All in all, a rather amusing year I thought. In 2015 there were a lot of jaunts to the continent, but 2016 — in true Brexit fashion — was the year of the domestic excursion (or ‘staycation’ if you’re a modern person). I also, through great cunning, managed to get to the theatre fairly often and even a jaunt or two to the opera.
Here are a few photos from the twelve months just past us, in no particular order.
Exmouth Market, London — I’m sure I’d said something witty.
South Kensington — James larking about in the pub, to Alexandra’s profound embarassment.
Whitefriar Street, Dublin — St Valentine’s shrine doing a brisk trade on a Sunday afternoon in March.
Oxford — En route to supper I found the Radcliffe Camera all aglow.
Stoke Newington — Luckily my champagne socialist friends do sometimes condescend to ale or lager.
Warkworth, Northumberland — The Major inspects a fireplace.
Brompton Oratory — Dr J.P.M. adoring Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament.
Palace of Westminster — The Italian Ambassador and I welcome the Minister for Constitutional Affairs on her ministerial visit to London.
Ansty, Dorset — The churchyard at St John’s.
Deir Seydet el Nourieh, Lebanon — This monastery has superb views out onto the Mediterranean, and north towards Tripoli.
Toller Fratrum, Dorset — Attended the first Mass offered in the Church of St Basil for nearly 500 years and found myself beside this Saxon baptismal font.
The Little Oratory, London — The christening of little Cuthbert.
Wimborne, Dorset — We sent this to J.R. with the caption ‘#minsterenvy’.
Haggerston — We went for a pint but ended up joining a protest march (or observing it at least).
Near Llangurig, Wales — Deprived of internet, electricity, and running water for a week the ladyfolk reverted to traditional gender stereotypes.
Norfolk — A perfect end to a busy weekend before the long drive back to London.
Gemmayze, Beirut — Visiting Sandra Fayad’s splendid photographic exhibition ‘Pile ou face’.
Dorset — Manning the drinks stall at the Horse Show.
Port Meadow, Oxford — En route to a pint, naturally.
Harissa, Lebanon — Piety, Arabic style.
Wakehurst, Sussex — Summer and ice cream.
Chabrouh, Lebanon — You can’t escape her, you know!
Boodle’s, St James’s — We happen to share the same hometown.
Waterloo, London — Post-pint cigarette in Roupell Street.
Little Walsingham, Norfolk — My vision of Heaven.
Eton, Berkshire — A misty morning after a boozy supper to mark the great feast of St Eusebius.
Great photos. My favourite I think is the one of Dr.P.J.M. praying in the Brompton Oratory. Stunning! I also love that Saxon font.
Wonerful photographs, i loved the one of White Hall and the one at Llanguri was very amusing!