Urban exploration, derelict places, rust, grime and redemption from our Band of Bandos
Decades of appalling vandalism nearly destroyed one of the world’s most endangered monuments in Buzludzha, Bulgaria. I draw from my thoughts on politics, culture and the human condition to come to terms with the inevitability of this catastrophe You’ll think I’m dead, but I sail awayOn a wave of mutilation Wave of Mutilation by The… Read More
You’re a ghost on the highway And I’ll love you forever Ghost Highway by Mazzy Star The derelict station at the corner of Melton St. and Drummond St. is partially hidden behind construction fencing. The craftmanship on display is worth a closer look : purple red sang-de-boeuf terracotta tiles cover the boarded up ticket hall.… Read More
“So many coincidences for the untrammelled fulfilment of a death so clearly foretold.” Gabriel Garcia Marques, Chronicle of a Death Foretold The tall, ghostly tower is a familiar sight at the waterfront industrial zone of Patras, Greece. Visible from the 6 lane motorway upon entering the city from the west, the Peiraiki-Patraiki tower is standing… Read More
The premises of a groundbreaking Jewish boarding school played an active role in both WW1 and WW2, and hide some rarely seen Modernist architecture – but also dark stories of child abuse. The country south of Oxford is simply beautiful, in a typical English way. Gently rolling hills and endless green pastures give way to… Read More
“Borrowed time and borrowed world and borrowed eyes with which to sorrow it.” Cormac McCarthy, The Road There were no other cars but ours on the long, abandoned motorway to Pripyat. The last living souls we’d seen were the last chance saloon keepers and armed guards at the Exclusion Zone Border about 15 miles ago.… Read More
“..And I, stepping from this skin, Of old bandages, boredoms, old faces, Step up to you from the black car of Lethe, Pure as a baby.” Sylvia Plath, Ariel, November 1962 It’s unthinkable, although not impossible, to knowingly bypass antiquity when it comes to Greece. Whether it’s a quick visit or an extended trip,… Read More
