Up Rugby way

Last week Harry was late home (fixing the car for its warrant) and after cooking another luscious soup I had some time to get on to the web and sort out some activities for the weekend.  It was a long weekend and so we had 3 days to enjoy ourselves.  First stop was the Prescott Hill races where I did lots of people watching and Harry did the car watching thing and when it wasn't raining we enjoyed sitting or sleeping in the sun. We ate our soup with french bread and felt quite in keeping with the french them of the day described as a "celebration of French voiture design from veteran to the Veyron". There were men walking around yelling and giving away onions, some mimers, security guards dressed in gendarme gear and others in can can dresses. During lunch we watched 3 little boys play - they obviously knew each other - but we were fascinated how their personalities were so evident event at the age of about 3.  One the energetic and mischievous leader, another the follower and a quiet little boy who earnestly told the others not to eat with their mouth full. Back to cars - the course is 1127 yards long, rises over 200 feet and has a few short straights some curves and at least one hairpin which is described as breath taking. Most cars made the circuit in less that 80 seconds with the fastest achieving it in about half of that.

Our next stop was something just as thrilling - the horse races in Stratford on Avon.  Here we tested our gambling skills and came out 20 pence better off than when we went in (excluding the entrance fee and cup of coffee).  By betting on horses that are at odds 250:1 we didn't have a good chance anyway, but when Northumberland refused to start and the jockey needed a helpful pull from the starter there wasn't much hope of reaping £253 for our £2 bet.  So second to last wasn't too bad for old Northumberland in the novice race (the commentator mentioned at each jump that he didn't take that it tidily and we were waiting for the jockey to be planted on the ground and the horse to finish the race riderless).  I've read a few John Francombe and Dick Francis books and so enjoyed seeing the local bookies in action and competing for our few pounds by changing the odds - all very sophisticated linked up to the web. Also there were no starting gates - the horses start by going round in circles in a bunch - a bit like the Americas Cup where the yachts have to get to the start line at the right time. Anyway, just to let you know we went to a prestigous race course here in the words of some 1769 writer:

"The Course upon this most beautiful Meadow (allowed to be one of the finest in the Kingdom) has been altered and made greatly more convenient and agreeable both for Horses and Spectators. Indeed, there was very little Occasion for Art where Nature has been so lavish of her Bounties; the Stream of the Surrounding Avon, the verdant lawns, and the rising Hills and Woods form a Scene too delicious for Description."

More on the transport theme was planned for Monday - but the weather put paid to the transport show at Radley House with most exhibitors not turning up or leaving early.  But I did find my dream camper van before we had a walk around the sculpture garden and through the house - decorated in the Palladian style. The house was designed by Robert Hooke in 1680 and it did have some interesting features and furniture we hadn't seen before - chairs painted black in rememberance of Nelson - a two seater lounger with a little circle table for tea in the middle.  The garden around the back framed the house well in all my favourite colours pinks, purples and whites - mainly lavendar and roses.

http://www.ragleyhall.com/housestate.html

We also had a sojourn around the Yorkshire Sculpture Park- again in not particularly brilliant weather - Hazzy lost his sense of humour when it started to rain and we were eating noodles on a park bench with our fingers and car keys (we had forgotten our forks) but he soon cheered up when I said 'Look there are more sculptures to see'.  We were actually quite impressed with this park - which had both indoor and outdoor displays. We could see lots of sculptures by famous people (actually we had not really heard of them before this weekend but they are famous!).  Jaume Plensa who is about our age hails from Barcelona and certainly has a knack for capturing the imagination (none of this stuff with a couple of planks of wood, or misshapen human bodies).  A quote from him 

"A city is a living body, a geography of transformation, a pile of particular reference points, unique in each case. There are no two identical cities; however a common denominator makes them familiar and recognisable: anonymity....the relinquishment of intimacy (personal freedom) in favour of anonymity (uniform) has left a deep mark on art in public places."

 

 

There were also some sculptures by Dame Barbara Hepworth who died in 1975.  Although her art had less visual resemblance to something we actually know we enjoyed it just as much.

 We went to a really nice restaurant on the way back, near Harvington, which I doubt we would ever be able to find again.  Had a vegetable tandoori masala - and have now found a recipe which looks similar so will need to give it a go as it was so yummy.