Tuesday 22 January 2008

We Did it.

Durham Cathedral. by William Turner.

Good afternoon, yesterday morning we were up bright and early to make our trip to Edinburgh. When we looked of the window it was fair not dry but not raining. We planned to get the bus to Edinburgh at 8-35 am so we had to get a move on. We took the car round to the park and ride as it so cold at that time and the bus does not always run to time. Fortunately it was only 5 minutes late.

We were in Edinburgh by 9-45am and the rain was bouncing off the ground just as it was forecast. First thing coffee and toast at Ryan’s (No sign of Ryaaaan Coronation Street) but lovely coffee.

Coffee over we started the long walk along Princess Street with the rain and the wind in our faces but we were on a mission to get to the National Gallery. By the time we got there the water was running off us and my brolly, that the guard quickly told me to close up. After I caught my breath and folded up my brolly we headed down to the Vaughan Exhibition of William Turner watercolour paintings. There were forty one paintings on display in two different rooms. All the paintings were bequeathed to The National Gallery by Henry Vaughan in 1900.These exquisite watercolours are a special feature of the gallery’s display programme and are on show every January. As I said in my last entry due to the light sensitive nature of these works, they can only be displayed for one month of the year and this is how it has been for the last hundred or so years. I am not the artist of the family as you know it is Stuart’s interest and hobby but I do enjoy going along with him to see all the painting and yesterday was no exception. The Turner watercolours are absolutely wonderful they are so beautiful. I was reading that one or two of his watercolours came up for auction last year and the fetched £3.5 million and another went for £10 million so what price the collection we saw yesterday. After we had another coffee and a second look at the paintings we braved the storm once more to walk the far end of Princess Street to get the bus home. We did not want to linger in the capital as snow was forecast and we did not want to get caught up in that so we had decided to get an early bus home.

I really enjoyed my day out and looking at all those lovely paintings the watercolours are so different from the oil painting Turner is more famous for of sailing ships. If you are in London I think a visit to the Turner Gallery would be very worth while or course if you are in Edinburgh in January just remember you brolly. 

               

 

This was one of my favourites  it was a tiny only about four inches by two inches but the detail as you can see was wonderful. So till next time. Love,

                                                      Joan.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hello Joan,I have just read your last two posts about Turner, as I have had problems with aol, so I am catching up on comments now whilst the going is good hopefully......I am happy to read you finally managed to get there,dispite the horrid rain we have had up and down the country.The paintings you have here in your journal are beautiful and love the bottom one as you do too.Such beautiful colours.Ahh well you have seen them now, so thats another always wanted to do thats done LOL!! Coffee on the way too at Ryans so no grumbles LOL! Sorry it wasn't a much finer day for you .Thankyou for sahring and I hope Stuart is all back to a full bill of health, with his toothache gone and hope his shoulder is much better,you yourself are well and sleeping better too.Take Care God Bless Kath astoriasand http://journals.aol.co.uk/astoriasand/MYSIMPLERHYMES

Anonymous said...

Glad you finally got there and enjoyed yourself; we did plan to go there when we were last in Edinburgh but were on the tourist bus and forgot to get off!!! We will go there on our next visit, not sure when that will be though!!

Anonymous said...

Glad you managed to get an enjoyable day out Joan. Take care.
Love Sylvia xx
http://journals.aol.co.uk/sylviam4000/YeOldeEnglishPosy/
http://journals.aol.co.uk/sylviam4000/YeOldeEnglishPosy/

Anonymous said...

Glad you both a had a nice time, do they still not allow you to take pictures? thats always a shame I like Turner very much.

Take care

Yasmin
xx

Anonymous said...

Joan ,I am so pleased you decided to brave the elements ,(we really shouldnt be put off by weather if we really want to do something should we ? )and that the exhibition  came up to your expectations..love Jan xx

Anonymous said...

I'm glad you managed to see the exhibit and it sounds lovely.  I love the one you've posted.  You were brave to go out in that rain.  it's not good when it's bouncing off the ground back at you is it??

Jenny

http://journals.aol.co.uk/Jmoqueen/MyLife

Anonymous said...

Joan I am glad you got to make the trip to Edinburgh the weather sounded awful but at least you got to enjoy the exhibition which must be worth a fortune ~ your favourite one you have shown us is beautiful and for such a small painting it certainly has a lot of detail ~ Ally x

Anonymous said...

I smiled when I read your entry title.  I just knew you had managed it after all.
Well done both of you!  The weather sounded atrocious but what the heck!  It was worth it if that small painting you placed on here was anything to go by.
I worked in Edinburgh at the Darlings Regent Hotel, many years ago when I was young free and single.  I never found the time to get out and about to see the place because of shifts as a trainee manageress with NBT Hotels.
I must come up and have a look around properly one day.
Love
Jeanie xxx

Anonymous said...

I'm so glad that you got to go Joan, even if it was a miserable, wet and cold day!  I will have to check out the exhibition in London for sure!
Marie
http://journals.aol.co.uk/mariealicejoan/MariesMuses/

Anonymous said...

I went to Edinburgh once many years ago and it tipped down.  My hubby's family come from Burntisland.
Jenny <><

Anonymous said...

Other than the awful weather, it sounds like a good trip.    The paintings looked lovely.    Thanks for sharing.         Dawn

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful day you had!  I'm excited you got to see those watercolours.  I hope I have the chance some day.  That is a priceless opportunity to see something like that!

By the way, what is a brolly?  ;-)

Kellen