Day 4 - August 11th - London

I failed just one exam at school - Art History in the 6th form. I wasn't any good at art but I liked the idea of learning about paintings and architecture and so on. It was an abysmal failure. I walked out of the exam after an hour having scored just 24. I don't really remember now why I wasn't any good at it. The teacher was uninspiring but that shouldn't have mattered, I should have been able to master it.

Especially because as I grow older, I am more and more drawn to art. When I am on holiday a journey around museums and art galleries is usually part of what I am up to, and of course there's a fair bit to see in London. Today I spent half the day on a dawdle around the National Portrait Gallery. I love looking at paintings and photographs of the famous historical figures of the past. It's very well done at the Gallery, with short biographies of all the people juxtaposed with the portraits.

Someone cleverer than me will be able to explain the attraction of paintings of people. I don't say I'm not interested at all at paintings of scenery but paintings of people and historical events seem to me to say a lot more. Some bear looking at for 10 minutes or so, there is so much to notice about them. There was one of the trial of Queen Caroline, unforunate wife of King George IV. The couple are said to have separated just two days after the wedding, and she only returned to England when he came to the throne. She was then the subject of a long pseudo-trial in the House of Lords on charges of adultery. She was not acquitted but the bill that would have deprived her of the role of Queen Consort was not passed. The portrait of the Lords debate has about 200 people in it and it's enjoyable studying the various reactions.

Architecture also interests me and I find the buildings here in Britain very interesting. After having been in Christchurch just a few weeks ago, I can't help feeling that similar-sized earthquakes here would have  a devestating effect, much worse than in Christchurch where buildings were more modern. Of course I am no building engineer, but it all looks old and creaky. The cobbles everywhere make for an interesting time in a cab as drivers seem to insist on driving at breakneck speed down busy city streets.

London is not a beautiful city and the attempts to keep cars out of the city seem to me to make it not very people-friendly either. Of course the bus and the Tube make it quite simple to get around, but still, being able to drive your own car into town makes like so much more simple for people individually, if not collectively.

Have just been looking for a nice quote about art to finish with. Here's one from the great cartoonist Scott Adams - "creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep."