Wednesday 12 September 2012

Two loos and other August stuff

After out trip up the Wallace monument a few blogs ago, we felt in need of a little something to eat. After a small drive around the countryside we managed to pick up a curry in the village of Menstrie, which was only a five minute drive from the campsite. Just opposite the takeaway we spotted this sculpture - it's by Andy Scott and is called Foxboy.



A few minutes before we had spotted this sculpture on a roundabout just outside another nearby village, Tullibody. We liked it enough to return the next day and take some pictures. Seems some of the locals are less impressed and in February last year it had an "accident" (BBC article here).



On another roundabout they have erected an eagle statue, looks good from a distance...


......but doesn't fair so well in a close up inspection (mind you, it is on a roundabout so is probably designed to be seen only briefly)


One of out feathered friends on a wire. Identified for me as a yellowhammer (thank you) and I agree. He was having a rare old sing.


The post office have been painting a postbox gold in the hometown of every athlete that came away with a gold medal in the olympics. This one, just of Princes Street, is to honour Sir Chris Hoy, fast cyclist and owner of a snazzy website.


Sir Chris came away with two gold medals so the Post Office painted a second one gold for him just behind the Tron Church. Pictured here despite attempts by the general public to obscure it.


This little marvel was found in St Mary's Cathedral. It's called Poverty over Sculpture by Mel Howse. It comes with a big pile of...er....artspeak, which you can read for yourself on the Salisbury Cathedral website here (it obviously spent some time there too).




While looking at Ms. Howse's sculpture, we had our backs to Paolozzi's marvelous window. It would be wrong not to turn round for a few minutes. I first saw it last year here.


Just off Princes Street Gardens is the Parish church of St Cuthbert's. We were in there to see a lady play some Bach cello suites, very nice in themselves, and as a bonus the sun was coming from the right direction to illuminate they're Tiffany stained glass window. It's David on his way to meet Goliath.


Another window - this time on Cockburn Street.


I don't make a habit of taking photographs in the loo, but the toilets in the Modern Art Gallery in Edinburgh merit recording. If you're going to look at modern art with a hangover, might I suggest going before you leave.


This grill on the window has shades of Eduardo Paolozzi about it (or at least I think so)



I say I don't make a habit of it, but here's a second picture of a loo in the same month. This one is much more ordinary and is to be found in a cafe in Sedbergh (which I passed on the way out of Dent).


What makes this loo particularly noteworthy is that it is the only one I have ever seen that has been twinned with another. This one has been twinned with an outdoor facility in Burundi (all in the name of charity)


I noticed from Calton Hill, that somebody had built a mobile hotel on a piece of wasteground. No doubt just there for the festival - I had no idea such a thing existed.


Not quite August, but the first weekend in September brings the Portpatrick Folk Festival. Who needs a mobile hotel when I have my trusty tent. The more observant amongst you might have noticed that I've upgraded my kettle since I was last here in 2010. I didn't take many pictures this time round so here's just a few and you can see the 2010 visit blogged here and here (it was mainly the same people here this year)


Dunskey castle at the bottom of the camp site.


A view of Portpatrick, walking down from the campsite.


A session in the Waterfront - it must be early on as there's still room to move.


Some good weather on the Sunday afternoon meant that a few tunes were to be found outside, I see Gus's cello has developed a little modesty in the last couple of years.



10 comments:

Ellie said...

Wow Sandy you certainly kept yourself busy over the last couple of months. Great pictures you have here. That toilet would certainly give you a headache if nothing else :))

Unknown said...

Love those statues though I'm not surprised that the locals don't feel the same way.
Lovely photos of your journey and it was great to be able to join you.

John "By Stargoose And Hanglands" said...

What a wonderful selection of odds and ends! I particularly liked the sculpture in St Mary's which does not need any "artspeak"; it speaks for itself. Gus's cello is also a fine piece of artwork, though still rather underdressed for the Scottish climate.

The Glebe Blog said...

Here's a new slogan "Witterings - the website for the extraordinary".
You can certainly find them Sandy.
I reckon I must have walked passed you that Sunday at Portpatrick

Sandy's witterings said...

When I look back on the time off, I certainly have been rather busy - the last couple of weeks (until thursday anyway) were much quieter - you don't have to be all that old before you need to sit down for a while (perferably with a cuppa)

Technogran, Locals can't be counted on to like anything!

John - what the cello really needs is a pullover. I reckon it must be an Italian cello!

Jim, you might well have walked past me at Portpatrick - I think your pictures were taken a little later than these though (you'll notice you have Gus in one of yours too - only he's stopped playing by that time)

Crafty Green Poet said...

I love the idea of loo-twinning, a real awareness raiser.

The statues are certainly eye catching, though i think i prefer the stained glass windows.

Sandy's witterings said...

Juliet, Mr Scott seems to have picked up a name for being eye catching - which would be why he's also responsible for the horse sculpture on the motorway to Glasgow.
Paolozzi's window is one of my favorites in Edinburgh though - for more cracking glass you should pop into Saint Giles and have a look at the Burns Window just above the main entrance.

Taken For Granted said...

Great series of photos. Love the sculptures, especially the second one. Looks like a grand time was had by all, and I'll bet the music was also wonderful.

Thanks for joining my blog. Please stop back often.

Shundo said...

I do make it a rule never to go and look at modern art with a hangover, it makes for such a trying morning all round...
Love the idea of toilet-twinning too, and I am glad you have a spanking new kettle. I could imagine that would be near the top of any Christmas list of yours.

Sandy's witterings said...

Welcome Taken for Granted.

Shundo, Indeed the kettle was right up at the top of the Christmas list until I realised how far away that was - It couldn't wait that long!