Quarr Abbey

I have probably been excommunicated as a result of this picture! One of my visits today was to Quarr Abbey - a modern Cistercian Monastery on the Isle of Wight (not that far from Parkhurst Prison!) It is a very beautiful place and very calm - no entry fee, no rampaging tourists, just everyone enjoying the beauty and calm.  It is rare to find a working monastery and I am not aware of seeing one real monk! The building is very modern, designed by a current monk who was an architect in his 'previous life' and is wonderful - you could spend 10 minutes  or 10 hours depending on what you like doing.

In the graceful abbey church I needed to use a long shutter speed - my first sin was moving the 'offertory box' to use it as a tripod, my next two sins were moving information signs as they were in the way of my view - I redeemed myself by getting a better image and putting everything back to their original positions!

As it's Abstract Thursday, I consider this an abstract concept of modern technology with an ancient tradition - something that might be considered as obsolete but is very real.

I also blagged my way on to a station on the Isle of Wight Steam railway as I only wanted to photograph the engine, and I looked at the place where the Victorian photographer, Julia Margaret Cameron , lived and worked in Freshwater Bay - great exhibition.  A busy and full day and now, after a delicious meal of fish & chips, we are involved in another game of Bingo - will my luck of last night repeat itself?