19 March 2009

A rather disappointing trip…..

We gathered in five chatty groups in the classroom immediately after break today, ready for the sunny stroll down the road to the glass and ceramics museum.  Clutching our clipboards tightly to our chests, off we went.  Across the road and along the stony gravelly drive, past the fountain (with the exceedingly lively spray) up the cool stone steps, through the massive wooden door and into a vast echoing room.  At the entrance of which was a sign; NO PHOTOGRAPHY.

And I checked; not even the merest snap of busily sketching children would be allowed.  How terribly disappointing.  How would I record the awesome treasures on display?  What on earth even would be the point of this post?

And then I glanced across at one of the groups.  Children were sitting cross-legged on the floor or lying on their tummies; they were balancing clipboards on their knees.  (Almost) nothing was heard apart from the scritch-scratch of pencil on paper.

Before my very eyes…..

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a flock of exotic birds appeared…..

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perched…..

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or preening…..

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some even displaying the beauty of their feathers.

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Round another corner the sight was pretty much the same.  But this time I was able to feast my eyes on delicate porcelain tureens,

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elegant vases,

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and painted bowls.

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There were fancy teapots…..

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and gold-painted jugs.

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There was even a pistol perfume dispenser made from glass.

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I’m not sure quite what my favourite item was.  Possibly the intriguing table with long tongues for legs. 

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Or maybe it was the cow with the wavy horns and the sideways look.

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But no; on reflection, it has to be the grumpy tortoise with a curly snail perched high up on his shell.

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Disappointing?  Not a bit of it!

With grateful thanks to Sivert and Harrison, Tommy and Viivi for lending us their mums and dads.  And of course to the mums and dads themselves!

1 comment:

K E said...

I think you probably should thank the museum, too, for the "no photo" rule - the childrens' pictures are superb, and just as intriguing as the objects they were looking at (if not more so!)