Cuba: Playa Gíron

A prerequisite from Dan for our trip to Cuba was a scuba diving trip so after Viñales we made our way to the Bay of Pigs. This area on the south coast is of course famous for the failed American invasion in April 1961, and unbeknownst to us the day we arrived was the 55th anniversary of the event. As we drove on the north-south road from Jaguey Grande to Playa Larga, school children were stood by monuments saluting as we drove past. When we arrived at our hosts' in Playa Gíron, we found out that evening there was to be a big town party, with food, drink and music in what is an otherwise sleepy town. What luck! That evening we wondered over to the town square and enjoyed the best piña coladas we tasted in all of Cuba (the secret is condensed milk), from the sweetest older gentleman at his drinks stand, and danced with all the locals late into the night.

The next day, we were collected by the free scuba bus which collects divers from all over town and drops off at the many scuba site along the Bay of Pigs coastline. The diving was very reasonably priced and started off with a refresher for those who haven't been for a while. As the photos show the waters were beautiful and crystal clear and whilst Dan was out at sea discovering shipwrecks and seeing the wildlife underwater, I did a little snorkelling and just taking in the scenery.

A place of invasions, we also arrived over the days that the crabs were invading the town. They were everywhere!! It happens once a year and the coastal roads were a crab massacre, and caused many a flat tyre for the cars making that journey.

The two afternoons we had in Playa Gíron were spent at Playa los Cocos, a small beach with a little refreshments hut where we sat under the palm trees enjoying a rum and coconut. More pictures on my Instagram! Following a relaxing couple of days on the coast, next stop: Cienfuegos...

Pool of Black

On Tuesday we set off on an adventure that became more of an adventure than we had first envisaged. The plan was to drive to a waterfall park in Yorkshire but the motorway went off on a funny fork and we ended up in Blackpool. Blackpool was also on our list of places to visit, just not the day's plan. Anyway!

Blackpool is something of a legend, I suppose. You can imagine how 50 odd years ago it was the place to go on holiday in the north-west, but over the years not a lot has changed apart from it becoming more plastic fantastic. We had a good walk up and down the promenade, stuffing our faces with candyfloss and fudge and celeb spotting as Harry Hill and Julie Walters were filming... and we had set out to go and visit a waterfall park! As is life!!

Wight Isle

Last week D and I went on a little holiday to the Isle of Wight. We drove around the island and explored all corners. We walked to the Needles, round Bembridge harbour and along the beautiful and varied coastline. We stayed in a couple of B&Bs, Little Idyll, a sweet thatched cottage, and Little Span Farm and ate like kings - just check out the seafood royale from The New Inn. It was such a relaxing break yet we were only a couple of hours from home. It's funny how the sea can create a feeling of distance!

Beach Hut

I'd love a beach house like this by studiomama. Dreams of summer weather.
Images from studiomama

Muted Tones

I think I'd like to get some succulents or cacti to have as plants which perhaps need less care and can be left to their own devices? I love the pale colours of these ones. I've also been having a play around with iPhoto, getting my Brighton photos looking a bit old and faded.

Top image from Old Brand New

Land of Juxtoposition

City, sea, greenery, desert - Israel, we discovered, is certainly a country of oxymorons. Young and trendy; historical and 4000 years old; modern and secular; traditional and orthodox. I'm not entirely sure what I expected, having always heard negativity and danger in the media, but I think we discovered a country with so much to offer. It's somewhere I'd most definitely visit again!...(and here come the posts of what we got up to!)
1: Tel Aviv looking towards Jaffa   2: Gamla and the Sea of Galilee   3: Massada and the Dead Sea

Sea House

My friend Carmelia told me about the programme Human Planet, and was especially interested in the Bajau people near the Philippines. As architecture students it's so interesting how people have lived this was for centuries. Their homes are endangered but could this be a solution as the world changes as sea levels rise? Carmelia's just starting up a blog - so go check it out!
Image from boardjournal

Last Days of Summer

Monday became Tuesday, August became September, and Summer most definitely turned into Autumn. The days of crisp, blue skied mornings have arrived; I love Autumn.To remind us of summer, this is a photo of(l-r) my greatgrandmother Jessie, my daddad Jim, my nanna Eileen and my greatgrandfather Maurice. It looks like such a traditional seaside shot, as though it could have been anyone's family. My cousin Kate and I have been getting together photos and memories for our dads' 60th party, and this is just one of a selection she has sent me!

A to the B-town

This weekend I went to stay in Brighton with my friend Lauren! On Saturday we went into town and wandering into this art exhibition called The Elephant Bed by an American artist John Grade based on a sea micro-organism called the coccolithophore!!?I really like the different levels of the hung sculptures and the way you can even climb under and into one!

Also seen in Brighton: these delicious looking cupcakes from the Angel Food Bakery in the Lanes,
the Regency pavilion, an Asian twist in a British seaside town,
and a band called Rubylux - really good! Give 'em a listen!

We're all going on a...

Summer Holiday!! Three friends and I are off to the airport in a bit, we're going to Turkey! We're leaving the drizzle and clouds of beloved England and heading to the sun, sea and sand of Gumbet. To get myself into the holiday mood, yesterday I made a new sunglasses case!See you in a week!

Serendipity

So I've just come home from an evening in town with friends, should go to bed at this early hour BUT through an email from the shop Frank in Whitstable, I have discovered the artist Zoe Murphy!

For this coming final year of my degree, one module I have selected is called Interdisciplinary where we explore a theme of architecture through another art and design medium. After some research through magazines, cut outs from my scrapbook, TV (specifically Kirsty's Homemade Home on Channel4), on the internet, I decided upon the theme of 'Make Do and Mend'.

Like old buildings are given new uses - an old factory converted into trendy, modern apartments - old furniture can be given a new lease of life through upholstery. There is no need to buy new when there is such good examples just looking for a little TLC. I had envisaged finding a vintage seat or chair and designing my own fabric or material to reupholster it with. Two thoughts for inspiration were London life and its skyline or the North Kentish seascape (as uni is 15mins away) - oh which to choose?!


Zoe Murphy indeed recycles household objects and furniture and the inspiration is her hometown of Margate, which is half an hour from me here at uni! Her designs give a modern, funky taste to vintage furniture, and according to her blog she is getting well deserved critical acclaim for it! So good, considering she only graduated last summer!

I'll definitely keep my eye on her work to give ideas for my own project and will post ideas, sketches and images as my own design progresses!