Plains and planes of Carcassonne

The plains and planes of Carcassonne

“The people of Crete unfortunately make more history than they can consume locally.” This passage from “Saki”, the Edwardian writer of sardonic, sometimes cruel, but always witty, short stories, kept popping into my head during a short visit to the area North-East of Carcassonne in South-West France.

Dante's Purgatory at Stansted Airport

Dante’s Purgatory at Stansted Airport

One of the illustrations that Botticelli made for Dante’s Divine Comedy (recently on show at the Courtauld Gallery) is of a cowed gaggle of naked souls arriving on the shores Purgatory. Why do I recall this drawing fresh (or rather stale) from a journey through Stansted Airport?

The image is apt for the scene in the airport’s vast new security shed.