13 November 2018

Winter Sunshine on the Southbank, Thames London



The Emperor took a walk this weekend on the elegant Southbank of the Thames, Londinium.

A lovely mild winter's afternoon in the city, not unlike the temperatures achieved in a favourable Scottish summer!

Not quite T-shirt weather,  but not far off it ... in mid November, no less!






4 November 2018

Dramatic Skies



The most dramatic skies have been seen here by the Emperor recently.

Consultation with the Augur [i.e. Google] interprets this as the portent of great personal change to follow. 

The Emperor will have to be vigilant and see what the future brings.  

25 September 2018

Copenhagen


Wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen! 



The Fates recently drew the Emperor to the enchanting city of Copenhagen.
  

The great depth of history and the many monuments and civic works that adorn this northern polis are fantastic to see.  


A mesmerising day was spent slowly wandering and wondering at the pleasant beauty.  


Under the glow of the warmest Autumn sunshine, Copenhagen left a most favourable impression and the Emperor looks forward to more visits in the future.



9 September 2018

Emperors in the Aegean


[Leaving the shelter of Skopelos Town]

[Hilltop towns on Alonnisos]

Much like a Roman Emperor of old, this ruler has spent some enchanting time floating about the Aegean on a imperial pleasure cruise.

The opportunity to sail around the Sporades islands, off the coasts of Skopelos and Alonnisos has revealed to the Emperor this amazing region of the Western Aegean.

Its a stunning place, where richly shaded pine-tree islands float upon a blue and shimmering sea. The trees come right down to caress the waters edge and it presents a timeless land and sea-scape of elemental simplicity and great natural beauty.

Its more than a tonic and a true antidote to the inevitable stresses that accumulate from running an empire - albeit a modest one.




[Tracing the coast of Alonnisos]

One is reminded that I am not the first of the imperial progeny to have enjoyed the charms of Greece and her islands. Even a casual view of Imperial Trip Advisor yields some impressive 5* reviews.

[Up at the prow]
The surly Tiberius - before he adorned the purple - was no stranger to Hellas and chose to spend much of his time as a retired-citizen on the isle of Rhodes.

While, great, great ...[+] uncle Nero, was positively smitten by Greece and its ancient culture.

Nero also spent a major holiday in the region back in 66/67AD.  By all accounts it was one hell of a tour, taking in city visits, building works, sporting games and even musical and theatrical recitals.  Of course, Nero was the star performer at such recitals and you can guarantee that the audience loved it. "It would be dangerous not to, darling!"

I digress ... but it remains the truth that my tour of these ancient lands has been a revelation and greatly enjoyed by this Emperor.

"Oh Italia, you never mentioned you had such a beautiful sister, Hellas! You kept that quiet"


[Dreamy views from below deck: "Row you dogs!'


4 September 2018

Classical Fragments


Its amazing to see how many classical fragments from ancient Greek and Roman antiquity have been gathered and put to good use within the old orthodox churches on the island of Skopelos, Greece. Even a cursory view round the islands many churches can reveal many gems. 

[Roman Figure Embedded in Greek Church, Skopelos 2018]


It seems nothing has bee left to waste and fragments of great history (from all periods) are hidden within the walls. Those Byzantine churchmen were real magpies and who indeed can blame them?   
    

  

3 September 2018

Hellenic Roof Tiles



[Ornamental Roof Tiles on the Isle of Skopelos - Sept 2018]


''Small wonder that Trojans and bronze-greaved Greeks have suffered for such a woman, she is so like an immortal goddess.''

[Homer, Iliad]

2 September 2018

Sea Monsters



Around the isle of Skopelos in Greece, strange and ancient creatures have been seen in the sea, by the Emperor's very own eye!

The 'Sea Pig' being a beast of notable renown, is found off the coast of Skopelos in the Sporades islands.

A creature of ancient origin the sea-swine lies in wait for unsuspecting sailors, ready to gash their ships with a viscously protruding snout. The scaley spine of this sleeping monster, perfect for dashing the keels and hopes of men, does nothing to soften the malignancy of its form.

On a hazy day, its not hard to imagine how this landscape - beautiful though it is, also nurtures an inherent malice. A danger that can only have nourished the ancient myths and superstitious fears of men.

How many such beasts did ancient hero's fell. The enemies of Odysseus or Theseus can still be seen in this land.

20 June 2018

Skaill Bay - Orkney Islands


[Skaill Bay, Orkney - June 2018]

Nothing can match the beauty of light and colour that Orkney commands on a sunny day.

The Emperor was lucky to have some nice days on his most recent campaign to the Northern isles. The bay of Skaill is the location of the ancient World Heritage Site, Skara Brae - a Stone Age settlement dating to between 3180 BC and 2500BC. (Dates that would make Roman - and even Egyptian -  heritage blush)

See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skara_Brae 

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The historian Tacitus reminds us that Roman power - at least at one time - extended as far as the Orkney Islands:

"But when you go further north [in Britain] you find a huge and shapeless tract of country [Caledonia], jutting out to form what is actually the most distant coastline and finally tapering into a kind of wedge. These remotest shores were now circumnavigated, for the first time, by a Roman fleet, which thus established the fact that Britain was an island. At the same time it discovered and subjugated the Orkney Islands, hitherto unknown."

[Tacitus, Agricola*, I.iv.]

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*Agricola was a military governor of Britain who campaigned extensively in the North of Britain between c.AD 78 - 84. Although the Romans did not ultimately settle Caledonia, there is little doubt that they explored and campaigned deep into the Northern lands, leaving forts and other physical evidence of campaign. 

10 June 2018

Strange Creatures

There is perhaps not as many strange creatures in the woods these days as there might have once been.

But if you look hard enough with a keen eye, odd creatures are still to be found.


It reminds an Emperor of great, great, great .... Uncle Julius, who himself reported some fantastical beasties in the ancient forests of Germania ... way back in the day. 

------------------

[VI.25] "The [Hercynian] forest is known to contain many kinds of animals not seen elsewhere, some of which seem worthy of mention because they differ greatly from those found in other countries. 

[VI.26]"There is an ox shaped like a dear, with a single horn in the middle of its forehead between the ears, which sticks up higher and straighter than those of the animals we know, and at the top branches out widely like a man's hand or a tree. The male and female are alike, and their horns are of the same shape and size." 

[Wild beast in sports wear] 

[VI.28] "A [further] species is the aurochs, an animal somewhat smaller than an elephant, with the appearance, colour, and shape of a bull. They are very strong and agile, and attack every man and beast they catch sight of. The natives take great pains to catch them in pits and then kill them."

 [This one was a killer]

"... The horns are much larger than those of our oxen and of quiet different shape and appearance. The Germans prize them greatly: they mount the rims with silver and use them as drinking cups at their grandest banquets."

[Julius Caesar, Gallic Wars, VI]



25 May 2018

Loch Earn Scotland





Just another Scottish heatwave ... (If it doesn't cool down soon, I might move to Australia)




On a recent tour of the Highlands the Emperor was fortunate to stop by the sun-drenched shores of Loch Earn - looking very good indeed.

6 May 2018

Andalusian Horse Power








Granada, Spain: locals park-up their new one horse-power rides in advance of the Festival of the Cross.  

A tremendous sight. The Emperor was lucky to be in the city for this colourful and ancient festival. 

5 May 2018

Adam & Eve




One can scarcely 'Adam & Eve'* it, but its been a full five years since the Emperor united in matrimony with the Empress!

5 years is traditionally marked as the 'wooden' anniversary and the Imperial couple were pleased to mark this anniversary with a lovely carving that they found while travelling in the beautiful city of Granada, Spain.


An anniversary reminder taking pride of place in the imperial household. 


Granada, Spain - made a real impression on the Emperor and he very much hopes to go back in the future. 


[Traditional Cockney rhyming slang: 'Adam & Eve' = 'Believe']

2 April 2018

The Orkney Chair

The long awaited Orkney Chair (2 seater) came this week and it was well worth the wait. 


Individually measured to the shape of the Emperor and Empress and ordered on our travels last year, it was always going to be a long wait for such an anticipated prize. 


However, the wait was more than worth it for an Emperor that has for a lifetime admired the simple beauty of Orkney straw backs.


The Emperor's chair is a modern take on the traditional single seaters, but which utilises all the traditional skill and material of this craft classic. With an added sense of romance the imperial couple hope to mould their respective seats over many years to come.

Made of mahogany with, seagrass seats and the traditional woven straw back, its the simplicity of the lines, methods and materials that make Orkney Chairs an icon of the Arts and Crafts movement.

Kudos indeed to the master craftsman Fraser Anderson of Kirkwall for such a wonderful piece of furniture. It is already well loved here and I hope it will be for many years to come: http://www.orkneyhandcraftedfurniture.co.uk

7 March 2018

Immortal Warrior


Who Wants to Live Forever? 


There is much to see at the British Museum, as one might expect.

Though, for the Emperor, there was little to rival the original freeze depiction of a Persian Immortal warrior taken from the imperial palace at Susa (present day Iran).

It is the Ancient Greek historian Herodotus who tells us: 

''The Ten Thousand, who were all Persians and all picked men, were led by Hydarnes, the son of Hydarnes. They were called "the Immortals," for the following reason. If one of their body failed either by the stroke of death or of disease, forthwith his place was filled up by another man, so that their number was at no time either greater or less than 10,000.'' 

''Of all the troops the Persians were adorned with the greatest magnificence, and they were likewise the most valiant. Besides their arms, which have been already described, they glittered all over with gold, vast quantities of which they wore about their persons. They were followed by litters, wherein rode their concubines, and by a numerous train of attendants handsomely dressed. Camels and sumpter-beasts carried their provision, apart from that of the other soldiers.''

[Herodotus, Histories VII, 83]

3 March 2018

Ice Flowers








[Ice Flowers - Kinross - March 2018]

A cold Scottish Spring saw winter doggedly clinging on,  deep into March this year.  

The 'Beastie from the Eastie' had an offy nastie wee bite. 

O'bdy was frozen and nae'bdy was happy about it. 


23 January 2018

Plato on Snow



[Winter is here: We've had a fair bit this year]


[59e] ... when it is thus solidified, the part of it above the earth which is most affected by this process is termed “hail,” and the part upon the earth “ice” and the part which is less affected and is still only half-solid is called snow when it is above the earth, but when it is upon the earth and solidified out of dew it is called “hoar-frost.”

Plato, Timaeus.  

1 January 2018

New Year's Day - The Morning After


[Must have been one hell of a party! Even the bins wore party hats in Stirling on New Year's Day 2018]