Brierfield: Passing Three Churches

While getting a bit of shopping to take back to my friend's canal boat, I saw a few churches in Brierfield. Have just read that the Methodist church below is a listed building:

The Baptist church below, which dates back to the 1880s, seems to be active like the Methodist one:

The church below (St. Luke the Evangelist) was immediately recognizable as Anglican through the brickwork and style. I find the statue above the main window interesting:

Always get curious when I see what look like Catholic features on, in, or around an Anglican church.

Have just read that Brierfield Town Hall is also a listed building:

Kotek in Bed

Nice shot of Kotek in bed having his siesta. He loves the woollen blanket, of course.

Brierfield, Lancashire: Passing a Big Mosque

Despite not being a massive fan of Islam, I couldn't help but be impressed by the Jamia Sultania Mosque building in Brierfield, Lancashire. Have just read that the building is equally impressive inside, with parts having been imported from China and Pakistan.

The shot below is taken from the main road running through Brierfield:

The mosque came into view near the train station:

Had to walk into Brierfield for some food as I was staying on a friend's barge on the canal for the night just outside Brierfield. We were heading for my friend's native Colne, but a big tree had fallen over, blocking the way along the canal.

Herne Bay Revisited

After visiting Herne village, a half an hour walk or so took us into Herne Bay.

The bandstand (above and below) is one of the most prominent features in Herne Bay. Have just read that it dates back to the 1920s, and back then, was a popular venue for visiting military band concerts and tea dances (often between 4 and 7pm).

Can't remember if I've ever been on Herne Bay Pier before or not:

Have just read that Herne Bay Clock Tower, built in 1837, is a Grade II listed landmark, and is said to be one of the earliest, free-standing clock towers in the UK:

A few people were eating fish and chips in front of the Clock Tower. My travelling colleague, from Ireland, said that he could hear lots of Eastender accents from London.

And finally, the beautiful Baptist church in Herne Bay:

Would love to see if the interior of the church is the equal of the exterior which I find truly stunning.

Warsaw: Marymont Metro Murals

When these murals first caught my eye at Marymont metro station in Warsaw, I couldn't really make heads or tails of them:

To be honest, I'm still unsure what they may signify.

Maybe they just try to show the crazy world we now live in.

Canterbury High Street Revisited

Was great to walk down Canterbury High  Street again last summer.

Got a quick shot inside the Eastbridge Hospital of St. Thomas the Martyr (above). Have just read that Eastbridge Hospital became an accommodation site for pilgrims after the death of St. Thomas Becket in the late 12th century. Can recall seeing a very old fresco when my wife and I went on a short guided tour of the building in summer 1999.

Below, there is the Black Griffin pub on the High Street. Remember this pub having a bare wooden floor and great Rock jukebox. In particular, I can remember going on an all-day drinking trip to Herne Bay and Whitstable in 2007 or 2008 with EFL Steve, getting back to Canterbury, and listening to the whole Metallica album 'And Justice for All' in the Black Griffin:

During the trip to Canterbury last year, my friend from Ireland spotted the interesting plaque below on the High Street:

How could such an old building have been demolished?

Canterbury: Juxtaposing Old and New

Not really a big fan of (post-) modern art, but think that the juxtaposition of old and new above, near the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury, works quite well.

The shot below is part of the Blackfriar (Dominican) monastery remains in Canterbury which lie on both sides of the River Stour:

Gondolas can often be seen gliding in between the Blackfriar monastery remains above. Have just read that the Blackfriars buildings date back to the 13th century when the Dominicans were granted land within the city walls by Henry II.

Starting Pride and Prejudice

Between 1987 and 1988, I read Emma three times while attending A Level English Literature classes at Bury College of FE once a week in the evening. To be honest, I quite enjoyed studying Emma, and can't understand why it has taken me 32-33 years to start reading anything else by Jane Austen.

Having seen the wonderful film version of Pride and Prejudice starring Keira Knightley, I can still remember the general storyline of this novel. I'm only a few chapters into the novel, but I like what I see. Jane Austen quickly allows her readers to see that there's much more to Mr. Darcy than what his aloofness would suggest, and that the wonderful character of Elizabeth will bring this fully out of him.

Really like how one of the female characters describes the difference between pride and vanity early on in the novel:

A year or two ago, I really enjoyed reading Oliver Twist having not read any Dickens for about 22-23 years. Think I'm going to similarly enjoy catching up with Jane Austen through Pride and Prejudice.

Was pushed towards reading Pride and Prejudice by the great scholar of Catholic literature, Joseph Pearce. In Literature: What Every Catholic Should Know, Pearce explains that despite being Anglican, Jane Austen was sympathetic towards Catholics and their religion. If I remember correctly, he also stresses that in Pride and Prejudice, much can be learnt about the art of curbing pride, one of the seven deadly sins, of course.

Canterbury: Old Coaching Inn Gate

Not 100% sure but this seems to be an old coaching inn gate. I spotted it while heading towards the Westgate Wetherspoons in Canterbury, Kent.

Having followed in the footsteps of my favourite writer, Thomas Hardy, around Dorset a few times, I've come to love the sight of old coaching inn gates. They kind of connect me to an aesthetic past.

Passing Bunratty Winery

I wanted to get a bottle of mead from Bunratty Winery, but, unfortunately, the place had closed for the day.

Have just read that you can get wonderful mead and potcheen at the Winery, and that Bunratty mead was first discovered by Irish monks in the Middle Ages.

Seeing Bunratty Castle

I arrived way too early for my flight from Shannon Airport to Stansted (on route to Canterbury) last summer, so I took a half-an-hour bus ride to spend a couple of hours at the picturesque village of Bunratty.

As soon as I got off the bus at Bunratty, a Spanish family excitedly told me to have a look at the Castle. Unfortunately, it was late afternoon, so I couldn't go inside the Castle grounds, but it was possible to have a nice cold beer admiring the Castle tower building from a short distance:
 

Have just read that the origins of Bunratty Castle date back to the 13th century.

There was also a quite picturesque bridge near the Castle:

Kaja

Sadly, Misiek passed away last year, but thankfully, his mother, Kaja (above) is still going strong.