Wednesday, 1 April 2026

Towns, cities, villages,rivers and places that I have visited over the years

Norwich (Castle, Cathedrals, River Wensum, River Yare, River Tas), Great Yarmouth (Rivers Yare, Waveney and Bure, seaport, beach), Lowestoft, Acle, Cromer, Wells, Sheringham, Wells-Next-Sea, Blakeney, Holt, Potter Heigham, Marsham, Aylsham, Horning, Swaffham, Dereham, Fakenham, Kings Lynn, Stalham, Salhouse, Little Plumstead, Great Plumstead, Wymondham, Wicklewood, Great Ryburgh, Holme Hale, Coltishall, North Walsham, Walsingham, Ling, Attleborough, New Buckenham, Long Stratton, Newmarket (Racecourse), Ipswich (River Orwell), Colchester, Witham, Braintree, Chelmsford, Harwich, Cambridge (River Cam), Bury St Edmunds, Watford, London (River Thames, London Bridge, House of Parliament, Trafalgar Square, Big Ben, Madame Tussauds, Planetarium, Markets, British Museum, London Bridge, Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, Kew Gardens, Hamstead Heath, metro "The Tube"), Dover, Goudburst, Cranbrook, Tunbridge Wells, Leeds Castle, Exeter, Exmouth, Southampton, St Helens Guernsey, Isle of Wight, Glastonbury (Tor), Stonehenge, Canterbury, Hastings, Battle, Brighton, Hove, Worthing, Horley, Guildford, Taunton, Salisbury, Romsey, Oxford (River Thames), Cambridge, Ely (Cathedral), Peterborough, Reading (River Thames), Winnersh, Slough, Swindon, Bath (River Avon, Roman Baths), Bristol (River Avon, Clifton Suspension Bridge), Cheddar Gauge, “Bloody Tight” cave, Weston-Super-Mare, Newport, Cardiff (River Taff, River Rumney, Tiger Bay, Castle, St Davis Cathedral), Bridgend (Afon Ogwr / River Ogmore), Nelson, Rumney (River Rumney), Barry (beach, castle), Porthcawl (beach), Swansea (River Neath), Neath, Lampeter, Aberystwyth, Rhyll, Chester, Stoke-on-Trent (River Trent), Ironbridge (River Severn), York (Clifford’s Tower), Sheffield (Rivers Don, Sheaf, Rivelin, Loxley and Porter Brook), Blackwood, Argoed, Llandudno, Manchster (trams, canal),
Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, Mount Snowdon (Highest Mountain in Wales), Forest of Dean, Coleford, Rye, Bourton-on-the Water, Cheltenham, Gloucester, Birmingham (Spaghetti Junction), Nuneaton, Coventry, Newport Pagnell, Luton, Welwyn Garden City, Knebworth, Royston, Nottingham, Southend-on-Sea, Middlesbrough, Rosslare, Waterford, Cork, Dublin (River Liffey, Guiness Factory, Castle, Halfpenny Bridge), Liverpool, Keswick, Skafell Pike (Highest Mountain in England), Langdale (camp site), Helvellyn (mountain), Coniston (lake and Mountain: "Old Man of Coniston"), Windamere (largest lake in England), Kendall, Carlisle, Glencoe, Perth (River Tay), Aviemore (River Spey), Fort William (River Nevis, River Lochy), Ben Nevis (Highest Mountain in Scotland and the UK), Loch Ness, Aberdeen (River Dee), John o’Groats, Kirkwall, Thurso, Kingston upon (Hull River Hull Humberside), Leeds (River Aire), Paris (Eiffel Tower, The Louvre, Champs-Élysées, Notre Dame, Montmatre Dali Museum, Seine, metro), Carla-Baye, Toulouse (River Garonne, Pont Neuf), Gevry Chambertin, Rennes-le-Château (Saint Mary Magdelene Church), Pont du Gard (River Gard /Gardon, Roman Aquaduct), Carcassonne (River Aude), Saint Pastour, Villeneuve sur Lot (River Lot), Avignon (River Rhone, Cathedral), Montpellier (Cathedral, trams), Nimes (Colloseum, River Gard /Gardon)), Cannes, Saint- Tropez, Aries (Collosseum), Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, Cadaques, Figueres (Dalhi Museum), Ibiza, Formentera, Valencia, Vitoria, Barcelona (Boqueria market, Las Ramblas, Cathedral, Sagrada Familia, Gaudi artitecture: Casa Batilo, Casa mila - La Pedrera, Cannabis Clubs – Weed You, Doctor Dou, The Resin Club, Dragon Club, Cannabis Hemp Museum, Encants Market, beach, port, trams), Alora (Castillo Arabe), Malaga, Benalmádena, Torremolinos, Fuengirola (beach, casle), La Carla (beach), Alhaurin el Grande, Mijas, Marbella (marina, beach), Ronda, Estepona, La Linea, Gibraltar, Algeciras, Ceuta, Tetouan, Fez (River Fes / Oued Fes, medina, Blue Gate / Bab Bouijloud), Marrakesh (market, snake charmers), Mirhleft (fishing village near Tiznit), Essaouira, Hammanet (medina), Cairo (River Nile, Cairo Museum, Tower), Giza Pyramids (Khufu, Khafre, Menkaure), Saqqara (Step Pyramid, Unas), Luxor, (River Nile, Luxor Temple, Karnak Temple, Valley of the Kings, Valley of the Queens, Valley of the Nobles, Ramasseum, Deir el_Bahari and The Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, Medinet Habu, Deir el Medina, Colossi of Memnon) Fayoum, Edfu (River Nile, Temple), Edna (River Nile, Temple), Aswan (River Nile, Dam), Matala (beach and caves), Agia Gallini, Heraklion, Knossos, Mystras (UNESCO World Heritage Site, Byzantine ruins), Githio (Diros Caves / Caves of Vlychada), Olympia, Patras (beach, flower clock), Kalavryta (rack railway to and from Diakopto with 49 bridges), Athens (Acropolis, Parthenon), Thessaloniki, Puerto de la Cruz, (black sand beach), El Draco - Dragon Tree, Mesa del Mare, Mount Teide, Las Caletillas, Candelaria (Basilica of St Mary, statues of Guanche kings), Los Cristianos (market, beach, "Yellow Submarine"), Los Gigantes, Las Americas (beach), Valle Gran Rey La Gomera, Lagos,  Lisbon (River Tagos /Rio Tejo, Sao Jorge Castle, Tram rides, Belem Tower, Monument of the Discoveries, Praça do Comércio, Museu de Carveja - Beer Museum), Oporto / Porto (River Duoro, Port Tastings, Igreja da Lapa Cathedral, Lapa Church Bell Clock Tower, Liberty Square, Dom Luis I Bridge, Palacio da Bolsa, Ribeira UNESCO World Heritage site, Sao Bento Train Station, Majestic Café, funicular), Braga (Bom Jesus do Monte, Cathedral)), Viana do Castelo (River Lima), Povoa de Varzim, Ponte de Lima (River Lima, statues "Alegoria as Feiras e ao Folclore",  "Memoria do Campo"), Arcos de Valdevez, Braga, Barcellos (market), Povoa de Verzim, Santiago de Compostella (Rivers Sar and Sarela), A Caruna, Sada, Bilbao (River Nervión, Guggenheim Museum), Vitoria, Brussels, Bruges /Brugge (“Venice of the North”, River Reie, Dalhi Museum, De Halve Maan Brewery, Market Square, Belfry Tower, chocolate, canals), Ghent (trams), Antwerp (Cathedral, port, trams), Den Haag, Rotterdam, Amsterdam (River Amstel, canals, Coffeeshops, Cannabis Hemp Museum, Cannabis College, Red Light District, trams), Haarlem (River Spaarne, Coffeeshops, Grote Kerk, Bavo's Church, canals, Windmill), Ijmuiden, Gronegen, Zwolle, Leiden, Helsinki (Cathedral, port, trams), Copenhagen, Hamburg, Berlin (Brandenburg Gate, Egyptian Museum, metro), Munich, Frankfurt am Rhein, Boppard, Rudesheim, Cochem, Heidelberg, Cologne / Coln (River Rhine), Berne, Geneva (River Rhone, River Arve, Lake Geneva, Jet d’Eau, Flower Clock, Egyptian Museum, trams), Lucerne (River Reuss, Swiss Transport Museum, Natural Museum, Chapel Bridge, Kapelbrüke, Lake Lucerne, the Dying Lion), Gruyere (Fondue Restaurants), Lausanne, Zurich (River Limmat), Rome (River Tiber, Colosseum, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Pyramide, Panteon, Roman Forum, metro), Vatican City (Cathedral St Peter's Basilica, Sistine Chapel, Museum), Pisa (Leaning Tower), Genova (Old Port, Nervi, funicular), Alessandria (Rivers Tanaro and Bormida), Lu Monferrato, Vignale Monferrato, San Salvatore Monferrato, Mirabello Monferrato, Casale (River Po), Vercelli (River Sesia), Isole del Pescatore (Lake island), Baveno (lake), Orta (lake), Verbano (lake), Mombella-Laveno (lake), Turin (River Po, Egyptian Museum), Verona (River Adige), Bergamo (Rivers Serio and Brembo, funicular), Lucca (River Serchio), Monterosso al Mare (beach), Comogli, Levanto (beach), Florence (UNESCO World Heritage Centre, River Arno, Duomo Cathedral, Palazzo Vecchio, Ponte Vecchio,) Venice (Venetian lagoon, St Marks Basiica, Piazza San Marco, Doge's Palace, Ponte di Rialto, Grand Canal, Bridge of Sighs) Palermo (Cathedral, Royal Palace and Palatine Chapel, Fontana Pretoria, Square of Shame / Piazza della Vergogna), Cefalu (Cathedral), Belgrade (River Danube), Prague (River Vitava, Castle, Wensleslas Square, Castle, Charles Bridge, Synagogue, Old Town Square / /Staroměstské náměstí, Astrological Clock, Mucha Gallery, trams), Kutna Hora (Sedlec Ossuary /Bone Church, Cathehdral), Český Krumlov (UNESCO World Heritage Site), České Budějovice (Beer Factory), Brno (Cathedral of St Peter and Paultrams), Budapest – “Pearl of the Danube”, (River Danube, Wine Festival, Childrens Railway, Buda Castle, Parliament Buildings, Fishermans Bastion, Chain Bridge funicular, trams), Bucharest (River Dambovita), Sibiu, Brasov, Sighișoara (Supposed birthplace of Vlad the Impaler / Dracula), Bran Castle (supposed Castle of Vlad the Impaler), Bratislava (River Danbue), Istanbul (Pudding Shop, Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, Bosphorus), Pamukkale (Thermal Pools), Afyonkarahisar, Antalya, Efes, Antakya, Antioch, Aleppos, Deir el Zur, Al Q’im village, Baghdad (River Tigris), Tehran, Mashhad, Herat, Khandahar, Kabul Chicken Street, Kabul River, Blue Mosque, Chicken Street), Khyber Pass, Peshawar (River Kabul), Islamabad, Rawalpindi (River Soan), Lahore (River Ravi), Wagar, Amritsar, (Golden Temple), New Delhi (Red Fort, Delhi Gate, Jantar Mantar, Mahatma Ghandi Museum, Old Delhi, Chandni Chowk, Connaught Circus), Jodpur, Jaiselmer (Fort, Camel Trek), Agra (River Yamuna, Taj Mahal, Agra Fort), Fatepur Sikri, (UNESCO World Heritage site, abandoned city, Buland Darwazar / The "Gate of Victory, Tomb of Salim Chishti, Diqan-i-Khas / Hall of Private Audience, Jodha Bai's Palace) Khajuraho (Hindu and Digambara Jain temples), Varanasi (River Ganges), Haridwar (River Ganges), Rishikesh (River Ganges, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi complex now closed, Lakshman Jhula. Bridge, Buddhist Temples), Sarnath (UNESCO World Heritage Site, Buddhist Stupas, said to be the site that Gautama Buddha chose for his first teaching after he attained enlightenment in Bodh Gaya., Bodhi Tree / Sacred Fig), Jammu (River Tawi), Srinagar (River Jhelum / Vyath or Vetesta, Lake Dal, Houseboats, Lake Nagine, Nishat Bagh gardens, Pony Treks), Gulmarg, Aru (River Aru / Lidder), Kathmandu (Durbar Square, Monkey Temple, Freak Street), Patan (Durbar Square), Pokhara, Miami (Metrorail, Science Museum, Arena).

Sunday, 29 March 2026

Richard Large art exhibition in Norwich

WATCH ON YOUTUBE

Richard will be exibing some of his artwork at Anteros Foundation Magdalen Street Norwich 21st April to 3 May, all welcome

POP POP presents a vibrant collection of assemblages and collages by Richard K. Large, created entirely by hand on a kitchen worktop — without the use of computers. Using resin to construct his assemblages and traditional cut-and-paste techniques for his collages, Large embraces a tactile, direct approach to making that foregrounds materiality and transformation.

The exhibition reflects an evolving engagement with Pop Art. Large works with objets trouvés — objects that already carry their own histories and identities — reconfiguring them into new forms through layering, juxtaposition, and intervention. By adding unexpected elements, he creates fresh narratives and playful visual tensions, inviting viewers to reconsider the familiar.

Born in 1952, Large developed an early passion for sailing and travel, often combining the two. His artistic sensibility has been shaped by a long-standing admiration for Surrealist artists and their exploration of dreamlike associations and altered realities. Formative experiences working at Heal’s in London during the 1970s, alongside encounters with Middle Eastern and African art and design in Morocco and Egypt, further informed his visual language and sensitivity to pattern, form, and object.

Encouraged by positive responses from friends and peers, POP POP marks the culmination of years of experimentation and creative exploration — a celebration of reinvention, memory, and the transformative potential of everyday materials.

Luxor 2013

 Watch and please like and comment on YouTube

Friday, 27 March 2026

Sand Through the Hand, a song by Alun Buffry , words written in 1982

 

Sand through the Hand

by

Alun Buffry

(1982)

Life flows so quick like golden sand

Each grain a day passed through God’s hand

Each moment precious as a jewel

And Yet I waste it like a fool.

You looked at me my heart to sway

But blind I was and looked away

Back to desires and lust and greed

From which You begged me to be freed.

I never ceased to grab and hoard,

Always forgetting my sweet Lord,

That Love lives on within inside

From whom no soul would wish to hide.

I pray to you Lord, to be so kind

And give me strength to ignore my mind,

So from your path I’ll never stray

And at your feet my life will stay.

Those things for which once I craved

You showed inside and I was saved,

Life’s flow became a flow of bliss.

Each grain a chance Your feet to kiss.

And if ever off I stray again,

Please call me back to Holy Name

That Light inside me, make it glow,

Your endless love, please let me know.

More Poems 


 

Sicily: Palermo, Cefalu

Monday, 23 March 2026

Life: An Invitation, Prem Rawat

 

If you would like more posts like this please make a comment


Love and Blessings to you all