Last week we went on one of our overnight trips to Chichester. It is easy to get there except the traffic is horrendous – all the way through Worthing and round Chichester. Stayed at our usual place, 4 Canon Lane – or George Bell House, as it now is again. Usual shop-fest in the afternoon, went to a light show at the Cathedral in the evening, then ate at Cote. Next day, early morning walk in the Bishop’s Palace Garden, made our usual visit to the Pallant House Gallery and saw the exhibition ‘Seeing Each Other: Portraits of artists by artists’. Home after lunch.
I have writtten about staying in Chichester loads of times before. Here is the BBC piece about George Bell House if anyone is interested. We have experienced just about every bedroom in the house! However, for our last visit, we stayed across the car park in the Treasury Suites, which was principally notable for the huge state-of-the-art telly which didn’t work! Here is the post about it.
This time, we were in Room 3, very large, with a lovely garden view. BUT – I came back all agog to watch ‘Celebrity Traitors’ ( I know, how low can you go). This telly was small, elderly and also, would you believe, DIDN’T WORK. It was stuck on BBC2… Was not a happy woman, and it was too late to call out the people, like we did last time. Chichester Cathedral – this is not good enough! In addition, Philosopher and I are both quite fit for our ages, but there was a huge, very high free-standing style bath on lion paw feet, with the shower over it, in the bathroom Climbing safely in and out of that bath was not easy, and for anyone less mobile than us, it would have been totally impossible. There was no mention of that in the house publicity…
Furthermore, we usually have our breakfast in the Cathedral cafe, in the Cloisters, just by our accommodation. We got a discount as residents. However, we went there all expectant, only to be told it now didn’t open until 10. We had to go out to quite an expensive caff in the town. It sounds as though we were pretty dissatisfied, but we still love it there – the history and location, free parking, being able to walk in the gardens…
Next, the Light Show. I discovered quite by accident that it was the 950th anniversary of the Cathedral, and the light show only ran from 24 to 31 October, so we were lucky to catch it. It was put together by a compnay called Luxmuralis, and was really spectacular – sort of a modern ‘Son et Lumiere.’ Here are some pix. I took as video, but as ever, can’t load it on the PC. Will try direct from my iphone.
IMG_3226 Here it is, I think.
Mind you, although we enjoyed it – and as far as we could tell, as did our fellow visitors – it would have been hopeless for anyone with epileptic tendencies, or autistic folk like like my grand daughter – it was incredibly light-flashy, noisy, woozy-trippy and generally overwhelming. Our ‘walk through’ only lasted about 30 minutes, which was probably enough… It cost £13.00 each, and we estimated they let in at least 100 people every 15 minutes. It was packed, with people queuing all round the cloisters. We estimate the Cathedral must have made a great deal of money out of it – enough to buy new tellies at 4 Canon Lane, maybe?
Next day, we had our usual early walk in the Bishop’s Palace Gardens. I put a couple of photos on Facebook, saying that the Bishop’s Palace is the model for the Medford Bishop’s Palace in ‘Death, Deceit and Cake.’ Caroline, Bee and Faisal stay there with the Bishop, David Forsyth. The archway leading from the Palace, and Canon Lane itself, also feature in the novel.
Then, the Pallant House exhibition, which was good as ever – more educational than inspiring, though. Then our usual walk round their fabulous permanent collection. I have said before, and will say again, that gallery is just wonderful, and the shop is totally to die for. Here are Philosopher and I in the middle of some installation or another – I forget who it was by…
Have read in the media recently that lookiing at pictures in galleries is supposed to be very good for the mental and physical health. Battleaxe doesn’t know, but she enjoys it.
