Friday 3 February 2012

Didn't we have a lovely day the day we went to...Margate

Last week I had a surprise invitation to go to Margate. I have never been to Margate but my friend was keen to go see the Turner and the Elements exhibition at the Turner Contemporary. Never one to miss a day out, I jumped out of bed, abandoned the planned work and off we went. The building is on the site of the place where JMW stayed so we battled the elements and took in the view, his view.

Turner Contemporary is a dynamic visual arts organisation that believes in making art open, relevant and fulfilling for all.

Inspired by JMW Turner’s sense of enquiry, we offer a space for everyone to embrace their curiosity and to discover different ways of seeing, thinking and learning.



It's a great building in a brilliant spot right by the sea. We had a delicious lunch in their delightful cafe, a glass of red to restore our windswept senses and immersed ourselves in the art.


The Turner Contemporary from the front all lit up at night........

and here is a glimpse of Rodin's The Kiss through the rear window.....

Afterwards, we went to the old town where, in a scene straight from Little Britain, we rang the bell and were allowed into the local museum of Margate at 4.15pm.
"We close at 4." said a kindly woman.
"But it says 5 outside." we queried.
"That's summer time," she said, "we don't bother to change the sign though....."

A tall man sucked the arm of his spectacles, worn loosely on a string around his neck, pulled a thick file from a room thick with files, and told me all about my famous ancestor who ran the circus that once resided in Margate and changed the town's fortunes forever. Then we had tea and cake and the tea shop in the square and I wrote this poem:

Google

Oh what would we do without Google?
No um
No ah
Just click
The tool bar
And all is known:
The name of
The guy
In that movie we love
Who married that woman
Who used to date
The guy in that show
Which one?
You know.
The quickest way

The shortest day

The highest mountain
How to find the Trevi Fountain
What’s on where
Who starred in
Where Eagles Dare?
No question unanswered
A result
It’s resolved
So when the menopause kicks in
And life becomes a forgotten blur
Of what’s it
Thingy
And you know the one
No need now
To feel quite such a tit

All you do

Is Google it……

Top tip: a trip to the seaside on a winter's day is an excellent way to blow away the cobwebs.

17 comments:

  1. I LOVE your poem. I also love Google.

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  2. Google has taught me more than I ever learned at school! I'd love a trip to the seaside. x

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  3. It's a delightful poem!

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  4. Beautiful. I enjoy going where you go. Thank you for taking me there.


    Just yesterday I thought how nice it would be to run off to the beach. You have definitely encouraged this.


    And last but certainly not least, I feel like a peeping tom when looking at your Rodin's The Kiss. As if I am seeing a beautiful secret. Nice.

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  5. What a brilliant, spontanious trip....there's nothing better than the coast in winter coupled with a bit of art !!.....and with food and drink included, the perfect day, I think !!
    Love, love, love your poem.....sum's up everything that I search for in Google....what did we do without it ? Pull out our hair in frustration I guess. Brilliant photograph of 'The Kiss' too.
    .....and, many thanks for your kind birthday wishes....you're a lovely blogging friend. XXXX

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  6. I had a lovely day in Margate not so long ago - I loved the gallery. And of course the sun was shining and we ate fish and chips sitting on the sea wall. Smashing - which also seems to be the proper word for this post.

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  7. Super poem ! I bet you had a giggle. That is just like a sketch from little Britain / Monty Python or the two Ronnies! I'm always making them up after conversations at the charity shop - once about selling sleeves after I pulled out two cut out sleeves from a long sleeved T shirt in a bag of donations-
    "Do you sell sleeves in here ?" "Oh, yes Madam we do sell sleeves"
    Is that you in your profile picture ? Each time I see it, I think it's Jane Fonda !!!

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  8. Love Turner, never been to Margate, and now wish I had. Sounds just a little bit weird, but fun.

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  9. I can't wait to go to the Turner gallery in Margate. I love a dilapidated seaside town, but then I am from Blackpool!

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  10. You'd never been to Margate... you lucky lucky person.

    Now I've not been for a while - I used to work just down the road from there and it was an "after work" spot for a long time - we used to go bowling and er... bowling... not a lot to do in Margate. Oh I did go to a Gordon Giltrap workshop there once that was great fun.

    Honestly - not been the gallery, locals all thought it a total waste of time, money and effort - however the visitor numbers have been very good so it was a good investment after all.

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  11. Greetings. Thanks for your nice comments at my blog. Much appreciated. So where are you now? England I take it? I would change places with you anytime....

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  12. "The name of
    The guy
    In that movie we love
    Who married that woman
    Who used to date
    The guy in that show"

    Brava and so, so true.

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  13. What a delightful post!
    Ah Turner inspires ALL my sky photos.

    What a delightful blog you have, and so kind of you to come find mine so I might visit.

    Do come to my beach anytime you like!

    Aloha from Waikiki
    Comfort Spiral

    > < } } ( ° >

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  14. We used to go on holiday to Margate when I was very little. Now it seems to be classified officially as one of those poor places which they hope can be rescued with a big art gallery (Salford Quays, Walsall etc.)

    But winter is definitely the best season to go to teh English seaside. It's far better than that lingering sense of it being just a bit too cold in August. In February, WYSIWYG.

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  15. Your Google poem is just true, I read it whilst nodding along in agreement to everything.
    The British seaside on a cold winter's day is just the best, no expectations about weather, just wrap up and enjoy the cobwebs being blasted away. x

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  16. Entertained by the photos and felt I was visiting Margate with you. Thanks for the guided tour.

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  17. your poem is sheer genius! and whaddya mean your ancestor ran the circus - tell us all about it!!!

    I love Margate, and Ramsgate. Especially in winter. x

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