Cathedral | northumbrian : light

Ebenezer

Posted on November 20, 2015 by northumbrianlight

Christmas does not arrive in November or at least it shouldn’t. If I ruled the world, any reference to the festive season would be barred until 1st December but I don’t, and it won’t. Governments are wedded to the strategy of debt –laden consumerism so nothing is going to change any time soon.

Fortunately my offspring are long beyond getting excited by Santa so I can only imagine the state of excitement induced in modern-day under-tens – come Christmas Eve they must be fit to explode. I just hope Santa gets it right, which reminds me of a sign in an Audlem shop window:

This year Santa, please give me a big fat bank account and a slim body. Please don’t mix those two up like you did last year. Thanks.

We are currently holed-up on the good ship Oakmere with a very slow and unreliable Internet connection, hence the lack of activity on WordPress. Yesterday we escaped to Chester and found this festive display in preparation in the Cathedral. I can only assume that Ebenezer has just seen The Ghost of Christmas Too Soon:

Cathedral St Pierre

Posted on May 15, 2014 by northumbrianlight

I thought I had been to Vannes before but when we arrived I didn’t recognise any of it – I am not sure what that might indicate. For certain, I have never entered Cathedral St Pierre before which is unusual; I am always attracted to the grand churches and cathedrals of Europe. This is not based on any inherent religiosity but because they offer sanctuary, although probably not of the sort intended. I like their cool shadows, the bible-black silence and there is always something of interest – none are the same. Most of all they are an escape from shoe shops, leather goods and all those places that appeal to the beloved, a girl born to shop.

The Fuji X100s sees in the dark and therefore avoids use of an intrusive flash (and the resulting harsh shadows) – all of the the indoor images were shot at ISO 6400.

(click on the images to enlarge)

Travel theme: Architecture

Posted on August 10, 2013 by northumbrianlight

This is the interior of Todi Cathedral in the province of Perugia in Italy. In the heat of an Umbrian summer the thick stone walls and large open space provided welcome cool sanctuary from outside pavements hotter than a match head (The Lovin’ Spoonful). As may be all too obvious, the angels in the architecture have been “re-positioned” from elsewhere inside the cathedral. The lyric from Paul Simon’s You Can Call Me Al have also been subject to minor adaptation: