Bristol

Bristol Botanic Garden

Initially lured to Bristol Botanic Garden by promise of their latest art installation, what I found was a tranquil oasis with a range of unusual plants. The explanatory signs placed around the garden explain the species unique to the area, far more than I would have imagined, and the various pollinators that keep plant species going. There’s also a Chinese Garden where you can learn about the medicinal uses of various plants, and greenhouses full of extraordinary species (including the biggest lily pads I’ve ever seen). Autumn is the perfect time to visit as the range of colours move from greens to yellows, oranges, and reds. It is a peaceful, beautiful place to spend a happy afternoon.

Part of The Impossible Garden

As for The Impossible Garden installation, well, it was a lot of fun. Twelve exhibits designed by Luke Jerram can be found around the garden, each aiming to stimulate discussion on visual impairment and perception. What has resulted is an entertaining yet meaningful display.  One moment you’ll find yourself in an Alice in Wonderland type dilemma, being dwarfed by a picnic bench, the next you’ll be tricked into thinking a sculpture is really an open doorway. Around the corner you’ll find yourself thinking about colour blindness or what it would be like not to be able to see in focus. The Impossible Garden is open until 25^th November but whether or not you’re able to get there for it, the gardens are worth a visit any time of year.

While exploring the streets of Bristol and marveling at the mix of modern and historic architecture we happened upon the University of Bristol Theatre Archive. They welcome the public in to see displays of a selection of their material. At the moment they have an exhibition celebrating two hundred years of the London Old Vic and an exhibition curated by History of Art MA students on the importance of costume in performances by Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh.

Clowns: The Eggs-hibition

Conveniently close by is Bristol Museum and Art Gallery. There predominantly for their unusual clown exhibition, we were first distracted by their Ancient Egypt gallery. A fascinating display on life and death in Ancient Egypt with some thought provoking interactive displays.

Clowns: The Eggs-hibition celebrates two hundred and fifty years of the circus with a display focusing on clown eggs – a unique way of ensuring the make-up and costume of established clowns are not copied. Clowns International started this practice over seventy years ago and each egg can take several days to paint. There are also displays of costumes and opportunities to try some clown tricks yourself. For those afraid of clowns this exhibition would be your worst nightmare but there is mention of clowns wanting to reclaim their image of fun rather than fear. Perhaps this exhibition will contribute somewhat, open until 6^th January 2019.

The exterior of Bristol planetarium

Our final educational stop of the day was the planetarium at We The Curious, an attractions that looks fascinating. Planetarium guests can only visit the displays relating to space however, and although small it is packed with interesting facts and interactive opportunities. The planetarium itself is the only 3D one in the UK and on their night-time showings they have two different shows available. Unfortunately an uncomfortable experience (they’re having a refurbishment later in the year which will hopefully make things more comfortable), it was an interesting evening of learning about constellations and what we might have been able to see in the sky had it been less cloudy.

Deers at Ashton Court Estate

On our last day we drove over the famous suspension bridge to Ashton Court Estate. Covering 850 acres and with various activities from pitch and putt to mountain biking it’s bound to have something that appeals. Being on a budget we decided to take a walk in the deer park that offers panoramic views across the city as well as many deer. A pleasant end to the trip.

Paris Part One – Montmartre, Atelier des Lumières, and Pere Lachaise Cemetery

Clos Montmartre

Every October Montmartre hosts a festival celebrating the harvest of grapes from its one remaining vineyard. We were lucky that our visit coincided with this annual event as we were able to join a guided tour of the Clos Montmartre, closed to the public at other times of the year. There was a more formal celebration occurring at the same time with robed figures, members of the wine brotherhood of Montmartre as far as I could work out. The vineyard is small and not as historic as some may have you believe. Although vineyards were first introduced to Paris by the Romans and continued to thrive for many generations since, by the end of the nineteenth century they had vanished from the city. The Clos Montmartre was planted in 1933 to rekindle some of the area’s heritage.

After the tour we made our way uphill to the main festival site in front of the Sacré-Coeur. Here we found a bustling street food market selling a wide range of French specialities. The wine yield from the vineyard is auctioned off with proceeds going to charity. Local artists design the labels. Historically an area that attracted artists – Monet, Renoir, and Degas to name but a few, creativity is still evident as you walk the streets, and this custom pays homage to this. Montmartre retains its village feel and remains one of the most beautiful areas of Paris.

L'Atelier des Lumieres

We couldn’t linger too long however as we had tickets for the Atelier des Lumières. A nineteenth century foundry in the 11^th arondissement houses an immersive art exhibition. Their first display predominantly features work by Gustave Klimt, as well as some photography from the period and works by Hundertwasser, whose work was new to me. A playlist accompanies the experience as images are projected across the walls, floors and ceiling. Accused by some of pandering to the Instagram generation, it is nonetheless a unique experience. By no means a replacement for seeing the originals, instead it feels not like experiencing them so much as witnessing new art in this carefully curated space, and is well worth a visit.

Pere Lachaise Cemetery

Conveniently nearby sits sprawling Pere Lachaise cemetery. Established in 1804 by Napoleon I, it is the final resting place of many a famous name and is the most visited cemetery in the world. Rows of ornate tombs line paths that spread as far as the eye can see. It feels almost to be a city in its own right. Home to tributes to wars and mass killings, it is hard to imagine that this peaceful, emotive place was once the site of a massacre itself.

Agnes Grey, Anne Brontë

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Anne Brontë’s first novel, Agnes Grey, is in part autobiographical. Agnes is the daughter of a clergyman in the north of England and, in wishing to aid the family’s finances takes a job as a governess with two families not entirely dissimilar to those Anne found herself with. The Bloomfield children are vile, spoilt children whose behaviour Agnes is unable to improve. There is a horrifying scene with her young charge Tom whereby he is planning how to torture some young birds. Agnes drops a stone on them to save them the horrors he had planned. His guardians do not understand her reasoning, promising him more innocent victims, and claiming they are put on Earth for our amusement. This distressing scene seems to show their opinion of those they consider inferior and does not bode well for their relations with young Agnes. It also goes to show how impossible her task is when faced with a family that positively encourages such behaviour. The unreasonable demands put on a governess are clear and you feel the frustration of being held entirely accountable in a hopeless situation.

Her second post, with the Murrays, is a slight improvement. Matilda and Rosalie are older and less physically ill behaved but they nonetheless seem to find making life difficult for Agnes something of a sport. She is expected to be on call at all times and must submit to the whims of the young Murrays. They have a strong sense of entitlement and feel little empathy for those less fortunate than themselves. This is evidenced not only in their treatment of Agnes but also in the delight they take in visiting poorer neighbours and mocking them. Rosalie also shows a great disregard for others in her cruel treatment of potential suitors, giving them attention only as long as it amuses her, with no intention of marrying them.

It is clear that Anne wanted to express the hardships endured by a governess and the contempt bred by privilege. In Rosalie’s unhappy marriage we see the result of such spoiling in childhood. They may have more money but in the end are not genuinely happy. The moral message seems to be that those who work hard, are honest and respectful, are given their quiet  contentment eventually.

A short, uneventful read with what was at the time a revolutionary message. Originally published as part of a three volume set alongside Wuthering Heights, it is not hard to see why it was overshadowed.

Pick up a copy:

Bookshop
Foyles
Waterstones

Auvers-sur-Oise

Less than twenty miles from the centre of Paris sits Auvers-sur-Oise, a picturesque town that has attracted artists for many years. Perhaps most famous for the death of Vincent Van Gogh, it also played host to Paul Cézanne, Charles-François Daubigny and Camille Pissaro. The tourist office supplies a map detailing two walking routes that take in places of note and those that appear in the artwork of its famous inhabitants. Taking advantage of the one direct train there and back which runs from the Gare du Nord at weekends you’ll get a whole day there but struggle to visit everything.

Inside the Church

Armed with our map we first stopped at the Église Notre-Dame de l’Assomption d’Auvers-sur-Oise, immortalized in Van Gogh’s The Church of Auvers. A church has stood on the site since the twelfth century and what remains is an example of early Gothic design. After a brief tour of the interior it was on to the fields beyond, familiar also from Van Gogh’s works. His grave sits in the crematorium here, his brother Theo now rests beside him, having been moved in 1914.

The chateau

A walk across the fields and along quiet streets lead to the Maison-Atelier de Daubigny, a tempting stop that on this occasion we had to pass up. Continuing through historic streets you come to the Chateau d’Auvers, dating from the seventeenth century, a peaceful spot to enjoy the gardens and views over the town. The main building is not open to the public but there is a restaurant on site and a paid exhibition of Impressionist work. Being on a budget we had to pass up on this too (there are so many places to visit it’s best to decide before you arrive where you’re going to prioritise).

Exterior of Auberge Ravoux

For us the main draw was Van Gogh and so we made our way to L’Auberge Ravoux where he lodged for the last seventy days of his life. The staircase leading to the top floor is now poorly lit and in slight disrepair, the walls no longer the shade he would have known. His room is small and plain but all he needed as he spent the majority of his time outside painting from life. We were lucky as the only two English speakers on the tour we were able to spend more time in the room as the presentation was kindly repeated, free from the crowds. I’m told at weekend there are often long queues but we seem to have chanced upon a quieter day. The adjacent room has been dressed to give an idea of how it would have looked, Van Gogh’s having been left unchanged but for the removal of furniture.

After giving ourselves time to reflect after seeing where one of the world’s favourite artists lived during his most prolific period we turned our steps to the Absinthe museum. A small, unassuming building hosts an array of objects using in the preparation of the drink, information of what goes into it, and many examples of the way it permeated popular culture. The contrast is stark between posters hailing the spirit as the height of culture, laughing figures having the time of their life, and the later images of emaciated bodies, families plunged into poverty after suffering abuse at the hands of those inebriated by the potent substance.

The garden at Doctor Gachet's house

Unfortunately, there was not time to complete the longer walk detailed on the map of the town but there was just enough to visit the house of Doctor Gachet, to which entry is free. A tall house overlooking a lovely garden and many rooftops besides, it is a beautiful spot. Gachet welcomed many artists into his home where he offered treatment as well as friendship. A keen painter himself, he amassed a significant art collection which was later donated to French museums by his offspring. Visiting his home gives a great sense of the appeal to artists, but also the chance to learn about the fascinating man himself.

Before catching our train back to Paris there was just time to walk down to the river Oise and enjoy the glow of golden hour. Auvers-sur-Oise is a peaceful and beautiful town that takes no great leap of imagination to understand why it is so popular with artists. Today there are many working studios to enjoy as well as soaking in the history of the place. Even the postboxes and station subway are enhanced with illustration. A perfect day trip that could easily be extended into several days.

Look Me in the Eye, Silvia Soler, translated by Richard Thomson

Blanca is working on a translation of a novel by Matteo Spadaro when she finds herself so deeply affected by the story that she begins to question the security of her own world. Translating the disintegration of a fictional relationship leads to doubts chipping away at her own happy marriage. She decides that she needs to visit Sicily, the location of Spadaro’s novel, where she meets the author and discovers that fiction is often not as far removed from reality as one might imagine.

An interesting concept exploring the power of art over reality and the damage paranoia can do. Unfortunately, the potential is not fully realised in this perplexing book. Bruna, the fictional character, has something of a breakdown caused by worry that her husband Massimo is having an affair. Rather than taking this as a cautionary tale, Blanca goes even further in her irrational behaviour. Her actions are far-fetched at best as she allows her obsession to blind her to reality. She behaves deplorably but seems to have no awareness of how contradictory she is being, nor how badly she is treating her partner, Raimon.

The writing style felt unsophisticated, whether the fault of the original author or translator I don’t know. There are moments where you almost care about the characters but the opportunities are passed up. It could, possibly, be redeemed with a more significant, consequential ending but instead the reader is left feeling cold.

Notes on a Nervous Planet, Matt Haig

Following on from the monumental success of Reasons to Stay Alive, Haig turns his attention to non-fiction once more with Notes on a Nervous Planet. Using his own experiences as the base for his advice he talks us through the negative impact of modern life on our collective mental health and how we can try to alleviate some of the pressure.

Our obsession with and reliance on our smartphones is a recurring theme. The advice? Turn off all notifications, set aside time to go online but don’t keep checking it every five minutes. In this world that demands us to be available at all times it is OK to carve out some time for yourself. It may seem obvious that we spend too much time online, but it is nonetheless a needed reminder. 

This is not to say that Haig is against technology, but that the world we now live in has developed beyond one where humans can cope with all the choice and demands on our time. He recommends spending actual physical time with those we care about, stepping outside and looking at the sky, and generally going back to what makes us human.

He does not dole out advice as some flawless power, admitting to struggling to step away from Twitter and not falling into negativity following people who disagree with his world view. Yet his reminder to not compare your worst moments to the best of somebody else’s is one we would all do well to heed next time we find ourselves scrolling through the curated lives of others.

He writes also of how consumerism makes us feel constantly that we are lacking. If we could just achieve the next promotion, buy the latest phone, that we will be happy. Of course, the benefits these give are only transitory. We cannot spend our lives hoping for the next step that will surely make us happy only to find when we get there that we desire our next hit of gratification.

A conversational, bite-sized book designed to be consumed in short snaps for the Google generation. Wise and timely, this is the wake up call the world needs.

Sovereign, C. J. Sansom

Sovereign is the third outing for lawyer turned detective Matthew Shardlake. The year is 1541 and the King’s Progress has reached York, a hostile city that does not welcome the arrival of so many southerners. The king hopes his visit will help quell resistance in the north but bad weather and an absent king of Scotland delays the Progress and puts huge strain on a city that hasn’t forgiven Henry for the split from Rome.

In his characteristic style Sansom does not sugarcoat life in the Tudor period. He describes the rotting corpses hung over the gates to the city, the hardships endured by the citizens and the uncertainty of the age. The story revolves around those who believe the king is not the rightful heir to the throne and Shardlake himself is in danger when it seems he’s seen incriminating documents. The claustrophobic atmosphere of fear and suspicion is expertly crafted.

Shardlake is under orders to ensure Broderick, a rebel prisoner, is kept alive ready to be tortured in the Tower once returned to London. This causes a conflict of morals for him, knowing the horrors of the torture chamber. There are also hints that Shardlake could be swayed by the conspirators’ point of view, though he has enough experience and diplomacy not to allow himself to become incriminated.

He nonetheless finds himself in an increasingly difficult situation as he discovers secrets of the Queen alongside his assistant Barak and love interest Tamasin. This knowledge sees Shardlake interrogated under false accusations and the sheer horror of torture is shown through the descent into madness and suicide of a number of characters awaiting interrogation.

An atmospheric novel that balances a number of interlinked mysteries, the climax of which is a real page turner. The sights, smells, and struggles of life in the sixteenth century are realistically evoked and the historic note at the end explains any variance from reality.