In the event we did not get as far as the David collection. But we explored the wonderful citadel which in map plan looks very like the fortifications made by Vauban at Gravelines (n of Calais) which we visited to 3 weeks ago.
The two ‘castles’ are huge, flamboyant and roughly contemporary. At Gravelines the ramparts are faced with stone and stand at a slightly steeper angle, and here they are grassy banks, now planted with trees and forming a beautiful public park with the military base still intact in the centre. There’s a fine Dutch style with an ornamental top and a beautiful church which is now used a lot for weddings. We saw it being prepared for one with tiny sprigs of white flowers at the ends of the pews, while we sat and admired its huge plain white space. There is a beautiful model ship hanging from the ceiling of the nave – a nave within a nave – something we have seen in other Danish churches.
The two ‘castles’ are huge, flamboyant and roughly contemporary. At Gravelines the ramparts are faced with stone and stand at a slightly steeper angle, and here they are grassy banks, now planted with trees and forming a beautiful public park with the military base still intact in the centre. There’s a fine Dutch style with an ornamental top and a beautiful church which is now used a lot for weddings. We saw it being prepared for one with tiny sprigs of white flowers at the ends of the pews, while we sat and admired its huge plain white space. There is a beautiful model ship hanging from the ceiling of the nave – a nave within a nave – something we have seen in other Danish churches.
Walking down to the harbour we decide to take to take the ferry across the water to Reffen, which is billed as the largest street food market in the Nordic countries. It’s quite hard to know what to choose but we shared a couple of takeaway dishes and had a nice time. We decided not to go to the big weekend art fair as the entry charges were just too high.
We took the jolly waterbus back to the main part of the city and explored a very smart supermarket there on the quay with a remarkable range of extremely expensive things presumably just for the benefit of tourists coming by cruise ship from further along the wharf, and then slowly wandered home.
Having supper with my aunt’s sister was extremely pleasant – it’s strange seeing how two houses, both so different in architectural style, can nonetheless look very similar, with family objects on display and a similar instinct for arrangement.
During the night two colossal thunderstorms seemed to centre over our house. I have never heard such huge cracks of thunder and the lightning was almost continuous for two separate hours at a time. I was extremely grateful to be tucked up warm snug and dry in bed while the storms raged outside.
This morning the sky looks ragged and distressed as if it has not yet vented all its spite.
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