One of the most surprising delights of Paris is the Musée Rodin. Set in the outskirts of Paris the museum is based at the Villa des Brilliants which was Rodin’s old home.
When you enter the grounds you are confronted by Rodin’s sculpture of the ‘Gates of Hell’ based on Dante’s inferno. What struck me was the magnificence of the piece. There is so much detail going on and sitting at the top is a figure who I will come back to later.
Gates of Hell
Inside the museum you are given the life story of Rodin. More importantly there are on display some of Rodin’s sculptures. The most popular would be ‘The Kiss’. However, every time I view it I cannot stop thinking of Monty Python and Terry Gilliam’s animation.
The Kiss
An added bonus to the museum is a walk around the gardens. It was place that allowed me to contemplate about my visit to Paris. To be in the heart of the city yet find a spot that was so tranquil was something to enjoy.
Finally the highlight of the visit is the giant statue of ‘The Thinker’. This is probably Rodin’s most famous work. It is the perfect photo opportunity.
The Thinker (Guess which one)
I believe that any visit to Paris should include a visit to the Musée Rodin. If only to escape the bustle of the main sights of Paris.
Musée Rodin, 79, rue de Varenne – 75007 Paris
Nearest Metro Stops : Varenne (Line 13) or Invalides (Line 13 or Line 8)
Admission €9, 18-25 years (Non EU) €5, 18-25 years (EU Citizens) Free
Until the next post, stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.
The city of Lichfield is situated in the county of Staffordshire and lies to the north of Birmingham. A small place given city status because of the cathedral. It is worth visiting from Birmingham to spend a city here. A historical city it is famous for being the birthplace of Dr. Samuel Johnson.
The best way to get to Lichfield is to take the London Midland train from Birmingham New Street to Lichfield City station. Journeys take around 40 minutes. The most expensive adult ticket costs £7.10 for a day return. Once you arrive into the station it is a five minute walk to the city centre.
There are several attractions to visit in Lichfield and I will list a few of my favourites. Firstly, I will point you towards the cathedral. Originally to be classified as a city in England you had to have a cathedral. What makes Lichfield Cathedral unique is that it is the only medieval cathedral that has three spires.
The next place I would recommend you visit s the Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum. Acting both as a museum and bookshop it tells the life story of Dr. Samuel Johnson perhaps Lichfield’s most famous son. Items that can be viewed in the museum include Johnson’s personal armchair and tea set. The museum is located on Breadmarket Street and has free entry.
Another attraction that you should visit is Erasmus Darwin House. Erasmus Darwin, the grandfather of Charles Darwin was a renowned doctor, inventor, poet and scientist who lived in the city for over twenty years. Included in the museum are two rooms with audio and visual exhibits. One pleasing aspect of the house is the Georgian herb garden that contains plants from the period. The museum is located on Beacon Street. Admission costs £3.00 for adults.
A perfect place to go for a walk is Beacon Park. Originally marshland it was reclaimed in the 19th century. It is home to various sporting facilities used by the citizens of Lichfield. There are also monuments and statues. The most famous being of Edward Smith, the ill-fated captain of the R.M.S. Titanic.
If you are looking for entertainment then a visit to the Lichfield Garrick Theatre is a must. Opened in 2003, it is named after the famous 18th century actor David Garrick who was born in the city. The theatre shows plays and concerts while a local Rep company is based there.
Finally, if you are looking for somewhere to eat I would personally recommend ‘The Spark Cafe Bar’. Situated on Tamworth Street it serves excellent food at reasonable prices. The coffee is also excellent. There are plenty events that take place including live comedy and music. It is also home to a book club.
This walk starts at the DLR station Cutty Sark. Once you leave the station the Cutty Sark comes into view immediately. The former tea clipper was famous for being able to sail to Australia in less than 80 days. It has recently reopened after being damaged by fire in 2007. Admission is £12.00 for adults and £6.50 for children under 15 years of age. It is advisable to book online as entrance is only by timed ticket. In the autumn sunshine the Cutty Sark looks impressive.
The Cutty Sark
From the Cutty Sark I made my way towards the Visitor’s Centre which is housed in part of the old Naval College. It is interesting to spend some time in there as it tells the story of Greenwich. There are plenty of interactive exhibits inside.
The Visitor’s Centre
From the Visitor’s Centre I made my way to the Painted Hall. The impressive painted ceilings took 19 years to complete. It was also where Lord Nelson laid in state until his funeral.
One of the painted ceilings
I crossed the Romney Road and made my way towards the National Maritime Museum. Free to enter the museum tells the story of Britain as naval nation over 500 hundred years. Britannia did once rule the waves. One of the highlights is the uniform Lord Nelson wore at the Battle of Trafalgar. You can see the bullet hole in the left shoulder. It was the bullet that would eventually kill Nelson. Sadly, I was unable to photograph the uniform. There are several other items worth seeing.
The National Maritime Museum.
Upon leaving the museum I made my way towards the Royal Observatory. I stopped to look at the site of the Equestrian Centre that was used for the Olympic Games. It looked an impressive sight. The surface was being removed but the grandstands remained intact.
It is a steep walk to the Royal Observatory. However, once you reach the top of the hill you are rewarded with great views particularly of the O2 Arena.
The Royal Observatory is London’s only planetarium. It is also famously the home of Greenwich Mean Time and the Prime Meridian of the World. The Astronomy Centre is free. Tickets for Flamsteed House and the Meridian Courtyard cost £7.00. If you do not want to pay but wish to experience crossing the Meridian Line there is a spot outside the courtyard where this can be done. I warn you that it does get crowded.
From the observatory I made my way back towards Greenwich down The Avenue. I passed the Greenwich Royal Park Herb Garden. A haven where you can rest your legs as your sense of smell takes in all the odours of the herbs.
Back in Greenwich I passed the Fan Museum which is dedicated to fans and fan making. Admission is £4.00 and the museum serves afternoon tea from 3pm.
Passing the Spread Eagle bookshop I made my way to Greenwich Market. At Sunday lunchtime the market was packed with people enjoying the autumn sunshine. There were stores that consisted of locally made handicrafts and clothes. There is something for everyone. Towards the end of the market my sense of smell took me towards the food section. Here, one could eat the world. In fact it was too popular and the queues were just too much.
Feeling hungry I made my way towards a coffee shop called ‘Red Door’. So called because it has a red door. A small coffee shop it had a cosy atmosphere which was what I needed after the bustle of the market. My ham and tomato toasted sandwich tasted delicious, mainly of the olive oil used instead of butter. The scone, jam and clotted cream also went down well. From the ‘Red Door’ I made my way back to the DLR station for the train back to Central London.
The walk came from ‘City Walks: London’ by Craig Taylor. This was the first in a series of 50 walks.
Until the next post, stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.
No visit to Prague cannot pass without mentioning the history when Czechoslovakia was under communist rule. The Museum of Communism tells the story of this time. Admission for adults 190 CZK, Students with ID 150 CZK. Children under 10 years of age have free admission.
Ironically the museum is located above a McDonald’s on Na Příkopě. Communism right next to an icon of the free market.
The museum is split into six sections and also include a cinema and a mock-up of an interrogation room.
The sections are:
The Origins
The Dream
The Reality
The Nightmare
Cult of Personality
Velvet Revolution
These sections follow in a chronological order to tell of life for the ordinary citizen. It looks at the various areas of everyday life such as politics, sport, daily life, education, propaganda, censorship, the army and police. There is also a display about the show trails that took place.
LeninMarxLenin Pointing The Way ForwardUnloved Relics of the Past
The Cinema shows a film about the struggle for freedom for the Czechoslovakian people. It particularly highlights the Prague Spring and the Velvet Revolution. It was certainly moving and I could see people having to wipe away tears from their eyes. It makes you grateful about the things you take for granted.
Would I recommend the museum as a place to visit. The answer is yes. One cannot separate communism from the history of Prague and how people suffered and why they took to the streets for their freedom. There are relics all around the city. It is a good way to spend an hour or two especially for the history fan.
Until the next post stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.
Recently I was in London and I thought I would visit the Imperial War Museum.
It is a place that holds many surprises. The first one before you enter the museum. You would expect to see the guns outside but I was not expecting to see a piece of the Berlin Wall too.
The museum itself is free to enter. There are entrance fees to temporary exhibitions that might be taking place. Once inside it is far from the celebration of war that one might expect. There are plenty of military hardware to view but it also looks at the problems and horrors of war too.
On the ground floor there is an exhibit decided to an ordinary family and how they lived through the blitz in World War II. This was fascinating as it examined day-to-day living during the war. This is something that can be easily forgotten with rationing and having children taken away to be evacuated to the country for their safety.
The first floor dedicated to the Secret Services and the role they have played in conflicts during the 20th century. Again, this was excellent with plenty of video footage to view particularly of the SAS rescuing the hostages in the Iranian Embassy in 1980. This was something I could remember seeing on the television at the time. Also on the first floor there is a temporary exhibition about the soldiers serving in Afghanistan, a reminder of current conflicts.
Second floor main exhibition is the film ‘Crime Against Humanity’. It tells of genocide that has taken place and the effects it has on the people. Some of the images are upsetting and you warned not to bring in children under the age of twelve. What I was left from this was the number of crimes against humanity that have taken place. It is more than I thought. There is also an art gallery with portraits and images from the war.
The third floor contained the highlight of the museum. This was the exhibition dedicated to the Holocaust. As you can imagine what you see and hear cuts right through you. The horrors I could not imagine. It seems so long ago yet it was only seventy years ago. What stayed with me was the silence as I travelled through the exhibition.
The fourth floor celebrates the extraordinary heroes and the story of how they received their medals.
Overall, the Imperial War Museum was a great way to spend an afternoon. What I found pleasing was the number of families that were visiting and the parents taking time to explain what happened.
There is currently some working taking place inside the museum and some areas will be inaccessible. From 2nd January 2013 the museum will be closed for six months while major construction work takes place.
The nearest tube stop is Lambeth North on the Bakerloo line. There is free Wi-fi in the museum and there is also a cafe and shop to visit.
Until my next post, stay safe, stay healthy and keep smiling.
SteveWhittythoughts1965 