesha!

The Three "B" Libraries

Today we visited the esteemed Bodleian Library at the University of Oxford.

In our stay here we have visited the Bodleian, the British Library, and the Barbican Library in the center of London. Three libraries with different purposes and clientele, however the Bodleian Library and the British Library have many similarities. Established as scholarly research libraries, they both maintain vast collections of historical primary source materials, much of their collections are inaccessible to users and must be requested, materials may not be borrowed, and there are strict requirements for using the collections. Both libraries require that user's apply for a reader's card. Scholars wishing to obtain a reader's card at the Bodleian Library must apply for admission, and must include "written recommendations based on good personal knowledge and confirming their need and their suitability for admission".

Users of the British Library collections must provide two forms of ID with proof of address and signature, and for security purposes state the nature of their research.








Contrast these policies with those of the Barbican Library, the main branch of the City of London Libraries.  Here the emphasis is on the public and lending library materials. Membership is available to anyone who lives, works, or studies in the City of London and visitors are welcome. For elderly residents who cannot get to the library, books are delivered to their home. The Children's Library participates in Bookstart and the Summer Reading Challenge.

The Barbican also houses an expansive music collection,  and provides listening booths and a practice piano.

By maintaining and providing resources and services for diverse population needs, all three libraries receive an "A".

Royalty

Here's my video on the changing of the guard. More later after our visit to Buckingham Palace.

The Beach

Just an hour away from London by train lies the seaside town of Brighton on the English Channel. With the opening of the London to Brighton railway in 1841, it became a holiday destination for thousands. Brighton continues to draw visitors with its festive atmosphere and well-known attractions such as the Brighton Pier and the Royal Pavilion. There is something about being by the sea that is mesmerizing and revitalizing at the same time.

As you exit the train station, before you can even see the water, the squawking of the sea gulls lets you know you're close.

The beach is rocky, made for shoes not barefoot strolling. The smell is of salt and seaweed. The water is green and there is a lovely breeze blowing off it. It's a Saturday, so the tables along the boardwalk are full.

I imagined how it might have been in the late 1800's and early 1900's, and I felt that black and white photography would best capture the mood.

 

 Brighton was a lovely escape from the bustle of London.

City Living

Winged Victory of Samothrace - Louvre

Our photography focus for our day in Paris was statues and the possibilities were endless at the Louvre .
However my exploration of Paris was about the interconnectedness of tourists and the places they visit. How the tourist and the city dweller can be in the same place but on such different levels, and their connection, though temporary, can make a lasting impression. Three events occurred on our day in Paris that brought this home to me.

Close to the Eiffel Tower, as we walked down to the Seine to catch our lunch river tour, we noticed a large tour bus nearly submerged, with just the top and part of the broken rear window exposed. It appeared that it may have coasted over the edge from the slightly angled parking area. The broken back window gave the impression that passengers were on board when this happened and had tried (successfully?) to make a panicked escape.

Two hours later as we returned from our river cruise the place was swarming with police, divers, journalists, and gawking tourists. We never did find out what actually happened although rumors were rampant. Nearly three and a half hours after we first noticed the bus it was still in the water as we left the Eiffel Tower.

The second event involved the street vendors under and around the base of the Eiffel Tower, hawking replicas in a variety of colors and sizes. Some lined them up in an orderly fashion on a piece of white cloth while others carried them on a circle of bent wire. The white pieces of cloth served a dual purpose. There were strings attached at both ends which made a quick way to scoop up all their wares if the police approached. Apparently this is not allowed. 
 

The young men selling them appeared to be mostly of African descent. While admiring their determination to make some money, this did not seem like a very rewarding venue. There were so many of them and I only saw one potential sale in the entire time I was watching. I felt sorry for them even though they seemed resigned to the inevitable shake of the head. I almost wanted to buy something just to help them out, but which person would you choose?

The third encounter was in the square in front of Notre Dame. People were sitting around on the low walls after the cathedral closed when all of a sudden hip-hop music erupted from a boom box. Four dancers took turns showing their moves to an appreciative crowd. Several hats were placed around the area, ready to collect the occasionally tossed coin. Several people from the crowd also joined in the fun, unable to resist the music. I wondered, did they live nearby? Did they come here everyday?

Angel in the Notre Dame Gardens

It was an interesting day in the City of Lights.

Books for Everyone?

Today our explorations took us to the British Library.

How the library is set up is very interesting. Anyone can come into the library, but to be able to look at a book, you must register with reader services. You must provide two forms of ID that include proof of address and signature, no copies are allowed and there are NO exceptions. You must also state the nature of your research. The majority of the users are doing academic research (68%). None of the collections are browsable, and there are 186 miles of shelving in the basement for storing the majority of the collections. These materials have to be requested and pulled for you, so you need to use their catalogue and determine what you need before you come in. All publishers must submit one copy of everything they publish, and according to our guide, the library will "hold it in trust for the nation". There is no censorship and they claim to have the most historical collection in the world.

This new library was opened by Queen Elizabeth in June 1998. Arts and Humanities are located on one side of the building and sciences on the other. The humanities and rare books areas have the largest reading rooms, and almost always have an occupancy rate of 96-98%. The rooms are available on a first come first serve basis, and once they are full no one else can come in. There is no limit to the amount of time you can spend in the room, so some researchers are there all day.

The library is also home to the King's Library of George III, which is a working collection of over 60,000 items. There are no plans to digitize this collection, because according to our guide it would take one thousand years.

One of the most interesting parts of the library was the Sir John Ritblat Gallery which houses the Treasures of the British Library. Original writings from literary greats, illustrations, religious sacred texts, one of the four remaining copies of the Magna Carta, and Beatles lyrics. A page in a notebook with the conclusion to Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre: "Readers - I married him. A quiet wedding we had." Also impressive were the number of artists who had illustrated Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. Salvador Dali's surreal interpretation and the black and white drawings by Marketa Prachaticka both gave you a different feeling for the story.

In the front entrance of the library there is a book sculpture titled "Sitting on History". It is an open book with a ball and chain, contrasting the availability and suppression of knowledge. The British Library is safeguarding the world's knowledge.

Steps at the British Library

Our photography focus today had been on smaller things, details.

Detail from what appeared to be a large abstract painting

Man on the Street

Today's photo assignment was to tell a story with five pictures.

Architecture and Angle

We were given a lovely tour of St. Paul's Cathedral today by a gentleman named John Wilson. Designed by the architect Christopher Wren, the "People's Cathedral" was about balance, symmetry and beauty. There was some initial controversy over whether it should have a dome or a spire (believed to carry prayers to heaven), but Wren's design of an inner and outer dome prevailed.

The previous St. Paul's Cathedral, with a spire, was demolished in the Great Fire of London in 1666. Wren built St. Paul's in thirty-five years, and also designed and rebuilt fifty-one other churches that were destroyed in the fire.

John pointed out that the cathedral had gone through a complete cleaning and restoration between 2001-2004. A portion of the unrestored interior wall has kept been so that you can see the dramatic contrast.

We were also shown the entrance doors, now just used for special royal occasions, made out of solid English oak and weighing two tons each.

Wren preferred to have clear glass in the windows to let the light shine in.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to take pictures in the cathedral so all my photos are from outside. Our focus was to think about composing our picture differently, a change in angle, off center, lighting. I was not too successful with this one I'm afraid, but here are a couple of attempts at being (slightly) different.

Feed the Birds

You are actually not allowed to feed the birds, and no one is selling breadcrumbs for tuppence a bag, so it takes a stretch of the imagination to conjure up Mary Poppins.

An Angel