Christmas Day 2007- Copt Hewick

The following are a few pix taken by members of the family at Copt Hewick on Xmas Day. A thousand thanks to Brian and Judith for making such a wonderful day possible.

The pix are of limited interest to anyone but those in them. I haven't labeled them but you will recognise some of us. Nick had to work either side of Xmas day and so he and Amy couldn't get down from Edinburgh. We missed them both.

Don't do it Ed!

!!Season's Greetings!!

The Ripon Canal in November.
Cold and still - awaiting ice.

At this time of the year our thoughts turn even more to home, family and friends.

Truly home thoughts from abroad.

Thank you for your emails and phone calls through the year.

Have a marvellous festive season and a happy and prosperous new year.

Arohanui from us both.

Especially good wishes to my colleagues at MIT who are having more than just a little to cope with at present..

Hola Gaudi! The Temple Sagrada Familia

Barcelona has treated us to 4 days of perfect weather: cloudless, windless days at 15 degrees. What a relief after the 6 degrees and cold grey of you-know-where!

To say that we were overwhelmed with Barcelona would be an understatement. The Gaudi buildings we visited, all built or renovated in the early 2oth Century are simply sensational combinations of faith, artistry, skill and function.

For me Barcelona was, on this visit, simply Gaudi. So I am not going to say too much but just share the pictures with you in the hope that you may come and visit for yourself. Suffice to say that on first glance some of the buildings appear rather "way out" in their form. For example straight lines do not appear where they may be expected. But on even short acquaintance they show themselves as superbly practical and beautiful.

Gaudi was extremely religious and his churches are truly organic as he uses the forms of nature to shout his beliefs. Initially over-elaborate to my taste they quickly enveloped me with their subtlety and Grace. To this agnostic, visiting his buildings was a moving experience.

I remember the surprise and delight I experienced when, years ago, I discovered fossilised sharks' teeth in the foothills of the Southern Alps in NZ. The impossibility of this absolute truth and the dawning of the reason for it was reminiscent of my experience in this church as I realised that Gaudi has used the natural forms of trees and branches to build his Temple.

The Temple Sagrada Familia
Still under construction and planned to be finished,
through public donations, by 2025

Barcelona and the Park Guell

Another large scale Gaudi design, this garden sits on a large area of land which is on the edge of the city and which was planned to be a new housing development for the well off. However the plan failed and Gaudi was called in by the owner to create a garden. Thanks to Ken for recommending this wonderful site. With much of his work Gaudi drew on the natural world for inspiration. The garden is on a number of levels and features a huge flat area supported by columns which provide opportunities for his design as well as a venue for concerts etc. The space under the main flat area forms a labyrinth for exploration.