My Last Weekend in UK

Well a week ago I was spending my last two days in London hanging out with a good friend and going to visit the British Museum and National Portrait again. The rest wasn't planed.

In the Library Room of the British Museum

Wicked Corner in London

Giant Trees on exhibit at Trafalgar Square

Trafalgar Square

Sun going down with Nelsons Column in the foreground.

Nottinghill

Portobello Road Markets

Portobello Road Markets

Well later on that day I was flying of back to NZ. This has been an inspiring 10 months and I am so stoked to have experienced this. It has certainly opened my eyes to some of the world. Maybe one day in the future I will visit UK again. Well in the meantime its NZ and continually look out for my blogs which will be NZ related travels.

Kent Countryside drive 31st Oct

Well to celebrate my birthday weekend a couple of friends and I went driving into the Kent countryside close to Maidstone. After making the decision on what direction we headed of feeling somewhat effected by the excess red wine the night before. The aim was to keep to the small roads but there were a couple of occasions that the A roads were used. It was a lovely Autumn day as we scooted through the tiny villages. But the red wine and map reading had taken its toll. I needed to get out of the back of the car pronto and smell the fresh air.

Our first stop was Scotney Castle. This lovely spot surrounded by established gardens and rolling fields of mushrooms. Wasn't long and the fresh air cured the ills of the red wine. My friends Mirna and Cathrine and I went for a bit of a forage for mushrooms and found ourselves entering the Castle grounds for free. Oops how did that happen. Oh well we are here anyway lets enjoy. We didn't even get questioned by the National Trust lady that was walking around. Shot!!

Scotney Castle

Scotney Castle

Golden Autumn

Full Moon at the 11century chapel in Goudhurst

Sunset in Goudhurst

October London Visit to Anish Kapoor Exhibition

Well today was another day off so it was rather cloudy and not raining for a change so I decided to head to London to visit the Anish Kapoor Exhibition at the Royal Academy of the Arts. along the way I quickly snapped this squirrel at St James Park. Something about squirrels today I saw many.

This is just down the road from London Victoria Station.

Anish Kapoor sculpture at the entrance of the Royal Academy.
http://www.anishkapoor.com/works/index.htm

Self portrait taking photo of Anish Kapoor sculpture.

The National Portrait Gallery.

The Waterloo Bridge on the way to Somerset House to visit the Courtauld Gallery which housed some of the most famous paintings by Renoir, monet, Van Gogh to name but a few.
http://www.courtauld.ac.uk/gallery/index.shtml

A falcon on the window sill of the Somerset House.

Hello blog and those who read this well now! I am now recovered from my trip to Barcelona, Rome and Venice which all 3 places have been totally amazing and inspiring. Have many ideas running around in my head for sculpture. There are 3 NEW LINKS down the right column which show some of the images taken while there.

Also I have some other images on my www.mikeldurel.com website. Mainly arty shots there. Its a crazy world here and I do miss home and looking forward to putting my feet on NZ soil in late November. The plan was to be here longer but I have changed my mind. I have no qualms about this decision as I have at least made a few dreams come true. Seeing Rome was one of them. I had always dreamed of Rome ever since studying at Art School. Italy is a beautiful place and I will visit again. There have been many new and creative things that has been getting me by. One of them is Travel Writing. During all of my trips I have reflected in now my second visual dairy the journeys the days events. When the time comes I'm sure it could easily be a small book with images of course. The other creative avenue is Photography (Digital). My eye for composition is developing more than I expected. To date I have taken over 3000 photos of my journey. I gather that there would be at least 300 of them worthy to be exhibited. I am certainly looking forward to that show. Other artforms have developed also with my drawings becoming complex and will be the basis for sculpture.

Sorry dudes haven't been to onto it with blogging so here is a recent visit to London where I meet up with old and dear friend Mirna and Catherine at the The Mayors Thames Festival. This spanned from London Bridge to Westminister Bridge and what a huge amount of people there was. I started my day of in Maidstone of course jumped onto the 9am train to London Bridge. There were not so many people around so I just wondered about and visited the Tate Modern as well. I wasnt until 12 that the crowds arrived and arrive in droves they did. What took 10mins to walk now a 1/2 hour. So hooked up with Mirna and Catherine and spent the rest of the day exploring the festival. The highlight literally was the flaming sculptures outside the Tate Modern. Was inspiring.

Well thats all from me on that enjoy the pics. The next time I add something to this blog will be when I return from a trip to Barcelona, Rome and Venice. Which is this week. Yippy!!!

The Mayors Thames Festival 09

A bit of a tense moment you see these persons in orange well
they were harassing this fab musician because he didn't have a
license to busk.

Mirna and Me

This dude was amazing mixing music with his mouth.

Miniature DJ

I call this image "Heads"

Flaming Ball outside the Tate Modern.

Kilve Court

This is a few shots taken by the Kilve Court Summer Camp. That Billy The Badger my new friend.

I've been "sent to Coventry"

Being sent to Coventry is to be ignored or shunned I looked into it and some believe the saying has been around since the English Civil war. Which was new to me. So my colleges at work all laugh when I told them of my impending situation. so here I am in Coventry at Warwick University studying to be a team leader for YHA Summer School. Which is down in Somerset at a place called Bridgewater. I have not really taken any images of Coventry as of yet because of the intense timetable and the amount of time I have of so maybe in the next couple of days something will happen.

Me and Pompidou

Oh I found this in my inbox it was sent from Hannes and architectural student
who was having a class visit at the Pompidou in Paris.
So this is me walking along this wonderful corridor.

It Finally Rained

Ever since being in the UK I have not seen it rain. These pic are taken on the way home through Swanley just after a thunder and lightening downpour. Yeah bring it on.

What the

Now I have been talking to a few friends and they say I don't include myself in the images I take well I have taken thast on baord after a few pints this is whta I look like. so friday in maidstone hair i am green egges and ham standing on another bridge wit wif the river Midway in the back d ground. Excuse the spellin mistake s as this is all part of the conversation. So To all those friends I will make better a do when I travel that I include me in my images yeah do what!!!!

Waffle July 2nd

Well I have not wrote much lately for you all so here goes. I have finally recovered from Amsterdam took a few days and now about to head to Conventry to go to University for a week training then onto Summer Camp in Somerset for 5 weeks. It should be a hoot and looking forward to it. Something about the South West UK. During my days off I aim to head to Bristol birth place of my Grand Father and Stonehenge. Furthermore the place of Bridgewater, Somerset where the camp is, is close to the ocean. I hope especially with this wonderful weather of 30 degrees C and bright blue skyes remain and I get a chance to plunge myself into the ocean. Sorry to rub it in my Kiwi friends. I have just spent the last hour or so sorting out my blog sites and now they all link together. I am not sure if I will have much internet time to update this but I will be back certainly on the ball in late August. I will hopefully have much to show and more wonderful adventures to share.

London May 2nd

I have always wanted to walk across London Bridge

Um I will find out the name of this building soon the name is 30 St Mary Axe

Is stat you

Ramesses II, at the British Museum

The British Museum

Funny Man being Dog

Millenium Bridge and the Tate which was also on my list of visits today.

This is very inspiring