A Visit to The Burrell Collection

The Neilston Men's Group recently visited The Burrell Collection in Glasgow. The collection of artworks, then valued at about one million pounds, was donated to the City of Glasgow by Sir William Burrell and his wife Constance in 1944.

 

Originally opening to the public in 1983, the collection's 9,000 works of art spanning 6,000 years of history are housed in Glasgow's Pollock Country Park in a purpose-built museum. It's since undergone a full refurbishment and has re-opened in March 2022 in a brand new building. I'd been to the earlier museum so was keen to see what the new one was like. First impressions were good - it's much bigger, there's lots more glass so inside is much brighter and spacious, with lots of places to have a seat and enjoy it. The museum has done a great job of presenting the collection in a clear and accessible way. The galleries are spacious and well-lit, with informative labels and interactive displays.

 

Sadly, parking is no longer free and it'll set you back £5 per car now. That said, the car park was very busy when we got there just after 11 a.m. but it was a sunny day as the park, Glasgow's largest, was busy too and there are plenty of walking trails around that if you want to make a day of it.

 

The collection is a mix of Chinese art, medieval treasures including stained glass, sculptures, arms and armour, over 200 tapestries, and paintings by renowned artists including Rembrandt, Manet, Cezanne, Hals and Degas. There are even bits of furniture, carpets and several, very large carved stone portals.

The Reheasal by Edgar Degas

There are three levels in the building and most of the artwork rooms have plenty of information and some have videos that fill the walls. There's even an animated movie of the painting above (The Rehearsal) that brings the characters to life and pans around the room - it's really well done. Yes, there are lifts if you need one as well as stairs.

Burrell was obviously a bit of a magpie, well, one with a great deal of money, but he also seems to be of a different mould from most of the people that made their money from shipping in that he had a bit of a social conscience and a philanthropic nature as he wanted his prized collection to be viewed and enjoyed by everyone.

The group split up and we wandered around for about an hour before meeting back at the coffee shop for a welcome refreshment. We could easily have spent a few more hours wandering around so I'd be happy to go back sometime.

To offset that parking fee, there are what seemed to be free, regular guided tours on the go. There's also a decent sized restaurant and a coffee shop, as well as the wee coffee shop we used, several picnic areas, an exhibition space and the obligatory souvenir shop.

The web site has a very decent "Plan Your Visit" page where you can get all the information you need before you go - opening times, accessibility, and how to get there. You can also download the floor plan but you can get a printed copy of that from reception as well.

I wish I'd spotted the fact there's a mobile app that has an interactive guide to the museum before we went so, if you are planning on going to the museum, then this might be worth checking out. It's available for Android and iOS and can be downloaded from the Bloomberg Connects web site. The app features free digital guides with expert-curated content to over 200 museums, galleries, sculpture parks, gardens, and cultural spaces from around the world, including a few others in Scotland. 

There are more photos taken in The Burrell Collection here:

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

We went to see Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, the fifth installment in the Indiana Jones film series whuich has had a mixed reviews from critics but I'm glad we ignored any of them as it was very much in the mould of the previous movies and very entertaining.

The film's story centres around the Antikythera mechanism, an ancient Greek artifact that we now know is hand-powered orrery and described as the oldest known example of an analogue computer used to predict astronomical positions and eclipses decades in advance. That said, in the movie, it's also called the Dial of Destiny and attributed to Archimedes, an ancient Greek scientist well-known for running around in the buff while shouting "eureka", and supposedly it can be used to reveal the location of time fissures, wormholes through which one could travel back and forward in time.

The tale begins in 1944, near the end of World War II, and the Nazis are plundering arts and treasures as they retreat and pile it all on a train bound for Germany. In steps Indiana (Harrison Ford or at least his CGI-enhanced younger self) as he's heard they have the Spear of Destiny, the weapon with which the Roman centurion Longinus pierced the side of Christ on the cross. Here is also where we first meet this movie's Nazi villain, Dr. Voller (Mads Mikkelson). He and his thugs are also after the Spear.

Without wishing to reveal any spoilers, they also discover the Dial of Destiny on the train and as both Indy and Voller struggle to possess it, it's lost in the scuffle. Then we jump forward 25 years and, as Indy is set to retire, fate steps in as again Voller and his henchmen show up looking for the Dial and so does Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge), his old collegue Basil Shaw's (Toby Jones) daughter.

So, we have the hero, the villain and the femme fatale in place and things just go action mad from there on as the two, sometimes three groups vie for possesion of the mystical device.

John Rhys-Davies is back as Sallah as is Karen Allen as Marion Ravenwood and, with Denholm Elliot sadly gone, we have a very good replacement geek sidekick in the form of Toby Jones and even Antonio Banderas pops up as a Greek sponge diver.

All I can say is we both enjoyed it. It's a standard Indiana Jones romp and yes, it has some flaws and unlikelihoods but they all do. Yes, pedants, we don't know if Archimedes invented the Antikythera mechanism and maybe you could fly without a passport back then but it's all enjoyable hokum so just sit back and eat the popcorn.

Thoroughly entertaining 9/10 😀

The Satsuma Complex by Bob Mortimer

The Satsuma Complex is the debut fiction novel by Bob Mortimer, the comedian and presenter best known for his work with Vic Reeves and fishing adventures with Paul Whitehouse.

It’s a darkly comic crime thriller that follows the misadventures of Gary Thorn, a shy and unremarkable legal assistant working in Peckham, who becomes embroiled in a web of intrigue and danger after meeting a mysterious woman in a bar. It’s also a wee bit semi-autobiographical as Bob used to be a solicitor working in Peckham.

The story is full of Mortimer's trademark absurdist humour, from the opening scene, in which Gary has a conversation with a squirrel, to meeting his mate Brendan, a private investigator with a penchant for novelty socks, who subsequently turns up dead but not before giving Gary a phone number and a pendrive that looks like a corn cob. However, The Satsuma Complex is more than just a comedy; it is also a suspenseful and well-crafted crime novel. Mortimer does a skillful job of building tension and suspense, and the story is full of memorable characters, both good and bad.

One of the things that makes the story so enjoyable is Mortimer's ability to create a sense of place. The book is set in Peckham, South London, and Mortimer brings the area to life with his vivid descriptions of the streets, shops, housing estates and pubs. The reader can almost feel the heat and humidity of a summer's day in Peckham, and they can smell the fried chicken and curry from the local restaurants.

The Reeves and Mortimer style of comedy was never something I enjoyed that much…far too manic for me but Bob minus Jim Moir, as in his autobiography And Away… or in Mortimer and Whitehouse is a more serene experience even if we still get Boiler-Suit Man and Mr. Clown Shoes woven into the tale.

Overall, I found The Satsuma Complex a perfect choice for fans of Mortimer's comedy, as well as anyone who enjoys a good mystery. If you're looking for a funny, suspenseful, and well-written crime novel, then I highly recommend it. It's a great debut novel from a talented author. 8/10 😀

Walking on Gailes Beach in Irvine

Gailes Beach in Irvine is a place we regularly go for a walk or just to chill out. It's only 30 minutes drive away from Neilston so is much closer than Fuerteventura or Crete. Okay, those may have much nicer beaches and are generally warmer than Irvine but they're not just down the road.

Gailes Beach

Gailes Beach is roughly five miles long and runs from Irvine to Barassie. It's very flat and sandy, backed by a long series of sand dunes, and is kept pretty clean and tidy. It's easily reachable by car and there are regular bus and train services from Glasgow so it can get quite busy in the Summer. That said, walk a few miles along the beach and it's much quieter, with only the odd stalwart dog walkers and horsey types. We tend to do just that as there are some well-sized blocks you can sit on about half-way along, ideal to take a break at and enjoy the scenery.

A Snow-covered Isle of Arran

There are some splendid views to had from the beach. You can see Barassie and Troon to the South, Ailsa Craig and the Isle of Arran lie just offhsore. You can also watch the small fishing boats and larger ferries that ply the Firth of Clyde as well as a fair range of birds that use the beach and sea as a source of food. If you stay long enough, then there are some stunning sunsets to be seen as well.

Ailsa Craig at Sundown

There's often an ice-cream van near the coast guard-come public toilet building, some very nice coffee shops and cafés on the edge of the harbour if you need some refreshments and, if you're looking for a meal or a drink, then there's The Ship, which does some very decent bar meals.

There are more photos taken on Gailes Beach and Irvine Harbour here:

A Death in the Parish by the Reverend Richard Coles

A Death in the Parish is another Canon Clement mystery and the follow up to Murder Before Evensong.

Set some months after the first novel, things in Champton St. Mary are just beginning to return to a semblance of normality when the bishop decides to merge the parish with those of neighbouring Upper and Lower Badsaddle.

The merger brings with it a new associate vicar, who is a very different type of clergyman than Daniel, his wife and two teenage twin children. Chris Biddle is evangelical and charismatic, and he quickly clashes with Daniel's more traditional style of ministry.

Added into the mix are Miss March, the proprietor of the local dress shop; Miss Hawkins, an aging parishioner who's dying and wants Daniel and his mother Audrey to be executors of her will, and the Tailbys, a local couple known for preying on the old and less-capable. Daniel's mother Audrey is also struggling to come to terms with their poor financial status and Daniel's incapacity to understand such menial details.

This is a fair improvement on the previous novel. Yes, it's still a bit slow and plodding and again we're about 30% in before the main crime is committed but the author fills the void with lots of details about the village, his parishioners, their overlords the De Fleurs and the machinations and rituals of "The Church" until another murder rocks the village and Daniel again finds himself once again investigating it.

A Death in the Parish is a charming and insightful portrait of life in a small English village. Coles captures the sense of community and belonging that's so important to village life, and he also explores the challenges that such communities face when change comes.

Overall, A Death in the Parish is a well-written and enjoyable cosy mystery novel and well worth reading. It's a must-read if you've already read the first one of the series. 9/10 😀

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

After waiting for weeks to go and see this, the weather finally let up and it felt cool enough to go sit in a dark cinema and enjoy it.

 

Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) and rest of the team from the previous movies are back again, with a reborn Gamora (Zoe Saldana), along with her sister Nebula (Karen Gillan), Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista), Mantis (Pom Klementieff) and Groot (Vin Diesel) on a rebuilt Knowhere. With Yondu (Michael Rooker) no longer with us, Kraglin (Sean Gunn) takes over his Ravager crew and has inherited his whistle-controlled weapon and Cosmo the Spacedog (Maria Bakalova), who has psionic powers, gets a much larger role. However, this movie is all about Rocket (Bradley Cooper).

Just as the team are settling into the new Knowhere, they're attacked by a super-powered being (Will Poulter) who tries to kidnap Rocket. The team manage to fight him off but Rocket is left seriously injured and he can't be healed normally due to having a killswitch embedded in him and so the tale is all about finding the killswitch override in the place that Rocket was made - Orgocorp. Of course, that's also home to this movie's baddlie, The High Evolutionary (Chuckwudi Iwuji).

During all this, we get Rocket's origin story. How he was modified and enhanced by Orgocorp, and how The High Evolutionary was enraged that Rocket might actually be smarter than he is, so much so, that he wants his brain removed for more experimentation.

So, as before, we get a stonking sound track of mostly retro music tracks and loads of humour woven through the storyline. Peter is pining for the Gamora he lost, Gamora has no memory of Peter, Nebula is still trying to run things, Mantis still has her empathic control thing, Drax is still an idiot and Groot is still "I am Groot!" and it all works brilliantly.

Altogether one of Marvel's better movies and, even though some people are saying it's the end of Guardians of the Galaxy, the closing line does say "Star-Lord will return!"

9/10 😀

 

A Visit to the Glasgow Museums Resource Centre

The Neilston Men's Group visited the Glasgow Museums Resource Centre (GMRC) in Nitshill today. The GMRC is basically the storehouse for the city museums' collections, when they're not on display at any of the venues, and is home to an impressive collection of around 1.4 million objects, from animals to armour, fine art to fossils, and much more. With only 2% of the collections on display in museums at any one time, you begin to realize just how many objects are stored here - it's huge!

 

A Coal Merchant's Lorry

 

The Resource Centre is made up of 17 environmentally controlled storage "pods", each with a different theme and collection, and visitors can explore these pods through a wide range of tours, talks and activities.

 

We opted for a one hour taster tour, which meant we only had time to visit two of the pods.

Grant, our guide, took us through the warren of corridors to the transportation pod, which contained everything from penny farthing cycles to more modern sports cars, prams to steam engines, motor bikes to lorries and so on. All in all, a varied mix of vehicles, which reminded me a bit of the exhibits in the Riverside Museum so it's likely these were part of that place's stock to draw on.

Suits of Armour

The second pod we visited, via a huge goods elevator, was full of arms and armour and Grant proved very knowledgeable about almost everything in there. It was a vast repository of historical arms (guns, rifles, pistols, swords, daggers, maces, etc.) and many suits of armour.

 

The only downside to having so many objects is that there are no fancy wee descriptive plaques or notes on any of them. Some have handwritten tags attached, mostly there are just reference numbers. You really do need a guide to tell you about what you're looking at.

I imagine we'll try and get back to visit some more the pods but, until then, there's a good virtual tour online of you want to see what's on offer:

 

Just to finish with a bit of humour, here's a sign displayed on the wall of one of the many corridors:

Gonnae No Dae That!