2016/02/28

London bits

For the first time I'm here not in the summer. I just did a short walk in St. James's Park, wondering how is this possible to see the proper flowers blooming in the cold February ...



Robert is admiring the trees

 One of my favourite motives...windows (maybe this is the answer why I still haven't switched to Apple ;))


It was all about the daffodils... everyone had to take a photo of those yellow gentlemen 


I wasn't the exception


A flower bed


Daisies and primroses. In Polish we called 'primrose' more like 'primspring' which is lovely, in my humble opinion, and also quite accurate. Oh, come one, there is not even a shadow of a rose in the primrose!


 Self-portrait with the primroses. They used to grow in our garden and they took me back to my childhood. 


And another flower from my childhood, the grape hyacinth


Just a leafless tree, but still a beauty




2015/12/28

Oxford

One Sunday we went to Oxford. The day before I complained about the lack of the rain - I got what I wished for. The rainy Sunday...bare foot... in flip-flops, of course... It wasn't so bad, you know. After 30 or 40 min the foot stoped feeling the cold, the rainwater, the wind, in fact stoped feeling anything ;)  and I could just enjoy the visit!
Strange...nothing happened this time - I didn't smashed anything, I didn't give accidentally my number to a crazy homeless person, I didn't loose my documents. The only thing happened to me was... me pressing the "stop" button while actually I was trying to close down a little an air condition. But it doesn't matter, there are no stops on the highway.


Let's say ...the rain is warming-up ...


Of course when we got to the University it was (that day or generally?) "closed for visitors"


 In real life there was a big crowd in that most famous room...but for your satisfaction I photoshoped them all ;)
The place had not only huge meaning in history (which no one remembers now), but also played an important role
in pop culture being
the Hogwart's ballroom :)



Ok, I'm not going to explain this. I just like bicycles. Full stop.


Hm, apparently a British speciality - entertainment places on the grave yards. Kind of creepy, kind of quirky, kind of...liked it :)  In case you've missed - a close-up...



Candles&cakes



For those who don't believe me when I say the clouds are different there...THEY ARE

2015/08/12

Made in Italy

Being currently in London I've noticed I'm speaking more often Italian than English or even Polish.
There are some political and economical reasons behind the constantly increasing rate of Italian immigrants, but I'm not going to analyse this. The daily presence of Italians, sound of Italian language and aroma of the cooking pasta reminded me my longer and shorter trips to Italy. The pictures came from different places and different periods.

Rome, September 2007. 
First one is the staircase in Vatican Palace, designed to be used by cavalry.
Second one is another popular place - the St. Angel's Bridge which had a special meaning for me, because I passed across it every morning going to school (language school :)) and afternoon - coming back. And yes, I loved Bernini's sculptures,...all of them.
And third, well, I don't think it needs a comment :) Just one thing - I took this picture on a rare, rainy day of that September. So, Forum Romanum after a still summer rain... 



Bolonia, 2010

I came to watch the thesis defence of my friend and celebrate her MA, which is quite a tradition in Italy (meaning a lot of drinking and eating:)) But in the meantime I walked around this lovely town famous from its arcades (and not eaten there - spaghetti bolognese).




Bicycles, July 2008

in Florence


 in Lucca


2015/07/12

Not only pictures

From time to time I commit something literature alike, so this is one of the texts I wrote some time ago and recently translated:

At Snow Queen's

The clacking noise of high heels once bounced – gets back
Before a cool breath fights the way through the furry barricades
Before it'll freeze into the icicle garlands at the top of the ceiling
It is not true I've got an empty house – I'm a queen after all
I spared no expense in getting furniture: chairs, armchairs, couches,
chaise lounges, tableware, golden fittings and handles
Why did you pull your hand back then?
'Cause there's no fire place?!
But there are the mirrors instead – Their Highnesses Crystals
Frozen in the beauty and perfection

The clacking noise of high heels echoed from all the walls
As a cry of despair runs towards the windows
Where the panes of Venetian glass brightly shine
It's not my fault, so what was that all about then?
The carpets made the fragile icy floor melt
And you didn't have follow me, you know,
I've never forced you to do anything

I'm not bad, maybe just a little tired and deafened al ready
But I was glad, seriously, I was really glad
There was nothing to be afraid of, wasn't it?
You knew so well what to do, learning quickly
To sit only on the couches, do not take your shoes off

When you're rearranging the mirrors and silvers
Somehow that clacking noise of high heels was getting quietened down
as well as my migraine
and that annoying ringing of icicles startlingly played along the sound of
forks, suddenly broken glass, sheets of paper strewn all over

How did she guess? Did she figure it out by herself? Or was it because of the shine?
And why did she come here, anyway?
The migraine tears apart my head
and the clacking noise of high heels bounced once
with the unbearable tempest, strikes me down

2014/08/26

Back to Highlands

...or Scottish summer part II. What can I say? I just fell in love with this rainy, moody, unpredictable land. It's just too beautiful. Of course as a region (still) it's struggling with a lot difficulties and many things there could be easily critized...starting with the very particular taste in clothes ;) But these photos are not aiming to do that. Not this time. They are about how enchanting, dispite many flaws, imperfections and defects, this place is. And addictable - at least for me.


 Somewhere between Corran and Onich

On the way from Glasgow to Fort William. The sights along the A82 highway it's a story by itself

Another material for an independent post - Ben Nevis


In other words...to be continued :)

2014/03/06

Scottish summer

 
Loch  Lommond, August 2013 between 8.00-9.00 a.m.

 

Glen Coe - popular but spectacular anyway. 
Seen in Skyfall, Harry Potter (Hagrid's home). Near the entrance to the glen sits the village known as the birthplace of James Bond's father Andrew. :)



 Glenfinnan Monument and Loch Shiel



 

 On the way to Hogwart - Glenfinnan Viaduct



Some village



Mallaig





Glen Coe - in the evening

 

Culzean Castle Ayrshire



A melancholic dill from Glasgow...