25 at 25

25 things I want to do before I turn 26...

1. Read Miguel de Cervantes' Don Quixote

2. Grow a sunflower

3. Try French absinthe

4. Get a driving licence

5. Take a ride on the London Eye

6. See the Red Arrows at Dartmouth

7. Read Homer's Odyssey

8. Learn the geography of Africa

9. Spend a whole day in the British Museum

10. Visit Chysauster Ancient Village

11. Take a boat ride

12. While away a summers day watching cricket

13. Discover the city of Bristol

14. Try rabbit

15. Watch Shakespeare on the stage

16. Go to the Tate Gallery, London

17. Find the grave of General Buller

18. Read the Journal of Lewis and Clark

19. Climb to the top of Haldon Belvedere Tower

20. Watch all the Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers films

21. Go fossil hunting on the Jurassic Coast

22. Watch an Exeter Chiefs rugby match

23. Go shopping in the National Geographic store, London

24. Go to a classical concert

25. Watch the sunrise with someone I love

Reflect and Remember - Armistice Day 2009

Front Line

They tell us not to worry
They tell us we'll be fine
They say our duty must be done
To fight on the front line

They say we shouldn't panic
They say we're well prepared
"And if you die, that's glory, boys
No reason to be scared"

We're dug in on the trenches
We're ankle-deep in dirt
Our beds consist of stinking rags
The ground too cold to hurt

Our sunrise is a firebomb
Our cockerel is a shell
It wakes us with a mighty crash
It sends us straight to Hell

They give us meagre rations
There isn't much to spare
No fruit, no sweets, no juicy meats
Full stomachs, they are rare

The days are filled with bloodshed
The nights are filled with fear
The piercing sounds of filthy war
The gunshots far and near

They've said our boys are ready
They've said our time is right
We'll go over the top today
We'll finish off the fight

They told us not to worry
They told us we'd be fine
They said our duty must be done
To die on the front line.

N.J.T.

"No more wars. No more walls. A united world". 09.11.89

Paris Day Three – The Catacombs and the Musee d’Orsay

Towards the end of the 17th century, the population of Paris began to grow substantially, and as a consequence, the churchyards and cemeteries of the city reached saturation point, creating a huge health hazard, and a difficult question - where do you put the dead of Paris? After some deliberation, it was decided to create three new large-scale suburban cemeteries, leaving the remains within city centre cemeteries to be moved into some abandoned quarries. The result was the Catacombs of Paris, a vast underground network of tunnels in the south of the city. Arriving with a feeling of apprehension about the whole experience (for excitement, read: Tristan) we make for the 150 steps that take you far beneath the Parisian streets, below the sewers and the metro lines, and into another city – the City of the Deceased. For lining these passageways, the accessible part of which stretches for over two kilometres, are literally thousands upon thousands of bones and skulls, neatly arranged and interspersed with plaques detailing which cemetery they come from, and when they were moved. It’s a wholly surreal experience to come face-to-face with the remains of so many people, and it can be very easy to forget that each bone was part of a person at one time. Looking at one skull, I wonder who it belonged to, when they were alive, what they did for a job, where they lived, and who they loved. Death seems quite impersonal here, and it is something of a great leveller, for it shows that whoever you are and whatever you do with life, we are essentially all the same underneath. The experience is certainly unique, being stuck under the French capital in stillness and silence, whilst life bustles on above in frenetic pace, blissfully unaware of the Empire of the Dead down below.

Back on the surface, and time for something with far more life, we head for the Musee d’Orsay, one of the world’s finest art galleries. Housed in a former railway station, the gallery boasts a phenomenal collection of art from Impressionist, post-Impressionist, Art Nouveau, Symbolist and Romanticist artists. Favourites for me are Renoir, who’s “Dancing at the Moulin de la Galette” is simply beautiful, to Monet, and of course Van Gogh. But perhaps the best work of art is the building itself, the stunning station clock being a work of art in its own right. Upstairs, the rooftop is open to visitors, and taking a stroll to overlook the Seine we see in the distance, high atop the hills of Montmartre, the Sacre Coeur, standing brilliant and proud, looking down on the whole city. Back inside, the works of Gustave Courbet, Edgar Degas and Paul Cezanne complete a fabulous afternoon, providing a breath of life and a streak of colour after the morning’s morbid antics.

Paris Day Two – Ile de la Cite to the Avenue des Champs-Elysees

The oldest and most historic part of Paris, Ile de la Cite is the larger of the two islands in the Seine, the smaller being Ile Saint-Louis. Paris was born on this natural island, and it has always been the religious centre of the city since the foundation stone was laid to the cathedral Notre-Dame de Paris (‘Our Lady of Paris’) in 1163. The magnificent cathedral took 170 years to construct, and has since stood proud and majestic, the spiritual and symbolic centre of France. Making for the interior through the “Portal of the Virgin”, we wander for a while, marvelling at the grand organ, and beautiful Rose windows. Back outside, the magnificent stonework is stunning, confirming the cathedral as one of the world’s most stunning buildings. Across Ile de la Cite is the other religious centre, Sainte-Chapelle. Generally considered even more beautiful than Notre-Dame, the church has 15 stained-glass windows rising 50 foot high, creating the illusion that the chapel is built more of glass than of stone. As well as the windows, I particularly like the apostle statues – a series of twelve carvings standing on pillars along the walls.
You could probably stand and gaze at the stained-glass of Sainte-Chapelle all day, but time moves on, and after a quick wander around the Crypte Archeologique, which showcases the Roman foundations of the city, we make for the Avenue des Champs-Elysees. Probably the world’s most famous road, this stylish and glitzy avenue never loses its appeal to me, and the hustle and bustle of the evening crowd adds no-end to the atmosphere. The avenue boasts one of the most expensive strips of real estate in the world, with cinemas, cafes, boutiques and luxury shops nestled under well-cared-for chestnut trees. Even the local football team – Paris Saint Germain – have an outlet here, and the selection of merchandise is quite staggering!

At the top of the Champs-Elysees, standing proud and resilient, is the Arc de Triomphe. Far more than the world’s busiest roundabout, the Arc is France’s monument to those who fought and died for the country. Commissioned after Napoleon’s victory at Austerlitz in 1805, the Arc has become the centre of France’s conscience to war. This is perhaps best displayed by the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the buried remains of a World War I victim, watched over by an eternal flame. It’s a very poignant monument in this respect, and requires a moment to think, to shut off the surrounding bustle and find time for reflection.

Upstairs, there are tremendous views over the whole of Paris. The Arc de Triomphe may not be as high as the Eiffel Tower, but the views are no less spectacular. This is the way to view the Avenue des Champs-Elysees, and watching the traffic from the top of the giant Arc is mesmerising. In the distance we can see as far as Pere Lachaise, the Montmartre and the far off suburbs, as well as all the famous landmarks – Hotel des Invalides, the American Cathedral, and La Grande Arche de la Defense, a large square monument to humanity and humanitarianism. In every direction there are a million illuminations filling the night air in a way I have never seen before. This is why I love Paris. This is why Paris is called “The City of Lights”.