Category Archives: European art

Another eclectic trek around Europe – Part One

The older I get, the harder it is to put together a trip to Europe when there is no big-deal (to me) event which self-selects a range of dates as a starting point. A couple of years ago, I was … Continue reading

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Falkirk, Scotland beyond the Kelpies

As I described in a (very) old post, I went to Falkirk specifically to see Andy Scott’s Kelpies sculptures and perhaps some of his other works which can be found in a variety of locations around the town. In the … Continue reading

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Duke and Baron – Scotland’s Kelpies

A few years ago, a TV news item introduced me to Andy Scott, a Scottish sculptor working in metal who has created more than a dozen gorgeous works, most of which are installed in various outdoor locations in and around … Continue reading

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Finding Santons in Metz

If you’re a fan of Peter Mayle and his wonderful stories about Provence life and culture then you may be familiar with santons. The word means “little saints” and refers to handmade clay figures dressed in old style traditional dress … Continue reading

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Bolshoi Ballet – Spartacus 2016

This is not, strictly speaking, a travel post. I went to the movies near home recently to see a ballet but enjoyed the broadcast so much I decided to blog about it. See… my two favorite performance disciplines are live … Continue reading

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Spinning on Milan’s bull

So… here’s the deal… In the center of Milan’s Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, a gorgeous 19th (!) century high-ceilinged open-air covered shopping mall opposite the Duomo, there’s a mosaic of a prancing bull. According to popular myth, you should place your … Continue reading

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Strahov Monastery libraries

Taking baby steps to get back into blogging… Fans of BBC Musketeers should recognize these places. In that series, these two rooms play parts of King Louis’s palace. In reality, both are libraries or ‘halls’ at Strahov Monastery in Prague, … Continue reading

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Schlepping around Europe October 2015

Sorry, Folks! Once again, I was too cheap to replace my crummy tablet with something more useful so I’m having to rely on hotel wi-fi, which is sometimes excellent (last week in Zurich… gotta love that Swiss precision and efficiency!) … Continue reading

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A labor of love in wartime – The Italian Chapel, Orkney

Orkney is known for its Neolithic monuments and settlements, but the islands also have their fair share of WWII history and associated sights. One of these is the Italian Chapel on the tiny island of Lambholm in the southeast corner of … Continue reading

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A Robert Louis Stevenson tribute

Just about the only benefit of my staying in the Corstorphine area on Edinburgh’s outskirts was this statue across the street from the house and a few steps from the Western Corner bus stop. (The only other worthwhile attraction in … Continue reading

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Three and a half nights of London theatre – Part 2

So now we come to the whole reason why I crossed the pond in the first place… I was more than ready for Wolf Hall when Monday night rolled around, probably one of the most anticipated nights of theatre I’ve … Continue reading

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Three and a half nights of London theatre – Part 1

London is my favorite place on the planet, not least because it’s where I can OD on theater. This time, I had to book way in advance to be sure of tickets to the two plays the RSC has mounted adapting … Continue reading

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A sea of poppies at the Tower of London

My most recent trip was filled with a wide variety of experiences and locales. It will take a while to sort through the photos, journal notes and other hasty scribbles to make sense and produce some decent posts, especially since … Continue reading

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news from Prague – summer 2014

Here are a bunch of interesting tidbits with info on what’s going on in and around Prague – for those who don’t click on my Prague HOT LINK!! Some originally noted in Prague Post. Leave it to the Czechs to … Continue reading

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Travel and art news from France – summer 2014

From France 24. The Paris Pantheon has been wallpapered with some 4000 selfies by street artist JR, thru early October. On the topic of selfies – Parisian authorities are trying to effect a sea change away from those bridge-destroying “love … Continue reading

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Random news from the Netherlands – summer 2014

A bunch of items from Dutch News. Though some of the articles came out several weeks ago, the news is still valid as far as I can find. Mopeds, helmets and bike lanes. A surprising find during restoration of a … Continue reading

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Dutch tidbits – spring 2014

From Dutch news. Bike parking to be expanded in Amsterdam. A canal house is being created using a 3D printer and is open to visitors. Problems with high-speed rail service continues, but slow trains are still in service between A’dam … Continue reading

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tidbits of UK travel news

From the London Independent.  A (very) modest hotel in Wales scores for customer service. Even thrifty old me could afford to stay here! I wonder how far in advance one needs to book? And here are a few ideas for … Continue reading

Posted in Archaeology in Europe, Edinburgh, England, Europe food & wine, European art, European festivals, European museums, General magpie travel, News from Britain, UK news | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Miscellaneous art news around Europe 2014

From London Independent – Matisse at the Tate Modern thru early September 2014. More Matisse at the Musée d’Art Moderne in Paris and a Matisse trail in Collioure in French Languedoc (aka French Catalunya). This last one sounds intriguing – see info at … Continue reading

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A hunt for giant Easter eggs in New York

NYC is currently running a city-wide Easter egg hunt. I stumbled on part of it recently when in Manhattan for the Tartan Day parade (still working on this blog post). After the parade, I went to Rockefeller Plaza to people-watch. The … Continue reading

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Major art exhibit planned for Prague Castle in 2015

From Prague Post. A major art exhibition of Titian’s works is being planned for Prague Castle. It’s more than a year away, but if Prague is on your list, keep this event in mind, maybe even do as I do … Continue reading

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Keflavik’s Rainbow and an egg

There are two large outdoor sculptures at Keflavik airport in Iceland. They stand next to the terminal building, so are unmissable whether coming to the airport or heading out towards Reykjavik. The Rainbow is the work of Rúrí, an Icelandic artist and was … Continue reading

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Art awaits in Paris for spring 2014

From France 24 – a photo exhibit of images of everyday Paris is on through late May 2014 at the Maison Européenne de la Photographie (aka MEP). Received in a Eurostar email – La Nuit Aux Invalides, a nighttime video spectacle … Continue reading

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The Kelpies are coming to NYC

From the website I found when searching for info on this year’s Tartan Day parade in NYC. The parade will be held on Saturday, 5 April, 2014 along Sixth Ave, beginning at 2 pm. When I was in Edinburgh this … Continue reading

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Tidbits from Dutch news – Feb 2014

Here are a couple of stories from Dutch news from last month… The Hermitage’s Amsterdam location is now home to thirty Golden Age paintings by Rembrandt et al., similar to his masterpiece The Night Watch, which lives at the Rijksmuseum … Continue reading

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Fourth plinth artwork comes home to roost

The latest in a continuing series of artworks, each of which resides for about a year on the previously unoccupied fourth plinth in London’s Trafalgar Square. It’s a giant blue rooster entitled Hahn/Cock. I especially like the pigeons sitting below … Continue reading

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A Scottish stone is going walkabout!

From London Independent and Univ of Glasgow. The Hogback Stone, one of the thousand-plus year old Govan stones which live in a Glasgow church, is going on exhibition at the British Museum in London. Here’s more info and a photo, … Continue reading

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More Shakespeare for Trevor Nunn

From London Independent. Trevor Nunn has staged 30 of Shakespeare’s 37 plays and wants to do the rest before retiring. Something to look forward to!!

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Higgins Armory Museum closes and an old memory reawakens

The Higgins Armory Museum, in Worcester, Massachusetts, has been in existence for more than eighty years. It is basically one man’s collection of armor, weapons, clothing, stained glass and banners in a reproduction Gothic setting spread across several floors in … Continue reading

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Roman road found in Utrecht, Netherlands

From Dutch News. A road dating from Roman times has been dug up in central Utrecht while building work was being carried out. Ancient Roman ruins don’t immediately come to mind as elements of Dutch history, which makes the news … Continue reading

Posted in Archaeology in Europe, BeNeLux, European art, European museums, General magpie travel, Netherlands travel, News from Europe | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments