I can’t explain my mind an offshoot of I can’t explain my feet?
Twelve years of walking, looking, and writing. If you’re wondering how much shelf life this theme has left, the answer is: It’s only the beginning.
Am I losing my mind!
Another question to answer. Often in the heatwaves my mind seems incapable of thinking. Decisions seen impossible. What to do and where to go.
Bearing in mind my full time work has ended ;seemingly at the beginning of a great adventure! In reality lost and confused!
After spending a couple of hours in the cinema I make my way to London Kings Cross to check out Coal Drop Yard.
kings Cross- Coal Drop Yard by Regents Canal.
Arriving in the area to have lunch and check out where the Light Room is, it is too hot to think. Among the crowds and heat, everything is chaos.
Coal Drop Yard
I eventually made it to the one day only fantastic David Hockney exhibit. It was visually stunning .
Honestly I would need to create another website about Art to describe the intensity of this one off show. A lot of the show was live, so I videoed bits. My video editing skills need further developing before posting them here.
The beginning.
The end!!
I’m getting into art again.
The Royal Academy hosted this exhibition of a lesser known Dutch female Artist, Michaelina Wautier
One of her portraits of a young boy. Michaelina Wautier was a trailblazer living around the same time as Rembrandt..
At The Tate I saw the artist Tracy Emin’s second chance exhibition and another tribute to Frieda Kahlo. A vast collection of colourful artworks.
Visiting Eel Pie Island for the first time was fun.
One of the few artists House.
Most displays are quirky and recycled. Little gardens and old boat yards are now artists workshops.
It was another day of intense heat but the island was quirky and inspiring. The Eel Pie Museum is another place to visit. I’m leaving that for another time. There is a musical festival in town on 8/8 weekend. Lots of live music on the streets and bars.
Art is the refuge.
The independent Garden Cinema is now one of my go to places. I’m watching films I wouldn’t normally be interested in just to get out of the sun for a couple of hours.
Planning my escape
I was due to go on a Hill Walking Retreat for a week, and changed my plans to attend a funeral in Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire.
Instead of going to Stirling I went to Edinburgh The hope of boarding my booked train disappeared from sight as by 9.27 it hadn’t arrived and was due to leave at 9.33.
The journey became less about delays and more about connection.
As chaos piled up, I plonked my self down on the first free seat I could find. I sat next to a young guy who was from Glasgow but lived in Edinburgh, it turned out he was a saxophone player.
An instrument I practiced at New Cross College. There was a common thread at least I had someone to talk to -talking about music at least passed some of the time heading to Edinburgh.
New journey, new plans.
After contacting an acquaintance it happened she had a spare room for two nights. Her apartment was in the Old Edinburgh area near Marchmont.
Not only did I have a room but interesting company as well.
It was great to have the company. She drove me and her son to an open night at an art Gallery, afterwards we went for a meal.
The next day, I had a walkabout in the area and looked in the shops.
Later on that day we drove up to a reservoir for an easy five mile walk.
Blueberries almost ready .
Daisy, Daisy
Bridge over troubled waters.
Fine pines near water.
Travelling up to Aberdeen was crowded and I got stuck in a carriage listening to a couple of guys talking about golf! that was pretty gruelling.
Arriving late afternoon, on my own with a rucksack and small case, the reception allowed me to check in. After dumping the bags, then reluctantly went back out into the streets and the shopping centre.
I’m not sure how much of my mood impacted my vision but the city looked like it had seen better days, the dark grey buildings, looked cold and grim.
The port of Aberdeen.
The only bit of brightness that I saw. Alley way next to the ABERDEEN DOUGLAS HOTEL.
Stonehaven
I really loved this. After the funeral we walked along the seafront at Stonehaven.
Stunning wee sculpture.
The following day I took a train back to Edinburgh for only a couple of hours; before returning to London Kings Cross.
I left my baggage in the National Gallery lockers near Waverly railway Station.
I found this quite intriguing. There’s a bit of a story behind it. In short it was inspired by a story written by Edgar AllanPoe then translated in French by Baudelaire.
After my very brief time at the Gallery, it felt like a good idea to go off for a wander around the city. I walked up and down quite a lot of stairs off Princess Street.
I tried and failed to find McEwan Hall. A place that I’m visiting in August for a book reading. It was a struggle to get my bearings in this beautiful but crazy busy city.
Back in London
I found a really cute handbag size pop up map in Waterstones that shows the layout of the streets in Edinburgh.
Next time I will get it. Previously I had walked through middle meadow after my two night stay, and walked past a folk bar near there – so close yet so far.
Sandy Bells Folk Club
Further escapades and wanderings on the horizon, but who knows where or when.
The heatwave continues in London. See you in August .
RIP Brenda Robertson.
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