Chartres Cathedral

Chartres Cathedral – reconstructed over a 26-year period after a devastating fire in 1194 - is truly one of the architectural wonders of the world. What makes it unique, is that it is almost completely preserved in its original design. No other cathedral has been so well preserved. Chartres even survived the destruction and looting that took place during the French Revolution.

Chartres Cathedral has also since the Middle Ages been – and still is – a major pilgrimage destination. Its most famous relic is the tunic of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Sancta Camisia, that was given to the cathedral by Charlemagne in the year 876.

Approaching the Chartres Cathedral by car from the North offers an additional bonus. The cathedral seems to be hovering in the air above the wheat fields. Only when you are quite close does the city become more visible.

A brief presentation of the cathedral by UNESCO:

And another excellent video by National Geographic:

Useful information about the Chartres cathedral here and here.


PS
One can only wonder, how many buildings from our age will be there for people to admire 800 or 1000 years from now? Considering the way modern buildings are constructed, it is likely that the answer is nil. But the mighty Chartres Cathedral will certainly be there even then, provided that it is not destroyed by pollution, fire or some other catastrophic event.

"O Holy Night" sung by Jussi Björling

The great - maybe the greatest of them all - Swedish tenor Jussi Björling´s rendition of  "O Holy Night" (sung in Swedish) has been part of my Christmas as long as I can remember. There is not better version of this beautiful song!

"O Holy Night" is included in this 2CD package of some of Björling´s finest recordings.

Brideshead Revisited

"Waugh's most deeply felt novel . . . Brideshead Revisited tells an absorbing story in imaginative terms . . . Mr. Waugh is very definitely an artist, with something like a genius for precision and clarity not surpassed by any novelist writing in English in his time."
 New York Times

Best series ever
Washington Post


Evelyn Waugh´s magnificent novel was dramatised by British Granada Television in the early 80´s. The series - altogether thirteen hous of television, shot enterily on location - deservedly became a huge success, and is, at least in my opinion, unsurpassed by any other television dramatisation.

Evelyn Waugh described his novel in a note to Lady Dorothy Lygon (the original model for Lady Cordelia Flyte):

"I am writing a very beautiful book, to bring tears, about very rich, beautiful, high born people who live in palaces and have no troubles except what they make themselves and those are mainly the demons of sex and drink which, after all, are easy to bear as troubles go nowadays".

Sadly, the technical quality of the complete series discs is not as good as one could wish, but nevertheless, this series is a must for everybody who enjoys watching quality television.

Here is an excerpt from the Granada television production:

Watch a documentary on the making of Brideshead revisited:

Bluegrass

A type of folk music that originated in the southern United States, typically played on banjos and guitars and characterized by rapid tempos and jazzlike improvisation.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language

My first live experience of American bluegrass music dates back to the late 70´s, when I heard the great banjo player J.D. Crowe and his New South perform at the Birchmere in Washington DC. I liked what I heard, and later there were many more visits to this legendary music hall, which still seems to be a lively place - although with less bluegrass music than in earlier times.

Here is one of my favourite Crowe pieces. It is nice to note that J.D. Crowe is still around and active.

The "father of bluegrass", the legendary Bill Monroe is not anymore with us, but his music lives on.

The Panama Hat

For us living in northern Europe, summer seems very far away. Still it is nice to think about, and plan for the warm season. On those sunny days you need a good hat, an original Panama hat, made in Equador! My own Panama hat was stolen last summer, so I have placed an order for a new one here.

A little bit of history:

When the Spanish conquerors arrived to what nowadays are known as the provinces of Guayas and Manabí on the Ecuadorian coast, they observed native Indians using straw hats which covered their ears and necks. These hats looked like headdresses, similar to those used by the nuns or widows in Europe at the time. It is this similarity that gave the hats the name of "Toquillas" (headdress in Spanish) and resulted in the straw from which they were made to be called "Toquilla Straw".
According to the legend, this native hat obtained its name when Teddy Roosevelt participated in the inauguration of the Panama Canal (1913). During the event he received an Ecuadorian straw hat as a gift, and without knowing the true origin, he thanked his guests for the gift mentioning it as a "Panama Hat".

Co-ordination

I do not know the name of this peformer, but he is good!

Yes, I left my heart in San Francisco ...

San Francisco is one of those magic places you just cannot forget. And there is no better singer to perform the famous song than the great Tony Bennett!

(Image by bigfoto.com)