On The Trail Of Shaun The Sheep

Sometimes you are simply in the right place at the right time. Case in point our recent trip to Cardiff, Wales. I had planned the vacation back in February, picking dates that worked around Glenn's office schedule. We didn't know what the weather would be and we weren't really sure what we wanted to see during our stay. It doesn't really matter because figuring things out as we go along is part of the adventure. And this time, we scored big when it came to finding the perfect activity.

Sidney is a huge fan of the Wallace and Gromit series of Shaun the Sheep. In fact, Glenn and I are too. For those who don't know, Shaun the Sheep is a British claymation character who along with his fellow sheep, live a jolly life on a British farm. Shaun appears in a series of short films, and he even has a full length feature movie that is playing in cinemas. Each film lacks words allowing the character's actions to portray what is happening. Sidney will laugh hysterically at the skits and I love it for its wholesome entertainment. And actually, we laugh too. We were a few weeks out from departing on vacation when I came across the mention of a Shaun the Sheep walking trail in England. I investigated and hit the motherlode when I discovered that this was taking place in Bristol, a mere 45 minute drive from where we were staying in Cardiff. I immediately knew this would be a much anticipated stop on our trip and it didn't disappoint.

The Shaun in the City trail is a fundraiser for the British non-profit Children in Hospitals which provides funding for the country's children's hospitals. Through this fundraiser artists design and paint a Shaun the Sheep which is then adopted by various businesses and organizations and put on display first in London and then in Bristol, the home of Wallace and Gromit. Once the trails have ended, the Shaun statues will be auctioned off to the highest bidders. The idea isn't necessarily unique as it has been done with various figures in cities across the globe, but for Shaun fans, it is a whole lot of fun.

So on a rare sunny day we found ourselves in the port city of Bristol hunting down Shaun statues. With the assistance of an app we followed not one or two but three separate trails looking for Shaun. Our first trail took us along the city's colorful waterfront where Shauns were hidden amongst the boats, piers and parks. Each sheep was a different color and carried a different theme. They were all beautiful and it impossible to pick a favorite. The beautiful Bristol Cathedral had both a Shaun outside but a smaller version inside. As we wandered through the church I noticed tiny wooly stuffed sheep peeking out from various nooks and crannies. This became a second sheep hunt as we tried to find all of the ones hidden in this solemn place. Next we went deeper in to the city through historic neighborhoods filled with brick houses, churches and green parks. Our final trail took us through a more modern shopping district where Shaun was hiding in shopping malls and pedestrian districts. As we went along we ticked off our find on our app, snapped a picture with each sheep and took in our surroundings. And we weren't the only ones hunting Shaun; at each statue a small cluster of like minded people were doing the same thing.

Bristol is not a city we would have visited if it wasn't for Shaun the Sheep. A college and industrial town, it is simultaneously gritty and bohemian, modern and up and coming. Over the course of the day we walked 20 kilometers and saw things we never would have other wise. It was fun and a great way to get in some exercise while discovering the city's hidden treasures. Excluding the miniature sheep at the Cathedral, we shopped 31 sheep over the course of the day. And it all benefitted a great cause. (Which we contributed to by visiting the gift shop across from our final sheep at the local children's hospital). So if your in the area in the next few weeks, stop by to find a sheep or two. And even if you miss it, take a swing through Bristol if you get a chance. Its a fun place to spend the day.

Colorful Bristol

If you go:

Various locations throughout the city
Bristol, UK
shauninthecity.org.uk
Free
Now through 31 August 2015

Bring On The Sun(flowers)

What happens when you fill a historic city square with 8,000 live sunflowers? When it is located in a European Capitol of Culture and has been designed as part of an art trail, it is called Sun City. Yes, that is right; for the next week the Grand Place here in Mons is filled with a maze of 8,000 sunflowers or tournesols, as they are called in French. This is just another one of the many free events that are taking place as part of the Mons 2015 celebration. Sun City is the latest cultural event that is celebrating the regions arts scene this year. And like so many of the previous events, this one pays homage to Vincent Van Gogh, one of the more famous residents of Mons. We had already visited an earlier Van Gogh exhibit at the modern art museum so now it was time to wander through a recreation of the sunflower fields that he made so famous.

This field of sunflowers is laid out in an intricate maze allowing visitor to wander through the towering twists and turns right in the center of the city. Before visitors enter the maze they pick up a free pair of headphones which provides a soothing soundtrack for their visit. The next stop is a climb to the top of the Grand Place or in this case, a multi-storied set of risers where visitor can take in a panoramic view of the Grand Place and the sunflower maze below. This was the first time I had viewed the city from this perspective and it was quite impressive. Next we made our way back down the stairs and entered the maze. Along the way we were greeted with row upon row of towering sunflowers in various states of bloom. There were also a few larger than life topiaries tucked into hidden nooks within the maze. Of course this included a giant Vincent Van Gogh head as well as an oversized chair, a giant boot (that looked a lot like the famous LL Bean boot in Freeport, Maine) and a ship. All in all, it was a pretty cool experience.

But pictures always say it better than words so here are a few to give you an idea of what Sun City is really like:

Looking down and across the maze

Hotel de Ville

Up close

Van Gogh; oversized images of his head  made
of various mediums have been
everywhere this year

Peeking through the sunflowers

An ariel view of the Mons Grand Place at night. Photo courtesy of We Love Mons 2015

If you go:

Sun City
Grand Place Mons
Open from 17 to 25 July, from 12.00-20.00 (extended hours on weekends)
Free admission

Wordless Wednesday: Biografias

This week's Wordless Wednesday photograph is actually overflowing with words:

close up of the books

Mons 2015: This Year's European Capital of Culture

In yesterday's blog post I shared pictures from this past weekend's opening event for Mons 2015. Today I'm going to explain what Mons 2015 is and some of the things I have to look forward to in the coming year. (Again I keep telling myself that it is just so cool that I have all of these great events taking place literally blocks from my house!).

So what is a European Capital of Culture? Simply put, it is a cultural initiative within the European Union that annually showcases the cultural heritage of selected cities.

Since 1985, the EU Council of Ministers has been selecting between one and five European cities to carry the title for a one year time period. The first city to carry this designation was Athens, Greece and since then cities large and small, capitals and provincial outposts throughout Europe have worn this designation with pride. This designation has been used as a tool for urban renewal, job creation and economic growth as well as an opportunity to highlight the sometimes neglected artistic and cultural aspects of a community. In a 2004 study the European Commission found that being selected as a European Capital of Culture has created longterm transformation for chosen cities. Simply put, this designation is a big deal. And that brings us back to Mons.

Yes, Mons. This little city is the southwestern part of Belgium, often overlooked and neglected is a 2015 European Capital of Culture. (Mons shares this year's title with Plzen, Czech Repubic). I had known about this designation when we first moved here a year ago. At the time people were referencing it but the details were vague. We heard that the year would be filled with activities but that was all we really knew. A new train station was being built in anticipation of all of the visitors who would be descending. We've been watching the construction's progress, or lack there of, over the past year and wondered if the station would really be completed in time. (It turns out our doubts were founded with the projected completion date now being the "end of 2015"). A large wooden piece of public art by Belgian artist Arne Quinze went up...and then came down. As residents of the city center a month ago we received a notification informing us of street closures, residential parking bans and driving restrictions within the city. I began to wonder if this designation was going to be more of an inconvenience for us than anything else.

But then, Mons 2015 officially opened. As the weekend approached the streets looked cleaner and more litter free than usual. Barriers and no parking signs were placed on corners and intersections. Roads began to be closed. In anticipation of the parking and driving ban we made plans to hunker down for the weekend and enjoy the festivities by foot. (Again, this is the great thing about living right in the center of the city). The theme for the opening festivities was "Illumination". As in lights. And sure enough, after a snowy then rainy morning the weather cleared up and illuminated art displays filled the city's squares, parks and open spaces. I'll admit the silver foil ponchos that were handed out to make the audience a part of a "living mirror ball" were a bit weird and perhaps I didn't see enough of them to truly appreciate their intended effect. But the larger than life, multi-colored sculptures that filled the Belfry park were spectacular. (We can see the belfry from our house and have been watching its changing color displays for weeks but it was great to finally be able to see it up close). Then there was the fantastic fireworks display that we could actually view from the second story of our house. But our favorite exhibit of all was the one involving fire. Located in Place du Parc, impressive displays involving fire and water filled the streets and green spaces. There were the giant flame filled balls that were suspended from a crane, candle lit arches over all of the park's walkways, giant fire pits that served as both warming stops and art and artists playing with fire and flames. A band performed under and flame filled stage. It really was a spectacular sight to behold.

I'm not sure what I expected to see but I must say I was impressed by all of the evening's events. Sure the crowds (not as bad as I had anticipated) and blocked streets were an inconvenience but it was all worth it. I've always loved the way Europe embraces public art, both the traditional and envelope pushing displays, and the Illumination event highlighted the best of public art. I'm now excited to see what the rest of this year of culture holds in store. And apparently others feel the same way. CNN's travel section named Mons as one of the top ten destinations to visit in 2015 and Britain's The Guardian has been covering this year's activities in Mons. If the media hype is to believed, the crowds are going to come. Am I ready? Yes. I can't wait. It really is a great time to be here in Belgium.

Wordless Wednesday: Beetle

Mermaids On Parade

Mermaid on the rise

Norfolk, Virginia is a city of juxtapositions. Her grand old homes situated along crepe myrtle lined streets are reminiscent of the genteel old south while neighborhoods filled with scruffy tract housing are a reminder of her less than polished post World War II days when the Navy was the strongest, but least welcomed, influence in town. Newly built condo high rises and pre-fab cookie cutter houses are like the fourth face lift to a city that is past its prime but refuses to give up. Norfolk is home to the largest naval base in the world as well as PETA headquarters yet has the Pat Robinson religious empire in its Virginia Beach backyard. Religion is worn on one's sleeve and politics here are conservative. Being a local is valued while being an outsider is viewed with suspicion. Being a graduate of their failing public schools and attending a local university carries more weight than an Ivy League education. No government decision is made without an extensive series of debates with costs, morals with hints of race relations being a part of every equation. There is a desire to become a world class city but the a fore mentioned traits seem to really be holding the place back. Its a place that wants to be really nice but doesn't want to pay for it. This critique may seem harsh but I feel as though I can say it with some authority; as someone who definitely wasn't a local, I spent several years living in Norfolk and working for the city and after being away for awhile, my recent return visit reconfirmed all of these thoughts for me.

So given this backdrop, it has always amazed me that Norfolk embarked upon a forward thinking  branding and marketing campaign that revolved around public art. Mind you, this is the same community where city council members would unilaterally declare some pieces of work as art and others not worthy of the designation simply because they didn't like it or didn't get it. And this is the same city where a painting in a private gallery window had to be removed after a public outcry because a female breast was shown partially bare. (Opponents claimed that such an image would traumatize our children, cause them to ask questions and cause impure thoughts all around--I kid you not). Given all of this the fact that the city embarked upon a branding campaign where mermaids (yes, partially clothed creatures that are half fish and half woman) became the city symbol is particularly noteworthy. But I think it is probably one of the best things the city ever did and I absolutely love it.

The mermaid campaign first appeared fifteen years ago as the city struggled to revitalize itself yet again. Local civic leaders, influenced by Chicago's popular Cows on Parade, suggested that such an effort could help sell Norfolk to tourists, residents and businesses alike. The mermaids paid tribute to Norfolk's long relationship with the sea. One hundred and thirty mermaid forms were cast and artists were commissioned to create these life sized statues which were placed in various locations around the city. Business and community groups were able to "adopt" a mermaid whose design reflected their particular interests. Although the sizes and shapes were uniform their decorations were anything but. From American flags to glitzy gold sequins, from the realistic to the abstract and everything in between, the designs were varied. I personally loved the black and white cow one that for awhile found a home at the end of our street.

The Pagoda's mermaid

Even today, fifteen years after they first landed, the mermaids still reign supreme; their likeness is woven into the terminal walkways at the airport, plastered on flags and banners at all of the main intersections and discretely graces all of the neighborhood signs. And the mermaids themselves, they are everywhere. During my recent visit I spent quite a bit of time walking through some of the city's neighborhoods and spotting the mermaids. I found them in neighborhood parks and private yards, gracing the entrances to businesses and government buildings and traffic islands. These works of art are found in areas of the city-- affluent and lower income residential neighborhoods alike, in front of government buildings and commercial centers. This graceful symbol of the sea seems to be the single thing that unites this city of contrasts and I think that is pretty darn cool. And the funny thing is that I thought I knew the locations of so many of the mermaids. I do but then I would take another look and see one that was completely new to me. Because they really are everywhere.

So if you ever find yourself in Norfolk, be on the lookout for the mermaids. They are everywhere and are perhaps the best thing that happened to this city in a long time.

The education mermaid at TCC

Mermaid in a neighborhood park

Mermaid at the federal court house

Taking In A Statue (Or Two) In Skopje

A city being rebuilt: the
bronze dome of the new
 municipal water
building

Skopje, Macedonia, a.k.a. FYROM, was the final stop on our Balkan road trip. We pulled into Skopje on day 13 of our journey hot and a bit travel weary but excited about what we would find.  Friends who had lived or spent time in Skopje had told us that it was a wonderful city that was undergoing a grand renewal so we were ready to see this for ourselves.  After all, each of the other Balkan capitols we had visited had pleasantly surprised us so we expected more of the same here.

I had been told that Skopje was a city full of statues but until I saw it for myself, I didn't fully comprehend what this actually meant.  Seeing as Skopje is a city in a former Communist country, I fully expected to see my share of statues portraying stern looking men armed with weapons.  After all, these nationalistic statues had graced every city and town and many of the roadsides we had traveled through over the past two weeks so it would make sense that Skopje would have more of the same.  But what I saw in Skopje was different.  Very different.  Sure they still had their share of Cold War era monuments but new modern looking statues, monuments, and fountains were being built throughout the city at a scale unlike anything I had ever seen before.  Additionally, new municipal buildings, museums, theaters, and hotels were being constructed along the renovated riverfront.  Yes, we found Skopje to be a city under construction and it was all very exciting.

The Stone Bridge at night; a renovated original

Skopje is a city of contrasts. We wandered through the cobblestone streets of the old Turkish bazaar filled with its non-descript cafes, stores selling everything from gowns and precious metals to housewares and tourist trinkets, and abandoned buildings.  We climbed up to the Skopje Kale, or fortress, which dates back to the Ottoman Empire.  The grounds and fortress itself were in turn rebuilt, over grown, and somewhere in between.  In true Balkan form, resident dogs held court over the paths making me look twice before turning each corner.  The original walls had been refortified and from the top we took in the sweeping view of the city below us and the Millennium Cross perched atop the looking Vondo Mountain.  But the most interesting part of our experience in the city was the statues and monuments that appeared on so many street corners and public squares.  Upon returning home I did a little researched and discovered what this public art building craze was all about.

One of 15 equestrian statues

Under the moniker of Skopje 2014:  The New Face of Macedonia, Skopje aims to revamp its image by constructing twenty new public buildings, 15 equestrian statues, and a memorial dedicated to fallen heroes.  The center piece of the project is a grand, 22 meter high bronze statue of Alexander the Great that sits in the city's main square. (A corresponding one of his father Philip of Macedon sits on an opposing square).  During our visit on a very hot August night hundreds of people were in the square taking in the sights.  Children and adults, couples, singles, and teens alike splashed in the fountain as they took in the multi-colored water and light show that accompanied the classical music that was pumped into the square. The whole experience was simultaneously impressive, surreal, and over the top.  It was unlike anything I have ever seen before.  (Many of the other fountains also had light shows with both the lights and the music lasting well into the early morning hours).









Because words can't adequately describe the experience here are a few pictures to give you a better idea of what I am talking about:

Alexander the Great in all his greatness

Close up of the water display

Another magical display- all part of the Alexander the
Great monument

And there were other statues and monuments as well:

Saints

and heroes

This fountain (below) located immediately outside of our hotel was perhaps the sweetest of them all.  As series of mother figures flanked its perimeter.  Each mother held a child at a different stage of their childhood.  It was touching and unlike any of the other statues we saw.  And Sidney, of course, was more interested in the water than the touching significance of the figures.

I called this the mother-child fountain; all of the figures
portray mothers with children

Celebrating music

and theater

And then there were the public buildings.  A new municipal water building was being constructed with a shiny bronze dome.  (Who does this these days?).  It would only make sense that a new national theater, which itself celebrates arts and culture, located in a city celebrating public art on such a grand scale, would have its own statues.  Although much smaller in scale than the grand ones flanking the main square, the statues surrounding the still under construction national theater were the first ones we noticed as we made our way to the hotel.  In true new Skopje fashion, the theater building has statues flanking its entry ways and its grand veranda overlooking the river.  These were whimsical and a welcome change from the warriors perched on horseback.

Naturally, any project of this scale is going to have its critics.  People are unhappy with everything from the concept and costs to the architectural designs.  The contracting of public projects is big business all over the globe and as is often the case, accusations of a lack of transparency abound.  One year into the project officials are reporting that to date,  208 million Euro has been spent while critics place the number at a figure closer to between 500 million to one billion Euro.  (Either way, during these fragile economic times, that is a lot of money to spend).  Some claim such a project detracts from the larger issues that are pressing to many Macedonians.  High unemployment rates, potential NATO membership, and the ongoing name controversy that is hindering the country's entry into the European Union are issues that many feel need to be addressed before erecting new monuments.

Being neither Macedonian nor living there I have a different perspective.  As a tourist I was entranced by the spectacle that is the "new" Skopje.  We found the city to be a pleasant place to visit and one we would readily return to.  If the city's goal is to attract foreign tourism and we are any indication, they seem to be succeeding on this front.  As an urban planner I was pleased to see a level of thought and development that I have found lacking in most of the other Balkan countries and cities I have visited.   Having sat on both sides of the public project table I can only imagine the talking, planning, and negotiations that have gone into the implementation of this project to date and the amount of work that has yet to be done.  But having been involved in the implementation of large scale public projects, I am well aware of how much these endeavors cost.  During our short visit I repeatedly found myself wondering how the project was being funded.  Tax dollars?  Private investment?  A combination of both?  During lean economic times I wonder whether this is truly the best use of public dollars.  I do hope that the work is completed before the money and public will dry up.  Too often projects that begin as a good idea never reach fruition leaving a community no better off than they were before they began.  This I have seen throughout the Balkans.  For Skopje, only time will tell.  Regardless of it all, Skopje was a grand way to conclude our Balkan adventure.