Alexandria: Villa Where Durrell's Prospero's Cell Was Written

From Patrick Kingsley in Alexandria (The Guardian)

Prospero's Cell is not "a novel", of course.

I haven't been to Alexandria since 1975, when I was en route to Nairobi (involving a voyage from Genoa- after ten days on Corsica- to Naples, Alexandria and Beirut). I even had a swim when staying in Alexandria, although the beach wasn't very inviting.

More, Fine Books Magazine

Durrell School of Corfu

Sad end to Durrell's Alexandria, Michael Haag

Lyme Regis: Literary and Artistic Connections

From Lyme Regis Museum

Lyme Regis, Historical Development (Jurassic Coast)

Some of the old buildings of Lyme Regis

King Charles II and/or his son, The Duke of Monmouth:

"Lyme although a little place
I think is wondrous pretty:
If 'tis my fate to wear the crown
I'll make of it a city".

Tourist Tat? An Australian Response to British Critics

A timely exhibition in Tasmania

"Tourist Tat and other problematic, tokenistic spotty meanderings"

Art Mob’s response to UK criticism of the Australian Landscapes exhibition at the Royal Academy, London

To be opened by Jeremy Eccles.

"Art Mob responds to the UK art critics' outbursts regarding the Australia exhibition hosted by the Royal Academy of Arts in London from September to December 2013.

The Sunday Times actually printed these comments from Waldemar Januszczak, "But Januszczak finds the inclusion of Aboriginal artists in the show problematic and tokenistic, lamenting that out of a tremendous indigenous tradition, inspired by an enormous natural landscape, our art world has managed to create what amounts to a market in decorative rugs".

"Opening the show with a selection of these spotty meanderings, and discussing them in dramatically hallowed terms, cannot disguise the fact that in most cases the great art of the aborigines has been turned into tourist tat."

On reading such outspoken criticism, Art Mob's Euan Hills was sufficiently aggravated to show the world that such problematic, tokenistic spotty meanderings need to be exhibited back in Australia for all to make their own conclusions.

The Exhibition starts with a 2x3m decorator rug - Minnie Pwerle's Celebration from Designer Rugs - and continues with works by similar artists shown at RA and concludes with some of Art Mob's own selection of works right out of the "tourist tat" league.

Famed Torres Strait islander Dennis Nona's massive Mutuk etching features alongside of two barks by John Mawurndjul. A large ochre painting of the Holy Spirit Corroboree by the late Queenie McKenzie sits alongside of two colour field abstractions by Sally Gabori. The Emily Kame Kngwarreye's don't hang above the door.

This is an exhibition that expresses the diversity and strength of Australia's indigenous artistry in defiance of waffle from the colonial headquarters".

Exhibition opening: 6pm, Friday 10 January 2014

Greece and British Tourists; ABTA Travel Trends

An important market

ABTA Travel Trends Report (pdf)

Greece

"Political and economic turmoil has led to some negative headlines for Greece in the last twelve months, but Greece proved that it could ride out the turmoil and continued to draw in tourists in 2012 with great value holidays. The Greek authorities are determined to regain Greece’s position in the top five of the world’s tourist destinations, so 2013 will see initiatives promoting quality and value for visitors to the country. In 2013 tour operators will be offering travel to new destinations such as the islands of Kalymnos and Telendos. The most popular islands will remain Corfu, Crete and Rhodes but increasingly people are looking to resorts on the mainland such as the Peloponnese including the beautiful town of Napflion. Those looking for an interesting city break should consider Greece’s second city Thessaloniki. It has a waterside location, wide boulevards and squares and the most fashion conscious people in Greece, not to mention Byzantine buildings and some of the best bars and restaurants in the country. Greece remains a favourite with the jet set, with Brad Pitt, John Travolta and Robert de Niro all taking a holiday there in 2012".


Laws and customs – ‘Did you know’ facts and FCO Advice

• You should avoid demonstrations and protests and follow the advice given by local security authorities if you find yourself caught up in any. Violent incidents have occurred at and in the margins of such protests

• Greek law requires you to wear a crash helmet on a scooter, moped or motorcycle.

Quad bike riders are required to wear a full-face helmet (or non-full-face helmet plus goggles) under Greek law

• In order to comply with Greek law, you should ensure that you obtain a receipt for goods or services purchased. If you purchase pirate CDs or DVDs in Greece you could be imprisoned

• Visitors should expect regular strikes. These are sometimes called at short notice and can cause disruption to public transport in and out of Greece (including air travel and ports)

• A copy of your passport or other photographic ID which confirms British nationality should be carried at all times

• In the event of arrest in Greece, the trial and detention processes are different to those in the UK and can involve long-term pre-trial detention. Non-Greek nationals are rarely allowed out on bail in case they pose a flight risk

See also Yacht Taxes (Kathimerini)

British Invasion 2014 (Corfu Press)

Dorset, New Year Winds and Rain; LiTTLe MACHiNe

Battered again

More flooding

Dorset Echo report

*****

The rain it raineth every day

More about the album Madam Life

Madam Life the latest album from LiTTLe MACHiNe

The album contains settings of:

‘Madam Life’s A Piece In Bloom’ (W.E.Henley 1848-1903) – Listen
‘Adam Lay Y’Bounden (Anon 14th Century AD) - Listen
‘The Moon and Pleiades’ (Sappho 6th Century BC) - Listen
‘Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night’ (Dylan Thomas 1914-1953) - Listen
‘A Hymn to God the Father’ (John Donne 1572-1631) - Listen
‘Bright Star’
(John Keats 1795 – 1821) - Listen
‘The Rain It Raineth Everyday’ (William Shakespeare 1564-1616) - Listen
‘The Dug-out’ (Siegfried Sassoon 1886-1967) c/w ‘Anthem For Doomed Youth’
(Wilfred Owen 1893-1918) - Listen
‘This Be The Verse’
 - Listen
‘High Windows’ (Philip Larkin 1922-1985) - Listen‘Blue Remembered Hills’ (A. E. Housman 1859-1936) - Listen
‘Fear No More The Heat Of The Sun’ (William Shakespeare 1564-1616) - Listen
‘So We’ll Go No More a Roving’ (Lord Byron 1788-1824) - Listen

Texts of the poems

Epirotiko

Song by Andreas Thomopoulos (not sure who's singing)

Another by Andreas

A great old song - sung by Andreas

Earlier posting


Andreas Thomopoulos, born Athens 1945. He studied Theatre at the London School Of Dramatic Art (1963-66) and Cinema at the International Film School - London (1966-68).

He returned to Athens in 1974 and since then he has been writing, translating and directing for the cinema, the theatre and TV.

He is a founding member of the Scriptwriters’ Guild of Greece and has served as a member of the Disciplinary Council. His work includes directing and screenwriting of documentaries, feature films, shorts, award-winning theatrical plays, television series and teleplays.

Films: ‘Love Me Do’, ‘Dharma Blues (Tomorrow We’ll Know)’, ‘South Wind –Ostria’, ‘Smiling Afternoon’, ‘Irreconcilable (Easy Road)’, ‘Aldebaran’, ‘Pirates’, ‘On Your Own’, ‘It’s alright ma-I’m only bleeding’. Television: ‘An Amateur Man’, ‘We Want Peace’, ‘Hotel Amore’, ‘Mikres Angelies’, ‘Beatles for Ever’, ‘Greetings’, ‘Traveling Music’. Theatre: ‘Socrates, Wind and Fire’, ‘Outsiders’, ‘Masculine-Feminine’, ‘The Children of Cain’, Nassos’.