Shoreham 2007
Shoreham Airshow 2007
Me looking brave before taking to the air (and the wing) of the plane. Wow, it was cold !! But the whole experience was totally exhilarating.
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Jan's Blog
Computers and the internet are amazing things. One of my concerns with putting together this site was that it could remain current, yet with all my travelling I've often much to say, but little time to say it. Years ago when reading the news it would take me days on end to reply to the kind letters people sent. Now, with the magic of the modern age, I can keep you up to date with what I'm doing and other events in my life.
DINNER WITH RENÉ MOUCHOTTE
Date: 31st May 2011
DINNER WITH RENÉ MOUCHOTTE As I mentioned in one of my Blogs from Paris, Mireille, on my behalf, made contact with René Mouchotte in Paris. He was in London on business and invited me to join him for dinner. I took much of my research with regard to his illustrious cousin and I think he was... Read more...
CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL
Date: 29th May 2011
CATHEDRAL DUTY Went to the Cathedral today with a little more confidence than on my first outing. The main interest seems to lie with The Martyrdom, Henry IV and the Black Prince. Helped several Americans who’d actually come over to attend a wedding in the Crypt on Saturday and were taking full... Read more...
ARVO PÄRT - kissed my hand
Date: 27th May 2011
Arvo Pärt– kissed my hand As I was leaving the Cathedral on Friday, someone called my name and it was Paul Edlin, arranger of the Sounds New Contemporary Music Festival whom I’d met a few weeks ago at a friend’s house. On that occasion he’d mentioned Arvo Part (sorry I... Read more...
MIDDELKERCHE - René Mouchotte
Date: 25th May 2011
MIDDELKERKE – René Mouchotte A friend who wanted to do some shopping in Calais (one of the few perks of living down here in the deep South East) very kindly agreed to take me along and drive up the coast to Middelkerke in Belgium so that I could see and photograph the tribute to Rene Mouchotte... Read more...
MIDDELKERCHE - Simon Vosters
Date: 25th May 2011
MIDDELKERKE – Simon Vosters I couldn’t believe it. The day after our visit, Simon sent me around 20 photos of the inauguration ceremony many of them showing Rene’s mother and sister. The documents I saw at the Town Hall were very blurred – being carbon copies of originals and the... Read more...
VEURNE
Date: 25th May 2011
VEURNE We stopped for lunch at Brasserie Christophe in the Market square. After a very good lunch (their Coq au Vin is almost as good as mine!) we went to look at the Cathedral. Although very austere, I immediately recognised the style of the vaulting and knew roughly when it had been built – thanks to my... Read more...
CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL - Silver Lining
Date: 24th May 2011
A SILVER LINING I was rather surprised when on Tuesday, my agent phoned to say there was a story and pictures in a Daily newspaper about my being a Volunteer Assistant Guide at Canterbury Cathedral. Not so surprised about the story as that has been lurking since Easter when I was commissioned to write 1,500... Read more...
BLOGS FOR MAY
Date: 23rd May 2011
I've written so many blogs this month that they don't all show up when you click on the page. So please go to the left hand side and click on May and all the blogs will come up in shortened form - you can then click on any you wish to read in fuller detail. As I can post a photo per blog I'm... Read more...
BIGGIN HILL - The most famous fighter station in the world and its wonderful chapel
Date: 22nd May 2011
BIGGIN HILL - The most famous fighter station in the world At the winding up dinner to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of The Battle of Britain, Wing Cdr. Andy Simpson suggested that I should visit the Biggin Hill Chapel - apart from anything else Rene Mouchotte's name is emblazoned on the Oak Reredos on... Read more...
CELEBRITY GHOST STORIES
Date: 18th May 2011
CELEBRITY GHOST STORIES The series started on the Biography Chanel on Thursday last week (12th May) and the programme in which I took part opened the series. I didn’t see it on two counts – I don’t have Sky and I was in lovely gay Paris. The producer has promised me a copy. However as a... Read more...
MESSAGE TO MY READERS
Date: 16th May 2011
Two messages for you lovely people who click in and make my writing and photography a worthwhile venture. For some reason I cannot get my Ipad and computer to link up so the Blogs I wrote in Paris I haven't yet been able to transfer (the Crowne Plaza Hotel at the Place de la Republique was too mean to... Read more...
DIE FLEDERMAUS - Opera Della Luna
Date: 15th May 2011
DIE FLEDERMAUS – Opera Della Luna Some friends asked if I’d like to go with them to the lovely little Theatre Royal in Margate. It was established by Royal Patent in 1786 and opened on the 27th June, 1787. It is the second oldest theatre operating in Great Britain and is also the oldest... Read more...
MUSEE CLUNY
Date: 13th May 2011
MUSEE DE CLUNY – MUSEE NATIONAL DU MOYEN AGE I think I last visited the Cluny about 15 years ago, so either my memory has dimmed (quite probably) or the place has smartened itself up somewhat. It is very well laid out although the Audio Guide is not good at all. The rooms have numbers and then in the... Read more...
PERE LACHAISE & MONTMARTRE - again
Date: 13th May 2011
PERE LACHAISE & MONTMARTRE - again Visited Pere Lachaise again - it was a beautifully sunny day and having realised that I’d over-estimated distances in the cemetery, was determined to go back and find the ones on my list which we’d missed and I also wanted to see Rene’s tomb on a sunny... Read more...
EGLISE REFORMEE DE L'ORATOIRE DU LOUVRE
Date: 12th May 2011
EGLISE REFORMEE DE L'ORATOIRE DU LOUVRE I wanted to see this building because in front there's a large statue to Gaspard de Coligny who was a leading Protestant and the first person to be murdered on the Eve of St. Bartholemew massacre of the Huguenots in Paris. (Catherine de Medici is reputed to have... Read more...
MOULIN ROUGE
Date: 12th May 2011
MOULIN ROUGE Again a very touristy thing to experience and something I’ve never done before. The Show was enjoyable. I’ve heard that the costumes cost a couple of million and it wouldn’t surprise me in the least. The two entre-acts were absolutely excellent – Mario Berousek -a... Read more...
PLACE DES VOSGES
Date: 11th May 2011
PLACE DE VOSGES The expectation of this square was not quite met. It is a beautifully uniform perfect square and all the buildings are the same - which at the time it was erected was quite unheard of - but the fountains weren't playing, the road around the park was full of cars and the rubbish bins were... Read more...
SACRE COEUR
Date: 10th May 2011
SACRE COEUR AND MONTMARTRE We were fortunate to arrive at the top of the Fenicular to hear the strains of Rodriguez's Concerto di Aranjuez (if I've spelled it correctly) played on a Paraguayan Harp. We sat and listened for quite a time. And yes we did buy the Cd's. The harp and guitar are my... Read more...
BATEAUX PARISIEN
Date: 10th May 2011
RIVER TRIP ON THE SEINE - BATEAUX PARISIEN I mistakenly mentioned a trip on the Bateaux Mouches - in fact my friend had booked on the Bateaux Parisien - quite a different 'kettle of fish'. To begin with our taxi driver took us to the right bank when we knew we had to be on the left bank and then we... Read more...
MONTMARTRE
Date: 10th May 2011
People turn their noses up at the 'Tourist Route' but in days gone by the rich went on the Grand Tour - nowadays the high spots are open to all. We all know that Montmartre is touristy but I have to say, the cafes were not charging more than anywhere else in Paris and indeed our drinks were less than... Read more...
RENE MOUCHOTTE'S BIRTHPLACE
Date: 9th May 2011
CHATEAU DE VINCENNES . RENE MOUCHOTTE - ST. MANDE On leaving the Chateau our gallant Tom Tom directed us a few miles down the road to the Birthplace of Rene Mouchotte. To my English eyes it looked like a house built on the lines of a very small chateau. Sadly it is now divided into many flats and showed... Read more...
CHATEAU DE VINCENNES - RENE MOUCHOTTE
Date: 9th May 2011
CHATEAU DE VINCENNES Yet another famous French landmark which my friends had not visited - mind you it has been under renovation for a decade. I had two reason for wishing to go to the East of Paris, wanting to find the Birthplace of Rene Mouchotte at St. Mande and to visit the Chateau de Vincennes. There was... Read more...
PERE LACHAISE - RENE MOUCHOTTE
Date: 9th May 2011
PERE LACHAISE My long awaited visit. I wanted to go immediately to the Tomb of Rene Mouchotte - I think I could have found it with my eyes closed. But I had a friend with me who very much wanted to visit several other tombs and it seemed only fair to go there first. Pere Lachaise Metro Station is an old one... Read more...
LOUIS JAVET - THEATRE ATHENEE - Dido and Aeneas
Date: 8th May 2011
THEATRE LOUIS-JOUVET Last night we went to the Louis Jouvet Theatre - Athenee - and what a fantastic little gem of a fin de siecle building it is. It really had the WOW factor. And nearby there was a great sculpture of Pegasus ridden by a Poet sculpted by Alexandre Falguiere (1897) We took the bus to... Read more...
RENE MOUCHOTTE
Date: 8th May 2011
RENE MOUCHOTTE Owen and Mireille have worked so hard to help me with my researches a propos Rene Mouchotte. Mireille spent half a day researching the Grave Number and phoning the Department which oversees the Tombs/Graves in Pere La Chaise. Sadly after all her efforts we were told that information was blocked.... Read more...
BASILICA CATHEDRAL OF ST. DENIS - PARIS
Date: 7th May 2011
BASILICA DE SAINT DENIS It was only after a friend at Cantebury Cathedral told me about Saint Denis - the Necropolis of French Royalty - that I added it to the itinerary. I felt quite brave taking a long journey on the Paris Metro - St. Denis is at the end of the line. I'd had lunch with two charming people... Read more...
MONTPARNASSE CEMETERY
Date: 6th May 2011
MONTPARNASSE CEMETERY One of the main reasons for my visit to Paris, apart from staying with very dear old friends, is to visit the tomb of Rene Mouchotte in Pere La Chaise Cemetery. Yesterday on arrival and after a light lunch, Owen suggested we go to Montparnasse - which he and his wife had never visited... Read more...
WISLEY - Pansy orchid
Date: 5th May 2011
WISLEY - Pansy Orchid Last week I returned to Buckinghamshire to attend a reunion of my old 'Exercise Class'. When living in Penn I joined Jenny Hopkirk's little band of 'girls' (she is married to Paddy the Rally Driver) and was with them for 12 years engaging in a wonderful form of exercise... Read more...