Sunshine and a few showers. Typical Scottish September weather. Parking in town is once again easy. Most students don't have cars and the holiday makers have gone. We're able to find a space right outside the old Chapel.
Builders dog is sound asleep on the plyboard wheelbarrow ramp by the rubbish skip. The plyboard is bending slightly under his weight. It seems the ramp is the dogs favourite place to sleep because the sun warms up the plyboard.... and his belly. A perfect antidote to those chill sea breezes. What's not to like ?
The house the builder is working on has a very fine Georgian entrance way. A couple of centuries of North Sea gales have eroded the sandstone columns on either side of the door. This morning the builder is working inside while his companion 'guards' outside.
The old house ( built in a still fashionable Georgian style in the early days of Victoria's reign ) has a rather fine view across the old archery ground towards the sea. The locals practised their arrow shooting skills here long before Bannockburn. Homes here, on the exceedingly rare occasions they come on the market, tend towards eight figures.
Half an hour later, on our way back from a coffee by the 1st tee, we again pass builders dog. He's still sound asleep. A 9/11 memorial . We've seen and been impressed by the Oculus subway link with its soaring arches but we've not even noticed the new church facing it . Detractors say the architects use of white marble and LED lighting around every arch make the interior look brash rather than ethereal. It's certainly memorable. We'll go and see it when next in NYC. Seemingly it often has more security guards than visitors. I don't know why ( considering the location ) it's a Greek Orthodox Church ( it seems there was a tavern here that doubled up as a church ) or a National Shrine ( such things not existing here ) : https://stnicholaswtc.org/
10 comments:
The Georgian entrance is very elegant.
No Bach/bark for the old dog today?
What a good old boy is that dog.
The Greek church is a little garish.
The old dog has the right idea.
Yes, the Georgian entrance is very elegant and it will be interesting to see the house when renovations are complete.
My thoughts about the Greek church are not complimentary, but then I'm used to having seen those simple white- washed churches on Greek islands. This, dare I say, reminds me of a 1930's style Odeon cinema!
Funny you should mention Bannockburn, as we just visited the battle site last week, on our one outing from Glasgow. I still haven't been able to bring myself to visit the 9/11 site.
Sweet old dog. As I recall there is a long story behind raising the funds for that church. Glad to see it is finished. Maybe I will see it in early January, we are going to NYC to have lunch with friends.
I smiled at the large iron "peg" used to "anchor" the builder's dog.
The man who designed the Oculus, Santiago Calatrava, also designed this church. The Oculus and the church were supposed to be finished around the same time but construction delays and funding messed up that schedule.
The builder and his dog is such a sweet story.
We're in NYC next month to see La boheme at the Met and visit the 9/11 site. The church intrigues me, so I will make a point of stopping in to see it firsthand. Old dawgs are so sweet. He's clearly well fed and contented just to be around his owner.
I love you guys! All of you.
My recently adopted Old Dog loves to be around the guys who are paining my house. He greets each one of them as they arrive and hangs out in the garage so he can be near them, even though it's much cooler in the house! Your sky is beautiful today :)
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