Swans. Sagrada Familia. ICE. And a bit of Michael Rosen.

This morning we walked into the centre of Chesham, where they have a very superior Saturday market. When we took the small people up the hill to the park we saw swans on the lake. They are clearly last year’s goslings now grown up as they still had greyish-brown feathers on their wings. But still elegant!

I hear that they have put the final central tower on the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. Everyone is very pleased. I’ve always liked that church. Jordi Faulí, the chief architect for the project, said: “It’s been a joyful day, wonderful for all the people who have made it possible.” A ceremony to mark the completion of the tower – the tallest of 18 conceived by Gaudí – is due to take place on the centenary of Gaudí’s death in 1926 on 10 June, 16 years after the church was consecrated by Pope Benedict XVI.

I thought at first that this meant the church was finally finished but, no, they still have to do the south façade. This is the Glory façade, which is expected to take a further 10 years to complete. Is this the longest-lasting construction project ever.

Some people say it should have been blown up during the Civil War but it’s still there, a huge tourist attraction. The anarchists did, however, destroy Gaudí’s drawings and the plaster model, which years later was painstakingly reconstructed. Experts say that Gaudí’s geometry is so precise that should there be any deviation from his plan, the building would collapse.

Over in the USA ICE continues its nasty business. Even tourists are t risk. Just in case you think it couldn’t happen to you, here’s a link to an article about the experience of an Englishwoman in the USA. 

And for the first time in a long time here is one of Michael Rosen’s posts as his alter ego, Boris:

 

Dear Mogg

As King Lear says, 'The world is too much with us, Horatio, and I have miles to go before I sleep.' Let us not put pen to paper on all our thoughts about events of which we shall not speak. We can only hope 'twill always be a green and peasant land.

Septic gortex

Boris

Life goes on. Stay self and well, everyone!