Playing around…

Played a couple of the new games (Photosynthesis and Gorus Maximus) with Chris and Carole and guess what? Sue won both games.

European Tour…

We started our northern European tour by crossing through the Channel Tunnel one evening and stopping overnight at the basic but cheap Ibis Budget Calais Tunnel sous la Manche at Coquelles. This enabled us to get an early start for the long drive to the Essen game fair, crossing through France, Belgium, Netherlands and into Germany. We got to the show mid-afternoon and found all the regular carparks full, so after a long diversion, we ended up at the remote carpark number 10. It was a very busy show for a Thursday with lots of kids about, so it must be holiday time in Europe. Sue was quite overwhelmed by the scale of the show and started to appreciate what it is like for me when visiting. We met David and Kotie there, who had driven up from their home in Antwerp. We were staying, as always, at Mulheim an dur Ruhr at the Handelshof Hotel.

We had only planned to stay two nights before moving on for our holiday. The first night we had dinner in the hotel and caught up with a few people. Sue spent the following day quietly in Mulheim, wandering about or reading at the hotel, while the rest of us went back to the show. That evening, we had a lovely traditional meal at the Mausefalle ‘mousetrap’ with David and Kotie (pig knuckle is their speciality).

Next morning we drove down to Cologne where we planned to stay a couple of nights at the Mercure Hotel Severinshof Koeln City.

We walked into the old town and had a look about where we found a quirky bar called Papa Joe’s Biersalon where they had many different coin-operated animatronic musical machines (including the puppenband) and with a full house the place was vibrant and lively, we had a couple of beers and shared a pretzel and apple cake.

The town is dominated by a large cathedral (biggest in Germany) and we visited it and the glittering treasure chamber rooms. It was the weekend so the town was heaving and since it was almost levelled in the war much of the architecture was relatively new and uninteresting. It was also quite dirty and grey looking.

In the evening, we went to the Papa Joe’s Jazzlokal club (part of the same group as the Beirsalon) to see some enjoyable jazz-blues music. The jazz club does not serve food, so we nipped across the road to a take away joint that prepared fabulous slices of pork in a bun. This club has a reputation for being one of the oldest still running in the world and has music every night. They cram the people in like they do in New Orleans and it had a great buzzing atmosphere, unfortunately after all that excitement I needed a lie down.

The next morning, we took a different route and walked towards the river (stopping for breakfast at a bakery on the way). The area we stared at had been redeveloped and new crane inspired ‘kranhaus’ buildings had been built for commercial and residential use. It was a pleasant stroll as we passed the old Olympic building and past the chocolate museum (we didn’t succumb to temptation though there were a queue of people waiting for it to open). We crossed over and went up a tall building to get a panoramic view back across the river of the city. Afterwards we crossed back passed the ‘love-locks’ that cover railings along the railway bridge. We had lovely rustic lunch back at Papa Joe’s (which was much quieter on the Sunday) and then strolled through the old town into the new passed the original Farina eau de cologne and 4711perfumeries. We picked up an apple strudel and headed back to the hotel for the evening.

We drove on to s’Hertogenbosch (Den Bosch) in the Netherlands (where I had visited many years before with work) we took a canalboat tour along the Binnendieze, that runs through and under the old town, after having a lovely lunch at the Bolwerk. After we walked through the delightful town and visited the cathedral, the liquorice and sweet shop called Tum Tum, and had the local delicacy Boschebol (a huge profiterole the size of a child’s head – we shared it) at the famous Jan de Groot bakers.

Our hotel was across the road and was called the Little Duke (the full name of the town translates somewhat to mean the Duke’s forest, and they have a larger hotel in town. This smaller one had no common facilities and even had an automated check-in/check-out system).

In the evening, we went to the fun and lively DIT for a meal where we enjoyed traditional bar snacks such as bitterballen and broodjes along with some fusion Asian food. The town is obviously quite wealthy as is evidenced by the design and trendy boutique shops, and by the interesting breakfast the following morning at CoffeeLab (coffee flavoured acai bowl and mini pancakes dressed with grapefruit and granola). Before we continued our journey, we had a visit to the Hieronymus Bosch exhibition (a local 15/16^th C artist renowned for his disturbing religious imagery of hell), in the display were reproductions of his works (often triptychs with a story to them) and modern, three dimensional models of his more bizarre characters from the paintings.

It had been quite a revelation to us how close everywhere seems to be in mainland Europe, each of our stops being within two hours of each other, however, I would not recommend driving into Antwerp now as the place has always been busy and now with major road works it is a nightmare. The wet weather didn’t help, so with the later start, the traffic and the weather, we didn’t get to see much before we drove out to meet Dave and Kotie at their place. We all went back into town on the more efficient tram. The old city centre looked attractive with the clever lighting and the reflections in the wet cobbles. We ate at Pelgrom where they have a large number of beers and sell flights of them for sampling (which we did). The food is wholesome fare and tasty. We stayed over with David and Kotie at their house and returned to the old town early in the morning to wander around and visit the Cathedral (which had an exhibition that included original Rubens – a local boy – paintings, along with some interesting modern artworks).

Getting to Bruges was much easier and checked into the Velotel, which was further out of town than we would have liked, but as we left it late to book and didn’t realise that All Saints Day was a public holiday, it was the best option for us. It did mean a 40min walk into the old town, but luckily the weather was glorious. We had a beer on the main square and watched the crowds of tourists before joining them and wandered around admiring the architecture and views. We ate and sampled another beer flight at the Bourgogne des Flandres brewery, which has a canal side terrace. We had another drink at a bar decorated for Halloween before having a disappointing meal on the square.

Breakfast the next margining was at the cute and trendy Cafune coffee shop and fortified we wandered around some more before retiring for a leisurely and lovely lunch at ‘t Nieuw Walnutje in a one of the many pretty squares around town.

On way home stopped a Dunkirk to visit the moving Operation Dynamo exhibition and walk along the beaches, before loading the car up with goodies sourced at a wine shop and supermarket and getting the train back to old Blighty.

Soul Sisters…

Recently Sue went to see Soul II Soul with her sister and sister-in-law and friends at Brighton and had a good time getting their groove on.

Racing Hero…

Motor racing hero Rob Walker was celebrated with a car parade through Dorking recently as his famous independent race team was based in the area. Several F1 cars along with other classics were driven around the high street in grand exhaust warbling style.

Unusual Celebration…

For our friend, Dave’s 50^th a group of his family and friends met at Borough Market for a few drinks before going off to join a very entertaining Jack the Ripper Tour that ended up at Spitalfields Market where we had a few more drinks before getting a meal at a nearby Meze Bar. A slightly unusual choice to celebrate your birthday, but everyone enjoyed themselves thoroughly.

More wot I have read…

Silence by Shusaku Endo

This was a book written in 1966 but in such a way as it felt like translations from letters written by the characters. It was interesting to appreciate another part of history that I was not aware of, but the narrative itself did not engage me at all.

‘A Japanese Catholic, Endo tells the story of two seventeenth-century missionaries attempting to shore up the oppressed Japanese Christian movement. Father Rodrigues has come to Japan to find the truth behind unthinkable rumours that his famous teacher, Ferreira has renounced his faith. But, after his arrival, he discovers that the only way to help the brutally persecuted Christians may be to apostatize himself.’

Low Town: The Straight Razor Cure by Daniel Polansky

More of romp through a fantasy world this story was quite silly, but it had diverting characters and rollicking action. A bit of time waster.

‘Welcome to Low Town.

Here, the criminal is king. The streets are filled with the screeching of fish hags, the cries of swindled merchants, the inviting murmurs of working girls. Here, people can disappear, and the lacklustre efforts of the guard ensure they are never found.

Warden is an ex-soldier who has seen the worst men have to offer; now a narcotics dealer with a rich, bloody past and a way of inviting danger. You'd struggle to find someone with a soul as dark and troubled as his.

But then a missing child, murdered and horribly mutilated, is discovered in an alley.

And then another.

With a mind as sharp as a blade and an old but powerful friend in the city, he's the only man with a hope of finding the killer.

If the killer doesn't find him first.’

Green Fingers…

We have had a mixed year in the vegie garden as we had a late and wet spring followed by a very dry and hot summer. Sue has spent a lot of time watering, weeding and generally tending the crops and our most unusual success were two avocado plants growing out of the compost.

Bonny Scotland…

Recently we visited Jamie and Gia at their new house in Edinburgh for the weekend.

It had been some time since we had been in Edinburgh so we did a little sightseeing on our own before meeting up again for a catch up. During our stay, we played a few games, enjoyed the company of their friends and watched a movie.

On Saturday, we went to lunch at a fabulous restaurant called Forage & Chatter that specialised in Scottish inspired dishes. It was delightful and friends commented that the name of the place suited Sue and I very much. We also had a few cocktails at an eclectic bar called Paradise Palms.

On Sunday, we took a long walk along the Water of Leith to Leith itself, from near Dean Village via Stockbridge Market (where I picked up a black pudding scotch egg), stopping for a ‘snack’ at The Ship on the Shore (oysters and champagne for the girls, muscles and calamari and beer for Jamie and me. We returned via Holyrood Park past Arthur’s Seat (luckily, we didn’t have to climb it), the Palace of Holyrood house, Scottish Parliament, the old town beside Edinburg Castle, and finally eating stonking burgers at Foundry 39 (where there was a case of unfortunate mistaken identity – Scotch Bonnet for a dehydrated tomato on Bloody Mary).

Art and Nature…

On a bright autumn day, we visited the RHS Wisley as we are members and we like the gardens. It just so happened that the Surrey Sculpture Society were displaying artwork throughout the gardens and so we followed the trail around enjoying the mix of art and nature.

In and Out in London…

Having enjoyed visiting several interesting places last year with the Open House London weekend event, we decided to do it again this year and we invited my Uncle Terry to join us.

Our route took in some very interesting places such as Foreign & Commonwealth Office, The Banqueting House, Admiralty House, Burlington House (Chemistry, Linnaeus, and Geology Societies), the personable Argentine Ambassador’s Residence and the very grand Guildhall.

We also took in a couple of public houses by way of an interlude and respite, the Golden Lion – King Street and Ye Olde Watling – Watling Street.

Put your hands up…

Listening to our regular radio station I was inspired to book tickets for the Radio 2 All Star Party at Bridlington Spa. Unfortunately, after securing them I found out there was no accommodation in town. This error was compounded when I looked for accommodation further afield on the main train route and booked in at the Star Inn at Nafferton. But I booked for the Friday night and the event was on Saturday. Trying again they did not have vacancy for the Saturday, so I ended up booking a different place for the Saturday. A couple of days before the event I looked at the timetable for the trains and discovered that they were not running on Saturday due to industrial action. Sheesh!

So, on the Friday we had a leisurely drive up to Yorkshire stopping for a visit to the interesting and educational National Trust Workhouse in Southwall.

We drove down towards Bridlington the next morning, taking the Scenic Route and stopping briefly at a church in Rudston with an enormous Neolithic monolith (apparently, the tallest standing stone in Britain) as well as two Roman sarcophagi in the churchyard. At Bridlington, we walked down through the old town (used in the Dad’s Army remake), and then went to the seashore and wandered along the lovely beach, through the harbour and past the amusement arcades.

Near lunchtime we drove up the coast towards Scarborough, but the traffic was heavy (there was a jazz festival on in town) so we continued to Whitby where it was equally busy. We ended up going to the beautiful village at Robin Hoods Bay where we eat a seafood lunch in the Bay Hotel listening to a group singing sea shanties on the boat ramp.

Our second hotel was the Bell Inn at Driffield, and we checked in and had a bit of a rest prior to the party later.

The show was live performances of three of the Saturday night shows hosted by Trevor Nelson, Craig Charles and Ana Matronic in turn. There was also live music from the following: Clean Bandit, Incognito, Lemar, Kid Creole & The Coconuts, Fantasy Funk Band featuring Gabrielle, Jaki Graham and John Turrell.

After several hours of standing and dancing about we eventually bailed just after midnight with very sore feet.

South Coast Sunshine…

There are several lovely spots along this stretch of coastline but Ferring beach is one that is dog friendly and that is the main reason we visited with the Whittenburys and their crazy hound. After a walk along the pebble beach and a paddle in the water we had a tasty lunch at the licensed BlueBird Café. It was such a hit that Sue returned with other friends and their dogs for another visit soon after.

Game Daze…

This time of the year it is difficult to get all our gaming friends together as holidays and other commitments get in the way, nevertheless I managed to sessions of board games recently – one at Derek’s with Martin, and then at Kevin’s also with Martin. I do enjoy playing but I am not particularly adept and it shows as I rarely win a game, but I still had fun.

Under a Shady Tree…

One hot summer’s day (we have had a few of those this year) we ventured out to Winkworth Arboretum where we could walk under the shade of the many and varied trees and around by the serene pond. Nearby is Oakhurst Cottage, a small 16^th century home that has not changed much over the hundreds of years (the National Trust did install a cold water tap in the house for the occupants at their request, but this has since been removed), as it is small, old and fragile the house is only open at certain times and usually as part of pre-booked tours.

Out in the Fresh Air…

This beautiful summer weather has enabled us to spend a lot of time outdoors and as the seasons change to autumn we are reaping the rewards for the hard work in the garden (harvesting crops and flowers to eat fresh, freeze for later in the year and for to pickle and turn into jams and sauces). We have been out walking in the countryside that we are blessed with around home and have foraged through the hedgerows for blackberries to add to our bounty.

A Long Weekend…

Starting on Friday evening with Sue cooking a wonderful dinner for us, her sister Deb, and the Whittenbury clan. It was a good night with plenty of chat, laughter and libations.

The following day we decided to walk some of the excesses off in the local countryside collecting blackberries and wild apples and taking a new route that passed the Dorking Community Orchard and stopping for a little drink at a local pub or three.

Saturday evening, we went to an informal dinner party at a friend’s place with our neighbour and mutual Howard. The host, Neil, had arranged for the food to be cooked by his friend, a former Italian chef, Alex. We had a great time watching Alex create his magic in the kitchen and we perhaps should have stopped there – but martinis were beckoning to some of our party back at Howards.

Sunday was a wet and dreary day so the girls took to the kitchen to create magic and I sloped off to the attic to play on the computer. Later that night we ventured out to the Kings Arms in Dorking to watch, listen and dance to the very entertaining local band the Eclectix.

Bank Holiday Monday was nicer weather so in the afternoon we went to nearby Polesden Lacey where they have live jazz playing to audiences on the main lawn during summer. We had arranged to meet with the Whittenbury’s, Deb and Linda and Mark for a picnic and a relax.

Sussex Prairie Gardens…

The Sussex Prairie Gardens had been on our list to visit for a while so when our friends Paul and Lorraine said they had a stand at a show being held there, we decided to go visit and arranged to meet the Brown there too. The gardens are relatively new (ten years or so) and are laid out in a spiral of beds, some of the outer ones raised to offer wider views. As suggested by the name the planting uses a lot of grasses as might be found on the prairies. The site was quite crowded due to the show, but even so clever planting allowed guests to walk into the beds and find some respite in secluded spaces contained within. After our visit, we went with the Browns to a pub for a late lunch before returning home. I think this is a place we will return to on a non-show day to see it at its best. 

More wot I have read…

The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin

I was not sure about this book, thinking it would play more with the mystical themes revealed early one, but which spent a lot more time as a family drama unfolding separately for each offspring. The way people react to information they think will impact their lives is an interesting theme and the different responses were well realised, but overall it was a less than satisfying story for me.

‘It's 1969, and holed up in a grimy tenement building in New York's Lower East Side is a travelling psychic who claims to be able to tell anyone the date they will die. The four Gold children, too young for what they're about to hear, sneak out to learn their fortunes.

Over the years that follow, the siblings must choose how to live with the prophecies the fortune-teller gave them that day. Will they accept, ignore, cheat or defy them? Golden-boy Simon escapes to San Francisco, searching for love; dreamy Klara becomes a Las Vegas magician; eldest son Daniel tries to control fate as an army doctor after 9/11; and bookish Varya looks to science for the answers she craves.’

The Ballad of Halo Jones Volume 2 by Alan Moore and Ian Gibson

Exit West by Mohsin Hamid

Another interesting concept provided as a mechanic to this story, but not what it is about at all. I got lost in what the author was trying to get across to me and I found the narrative ponderous and a bit tiresome.

‘In a country teetering on the brink of civil war, two young people meet—sensual, fiercely independent Nadia and gentle, restrained Saeed. They embark on a furtive love affair and are soon cloistered in a premature intimacy by the unrest roiling their city. When it explodes, turning familiar streets into a patchwork of checkpoints and bomb blasts, they begin to hear whispers about doors—doors that can whisk people far away, if perilously and for a price. As the violence escalates, Nadia and Saeed decide that they no longer have a choice. Leaving their homeland and their old lives behind, they find a door and step through.’

The Sudden Appearance of Hope by Claire North

I was intrigued by the premise of this story and found it entertaining in execution. Again, as in many of these books, there are deeper themes at play throughout, but they do not takeover or distract too much from the narrative. And I do like the title very much.

‘Listen.

All the world forgets me. First my face, then my voice, then the consequences of my deeds.

So listen. Remember me.

My name is Hope Arden, and you won't know who I am. We've met before - a thousand times. But I am the girl the world forgets.

It started when I was sixteen years old. A slow declining, an isolation, one piece at a time.

A father forgetting to drive me to school. A mother setting the table for three, not four. A teacher who forgets to chase my missing homework. A friend who looks straight through me and sees a stranger.

No matter what I do, the words I say, the people I hurt, the crimes I commit - you will never remember who I am.

That makes my life tricky. But it also makes me dangerous...’

Quiz Night…

One of our local pubs, The Prince of Wales, hosts a regular quiz night and so a few of us decided to put together a team, called "Norfolk ‘n’ Chance" (always about the cheap laugh), and we actually came in 2^nd place. We donated our winnings to charity as we were just there for the fun of it all.

Cycling…

Prudential Ride London is an annual cycling event that comes through our village. In the morning amateur cyclists come through and in the afternoon we get a few laps of the professionals racing through the closed off streets. The wet weather we were experiencing after the heatwave reduced spectator numbers, however there was still a good view from the pub. At least it was probably safer for the participants than the near 30-degree heat that we had the week before.

Sitting in a Field…

This year we went to a new festival (new to us that is as it has been going for 27 years). We drove down to the boarder of Dorset to the Larmer Tree Festival, where Deb, Sue and I set up our campsite in a dry, hot field. Sue had to take it easy as she had just found out she had developed shingles (I had it a few weeks before, and we thought it was not supposed to be contagious).

The site is spread throughout the beautiful establish grounds of and grand house, and it offered a variety of areas to explore – the traditional large open area with the majority of the stalls and performance tents, a secluded main stage area surrounded by trees, a wooded alternative therapy area near the silent disco, a children’s area with activities, and many more.

There were a great variety of acts on including kid’s performers, literary talks, comedy and music of all genres. There were not many acts we knew but half the fun is find new music. We saw the following performances:

Jake Bugg (the bluesy singer songwriter still grateful to be billed as a headliner) 

First Aid Kit (country-folk-pop sisters with great harmonies and big sound) 

Public Service Broadcasting (a multimedia electronic outfit with a reputation for forensic, historic storytelling)

Roo Panes (a mellow singer songwriter)

Elephant Sessions (Scottish indie-folk band with a high-energy set) 

Broken Brass Ensemble (a Netherlands brass band that fuses hip-hop, funk, soul, dance and jazz into a lively performance)

Goat Girl (a young, edgy band from London with potential) 

IDER (London duo poised to break into the mainstream) 

Josienne Clarke & Ben Walker (seen before, this duo combine haunting vocals and expert guitar playing into a sophisticated elegant sound)

Tom Speight (Tom and his female partner on stage make a lovely sound together) 

Laura Goldthorp (a mesmerising singer songwriter receiving some well-deserved plaudits) 

Noah’s House Band (an entertaining novelty act where each song is based on an animal, such as the hydrophobic whale and a duck-billed platypus with an identity crisis) 

Guns of Navarone (a foot stomping 10-piece Ska band) 

The Olde Boston Tea Party (an old-school bluegrass/Americana band with heart and humour) 

Owl in the Sun (a lively Americana/gypsy-jazz outfit) 

Professor Elemental (a novelty ‘Steampunk’ hip-hop act) 

Selby and the Dharma Blitz (an alternative hip hop funk project that provide an infectious groove to their performance) 

Thunderbridge Bluegrass Band (a traditional bluegrass outfit of accomplished performers) 

Jones (Cherie Jones is a British alternative pop singer with a great stage presence) 

Overall, apart from Sue struggling with her illness, it was a very good festival, great hot and dry weather, tasty food and drink, and fabulous new music.

A Local Show…

WESTfest is our local fair held on the recreation grounds. It is a small affair and with the heat some of the activities were curtailed (the dog show was cancelled for the sake of the animals). The local fire brigade also helped by using their hose to keep people cool in the hot weather. Marc, Sue and I opted for the alternative solution of beer and ice-cream.

Capel Military Vehicle Show…

Marc was over from Sweden and stopped with us for a few days. He and I went out to the local Capel Military Vehicle Show on a very hot Saturday. There was a good display of military hardware, folks in uniform, and collectable stands selling all manner of stuff. In the main arena, we saw a re-enactment show between Germans and Americans/Russians, tanks and artillery firing their guns, and a tank tug of war. Next to the beer tent was a dance floor where couples were lindy hopping to period tunes.

Shaken, Not Stirred…

We have had a few earthquakes through Surrey recently and Sue felt on move her the other day. Not what you expect in this part of the world. Even coming from NZ I can’t say I have ever felt one (touch wood it stays that way).

Lunchtime Perambulations…

Near where I work in Horsham is a local nature reserve at Warnham, a lovely place for a stroll around at lunch time looking at the wildlife (mostly birds) in the various habitats they have there. A peaceful place.

Birthday Activities…

Sue’s birthday was on a Friday this year and so I managed to get us tickets for lunch at Sorrels, our local fine dining restaurant in Dorking. We had their taster menu with paired wines and felt thoroughly spoilt. I don’t usually get moved that much by food, however I do enjoy these taster events – it is more like food theatre (visuals, smells, textures and tastes all wonderfully and surprisingly orchestrated into something that transcends food).

That evening we went to Guildford as I had got us tickets for an open-air performance of Robin Hood which was held in the old castle quarry in a perfect tree surrounded glade. We picnicked in the grounds and had a very entertaining evening.

On the Saturday, we had arranged for a few friends to come around for a BBQ in our garden, and in the morning, we found we had some uninvited guests – a swarm of bees had taken up residence in a small tree in the veggie garden. Luckily there is a service via the bee keeper’s association where you can ring up local apiarists who came and capture them for relocation. Mike came with all his gear and shook most the swarm into a box. He had to leave it over night to let the remaining bees return from foraging and settle down in it. I closed the door that night and by the morning it had gone. A few stragglers have remained on the tree, but we have been assured they will move on.

Sunday, we drove out to the Cranleigh Agricultural Show and mooched about in the blazing sun looking at animals, farm machinery, craft and food stalls, and demonstrations in the arena.

Family Gathering…

We were part of family gathering in Seaford to celebrate Sue’s birthday. We picked up Jamie and Gia who had flown down from their now home in Edinburgh and took them to Brighton for breakfast and a stroll around the lanes to the sea.

Just up the road is Seaford where Chris and Lynne hosted and Deb and Barbara joined us. It was a glorious day and we enjoyed the alfresco dining in the beautiful garden (with visits from various wildlife, cats, a fox and Steve the seagull. Sue was very spoiled and had a lovely evening.

In the morning, we walked down to the cliffs and shore and around a local car show before a quick drink and leaving to drop Jamie and Gia back at the airport.

Father’s Day Treat…

On Father’s Day, we went into Dorking for the afternoon, first to see the Scalextric at the Cricketers Inn. It was an impressive setup, but it would have been better if they had managed to get it to work before we moved on. After that we stopped in a Majestic Wines and sampled a few varieties (naturally ordering some too), and then went on to the newly refurbished Queens Head, where we had a delicious lunch served by attentive and accommodating staff (the even gave me a miniature bottle of scotch for the special day).

Queens’ Regiment Memorial Woodland…

This is a small piece of land near to where we live that we were only aware of due to an article in the local parish magazine, about an event being held there. We went with our neighbour, Howard, to see what it was all about. It was an intimate event, but everyone made us feel welcome. The woodland is very peaceful and with the band playing it was very moving too. Afterwards we intended to go for a walk, but it ended up being a tour of local village pubs.

Cardboard Heaven…

I have acquired a few new board games recently, a Kickstarter game called Moa (I had to get this for the NZ theme), and a couple of games from our visit to the UK Games Expo – Crisis (one that is out of print that I played a couple of years back at Essen – a hard worker placement game), and Patchwork (a quick and simple two player game).

Silver Celebrations…

We were honoured to have been invited to attend Brian & Julies 25^th Wedding Anniversary celebrations at an Italian restaurant in Tring. It was a lovely evening only a little marred by us getting drenched walking home as a thunderstorm hit.

The Music Triangle…

Sue, Sue’s sister Deb, and I went to America recently to experience the music that came out of various areas – Country in Nashville, Blues & Soul in Memphis and Jazz in New Orleans.

We hadn’t realised that BA had just opened a direct route to Nashville from Heathrow so we were lucky not to have to transfer elsewhere.

I could of days before the flight I started to get a pain running down my right leg from the base of the spine to the foot, I assumed it was sciatica and as it was the weekend I got some strong pain killers and soldiered on.

When we arrived in Nashville it was evening and after checking into our ample rooms in the

Hotel Indigo, we went to get a beer in the bar where music was playing (NOTE: most turn up and watch live music is played in bars, and so that is where we ended up most of the time).

Our hotel is next to a narrow street called Printer’s Alley, and it was there that we found Skull’s Rainbow Room, where we ate a meal and listened to more music.

The next morning I woke up and found a nasty rash had appeared all down my leg. Not wanting to deal with American hospitals we found a local pharmacy and asked the chemist his opinion. He asked if I had taken anything different and I mentioned the pain killers which he suggested I stop taking (in case I was allergic) and try some antihistamines. I did so and also applied some steroid cream I have for my eczema, and over the next few days the rash improved. 

We wander off into town past many historic and musical places of interest and had a wonderful breakfast at the Sun Diner that was located next to the Johnny Cash Museum (where there is a moving display of his rendition of the Nine Inch Nails song, Hurt), and across the road from a local confectionary store – the GooGoo shop.

We then went over to the large Country Hall of Fame museum where we spent a good time exploring the many exhibits to stars old and new.

It was getting to warm to continue walking around so we stopped at the Famous Saloon which had a roof top bar overlooking the river and we had a cold beer whist watching a paddle boat pass. When it got too hot to do even that we went down into the bar where live music was playing.

During the evening the neon lights come on along the main strip showing shops, bars, eateries. We strolled along taking it all in, occasionally pausing for a drink and to listen to music. One of the famous music venues was Nudies Honky Tonk (Nudie was a well-respected costume/stage clothes designer), and his bar had a few of his works hung on the wall (along with a Cadillac car). Across the road was another called Tootsies Orchid Lounge, a smaller and crowded place with heaps of atmosphere, with a back entrance that faced the Ryman theatre (artists from days gone by would walk out of the theatre straight into the bar).

A place that became a regular for us was the Bourbon Street Blue’s and Boogie Bar near hotel (in Printer’s Alley, and which hosted amazing Blues artists – no Country at all). It was a small and intimate place far enough away from the hustle and bustle of the main strip not to attract the merely curious. The food was simple bar snack sort of fare, but in a Southern style (alligator bites for example). 

Another good restaurant for its roof top location overlooking the strip, was Ole Red Lookout. The food was a limited selection, but it was good quality and tasty.

The Hop on Hop off trolley bus tour was recommended to us be the hotel and so we bought two day tickets and initially did a full circuit without getting off, to get a feel for the place and to plan where we would return to.

The following morning, we went to the Bicentennial Park which has a few wonderful features (fountains – one for each major river in the state, a garden in a scale topographical representation of the state, a marble wall with a history of events inscribed on it – with gaps broken in it to show major conflicts, a WWI and WWII gardens, and bell towers – one for each county, that played various tunes). On one side of the park is the Farmer’s Market, which is not all that interesting (though the strawberries were huge and delicious). Next stop we got off at on the tour was at the former Marathon Motor Works (a former car factory and earlier cotton mill, now a collection of hipster shops. Also, here is the American Pickers shop, a museum of the Marathon cars and work benches, and the Green Brier Distillery).

Back on the trolley we went until we stopped for lunch at The Stillery (Beers, huge salads, and catfish & fries). Another short ride along Music Row we stopped at Bobby’s Idle Hour Tavern where it was Sam’s Jams open mike time. To finish off our heritage tour we stopped at the Ryman Auditorium (one of the former locations of the Grand Ole Opry).

A few more bars later we finished up at the Black Rabbit, a burlesque club. The atmosphere was fun and relaxed and the band played a few preliminary songs until the first act came on – a cowgirl stripper who spanked a guy near us. The most entertaining sight was Deb’s face, wide eyed and shocked at what she was seeing she insisted we leave.

Another worthwhile stop on a sunny day was Mike’s Ice Cream parlour (I had a great malt shake here).

After we checked out we went to pick up our car to drive over to Memphis, we did this early and headed for breakfast at the Loveless Café out of town, here the girls had moonshine bloody Marys. The ‘biscuits’ were a hit, the ‘grits’ not. We drove on to Jackson (Tennessee) and to the International Rockabilly Hall of Fame hosted by the eccentric Henry Harrison with his rambling tales of musical notables and his collection of oddball artefacts. Also on route we stopped at the school that Tina Turner attended and which is now a small museum dedicated to her.

At Memphis, we checked into the Hampton Inn & Suites which backed onto the main strip of Beale Street. Here settled into the relaxed Silky O’Sullivan’s garden space (where they have so-called Irish diving goats in an enclosure). That evening we dined at BB King’s and enjoyed the house band play into the night.

In the morning, we wandered around town (Gibson factory and Memphis Rock N Soul Museum – from the outside only), and then onto the Peabody Hotel for breakfast and the march of the ducks (several ducks are resident in their own penthouse suite and twice a day come down in the lift and a guided into the fountain in the lobby by a finely dressed wrangler.

The next day we went out to Graceland, a shrine/amusement park dedicated to the ‘King of Rock ‘n’ Roll’. There were a great number of people there and we limited our visit to the house and his planes (missing the warehouses full of cars, clothes and other personal effects). The house was interesting and gave you a feel for how he lived at the end. It was a little disconcerting to see people weeping over the graves of him and his family.

On our way back into town we swung by Sun Studios before dropping the car of and attempting public transport. Unfortunately, the trolley bus we caught had a young disabled person in distress on it and had stopped waiting for the paramedics to arrive. So back to shank’s pony walk to the Mississippi riverside for views of Mud Island

We sought out more music in open air venue behind our hotel, Jerry Lee Lewis bar, and back at Slinky’s. There was a Blue’s festival about to start that night with music in the park, but I was feeling tired and suffering with the pain in my leg, so I retired early leaving the girls in a bar.

Our next leg of the journey was going to be a long one. We could not get down to New Orleans in one go see we had planned to stop off at Natchez. Instead of going direct we detoured to visit the birthplace of Elvis in Tupelo (a much more relaxed and moving place than Graceland). This then put is on the scenic Natchez Trace Parkway, a lovely road through the countryside. We happened upon a place called French Camp where there was a country fair with old cars, stalls selling various foodstuffs, an amusement fair and a general store and café. There also was an outdoor bluegrass show under the shade of huge tree in the field.

Once we got to Natchez it was late afternoon. Our accommodation was part of the Monmouth Historic Inn, an Antebellum style house and cottages (we had rooms in the cottages, each with a four-poster bed that was so high you needed a running jump to get on and risked serious injury if you were to fall out of). We had pre-booked a meal at the in-house 1818 restaurant in the old sitting rooms of the main building. A musician played on a piano in the hall and everything was refined and elegant (even us).

The next morning, after breakfast, we had a complementary tour of the hotel with an informed guide telling us about the history of the owners, building and local area. Luckily, they had managed to collect several of the original pieces of furniture and had replica wallpaper made to match what was there before (the house had been derelict for a few years during its checkered past). The grounds too were lovely, with several small lakes occupied by turtles and various fish, trees covered in hanging Spanish moss making us feel we were definitely in the Deep South now.

The last leg of our music triangle tour was New Orleans. We dropped car off at airport and took a cab to the Hotel St Pierre in the French Quarter where we had a couple of the old cottages for our accommodation. We went out into town and had a drink at one of the oldest establishments, Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop bar, before wandering around town down to the river. We had booked a Riverboat Cruise on the Creole Queen that was for dinner and jazz as the sun went down over the Mississippi (luckily weren’t on the other boat with the screeching steam organ on the roof).

Bourbon Street at night is a shock to the senses, being the most popular of the three cities we visited it attracted a party crowd. The heat meant there were people with inadvisably little clothing on liquored up, shouting and singing, weaving and swaying, vomiting and roughhousing up and down the street. The drains stank, perhaps as an aftermath of the floods, but also due to the archaic facilities in many of the bars. All the bars tried to attract you in with loud music (a great deal of which was not Jazz). There seems to be an acceptance in America about putting drinks in plastic containers, perhaps to avoid broken glass as people drank in the street. There were some open air spaces with music being performed and various street performers out and about of varying skill. We did find a couple of venues we really liked, the first was Maison Bourbon promoters of great traditional jazz – here the first night was a band led by a female trumpet player, the second night a black guy with his oriental girlfriend dancing up a storm.

Hotel was the location of the first New Orleans Jazz Museum (Louis ‘Satchmo’ Armstrong was a guest) and it was made from a collection of old French colonial cottages around intimate courtyards and small swimming pools (welcome relief from the heat). The only issue with this place was they charged us when we left (we had prepaid) and we are still after them for a full refund.

The next day we took a trip out to Mardi Gras World, the workshops and storage facilities of one of the larger float makers. It was very impressive to see their collection and only a month or so after the last Mardi Gras they were already working on the following year’s.

On our return, we paused for beignet fried doughnuts at Café du Monde (deep fried and covered in icing sugar), then stopped for a sharpener at Muriel’s (note to self – they regard a dirty martini as one with vermouth in it, not olive water, so I ended up with a glass of neat vodka). We decided to walk it off with a stroll through the lovely Armstrong Park, but eventually the heat beat us back to the hotel pool.

That evening we went for cocktails at the Carousel Bar (the bar looks like a fairground ride and slowly rotates. Then on to the Court of Two Sisters (well, we just had to) where we had a fine meal in their lovely courtyard. Then it was back to Maison Bourbon and on to our second of our favourite venues, the Fritzel’s Bar (here the resident band leader was a fabulous piano player with a band that changed each night). Both these venues hosted amazing music but they were both old and basic and had atrocious bathroom facilities.

The next day we decided to venture further afield and took the streetcar out to the Garden Quarter. There we stopped and walked around the atmospheric Lafayette Cemetery, cooled off in a lovely air-conditioned art gallery, walked down streets lined with huge mansions, strolled in the heat along Magazine Street with its bars and arty shops, and ended up at Audubon park opposite Loyola University.

That evening we went at sundown to the Hot Tin rooftop cocktail bar, where we had an interesting conversation with a lovely American couple before heading back into the heart of the French Quarter to the Bourbon O Bar and back to Fritzel’s.

On our final day, we ate lunch at Tableau (one of the many Dickie Brennan restaurants in town), strolled through the French Market, visited the Old Mint and Jazz Museum (with recital by Park Ranger – the only Musical National Park in the country, with all musical rangers). Our final musical stop was another fab bar, Bamboula’s on Frenchman Street. Eventually it all had to come to an end and we went to the airport for our return trip (New Orleans airport is a bit of a shambles, but they are in the process of building a new, bigger and better one).

After I returned Sue booked me in the doctor to see about the pain I was still having in my leg and the draining fatigue. In a matter of moments, he had diagnosed it as shingles and had signed me off work for more than two weeks.

More of wot I have read…

Rotherweird by Andrew Caldecott

This was an unusual book that had an interesting premise, but I was not captured by the execution of it.

‘The town of Rotherweird stands alone – there are no guidebooks, despite the fascinating and diverse architectural styles cramming the narrow streets, the avant garde science and offbeat customs. Cast adrift from the rest of England by Elizabeth I, Rotherweird's independence is subject to one disturbing condition: nobody, but nobody, studies the town or its history.

For beneath the enchanting surface lurks a secret so dark that it must never be rediscovered, still less reused.

But secrets have a way of leaking out.

Two inquisitive outsiders have arrived: Jonah Oblong, to teach modern history at Rotherweird School (nothing local and nothing before 1800), and the sinister billionaire Sir Veronal Slickstone, who has somehow got permission to renovate the town's long-derelict Manor House.

Slickstone and Oblong, though driven by conflicting motives, both strive to connect past and present, until they and their allies are drawn into a race against time – and each other. The consequences will be lethal and apocalyptic.

Welcome to Rotherweird!’

Ballad of Halo Jones volume 1 - by Alan Moore and Ian Gibson

First in the trilogy of re-released 2000AD comic story about an unlikely heroine and her adventures through a far future dystopian universe. I great nostalgic read.

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

I thoroughly enjoyed this book for its in-depth, touching tale of a world I knew nothing about. The epic story stretches across generations of the same family as they dragged through challenging experiences each trying to cope as best they can. It is quite an eye opener to read about the terrible treatment Koreans had under Japanese rule, and for how long.

‘Pachinko follows one Korean family through the generations, beginning in early 1900s Korea with Sunja, the prized daughter of a poor yet proud family, whose unplanned pregnancy threatens to shame them all. Deserted by her lover, Sunja is saved when a young tubercular minister offers to marry and bring her to Japan.

So begins a sweeping saga of an exceptional family in exile from its homeland and caught in the indifferent arc of history. Through desperate struggles and hard-won triumphs, its members are bound together by deep roots as they face enduring questions of faith, family, and identity.’

Autonomous by Annalee Newitz

This is an entertaining if somewhat silly romp through a near future of collapse in society and advances in technical/bioengineering/genetics has stratified the haves and have-nots. Essentially it is a story about rights (rights if individual verses corporations, robots verses humans, and individual freedoms).  

‘Autonomous features a rakish female pharmaceutical pirate named Jack who traverses the world in her own submarine. A notorious anti-patent scientist who has styled herself as a Robin Hood heroine fighting to bring cheap drugs to the poor, Jack’s latest drug is leaving a trail of lethal overdoses across what used to be North America—a drug that compels people to become addicted to their work.

On Jack’s trail are an unlikely pair: an emotionally shut-down military agent and his partner, Paladin, a young military robot, who fall in love against all expectations. Autonomous alternates between the activities of Jack and her co-conspirators, and Elias and Paladin, as they all race to stop a bizarre drug epidemic that is tearing apart lives, causing trains to crash, and flooding New York City.’

The Ministry of Utmost Happiness by Arunshati Roy

Another novel about a world I didn’t know anything about – India and its many fractured and conflicting peoples. An often rambling (occasionally seemingly randomly so) collection of connected (often unlikely so) tales of various individuals who through them we see a part of the mindbogglingly (self) destructive environment that pervades this continent. A fascinating read.

‘By slowly becoming everything.

The Ministry of Utmost Happiness takes us on a journey of many years – the story spooling outwards from the cramped neighbourhoods of Old Delhi into the burgeoning new metropolis and beyond, to the Valley of Kashmir and the forests of Central India, where war is peace and peace is war, and where, from time to time, ‘normalcy’ is declared.

Anjum, who used to be Aftab, unrolls a threadbare carpet in a city graveyard that she calls home. A baby appears quite suddenly on a pavement, a little after midnight, in a crib of litter. The enigmatic S. Tilottama is as much of a presence as she is an absence in the lives of the three men who love her.

The Ministry of Utmost Happiness is at once an aching love story and a decisive remonstration. It is told in a whisper, in a shout, through tears and sometimes with a laugh. Its heroes are people who have been broken by the world they live in and then rescued, mended by love – and by hope. For this reason, they are as steely as they are fragile, and they never surrender. This ravishing, magnificent book reinvents what a novel can do and can be. And it demonstrates on every page the miracle of Arundhati Roy’s storytelling gifts.’

Seasonal Lunch Treat…

It has started to become a tradition to sample the seasonal menu at our friend Paul’s restaurant, Kingham’s in Shere. We went with Deb and Howard and his friend Kevin. As to be expected it was a lovely meal, and we had some good banter with Paul joining in too when he could get away from the stove.

Weekend Adventure…

Firstly, we went with Jamie and Gia to a wet and windy Dungeness with a brief stop at the Red Lion at Snargate (built around 1540 and not decorated since 1890 this unique pub has an antique marble bar top, original gas fittings and outside loos, and feels like stepping back in time. There is an old piano and bar games such as ‘Toad-in-the-hole’ and ‘nine-men’s-morris’ on show). And then to have lunch at The Pilot Inn (built partly with timbers from a ship lured onto the beach by wreckers).

While the other two travelled back to London (slowly due to rail problems), Sue and I booked into the Chilston Park Hotel (a slightly tired old manor house of faded grandeur) and enjoyed cocktails and a light dinner in the bar, before retiring to our feature suite Victoria (rooms have names or pictures instead of numbers) for the evening.

The next day we travelled to the coast and stopped at Whitstable where we had a seafood lunch at The Crab and Winkle and later ice-cream on the pier when we got to Herne Bay. A very pleasant and indulgent weekend was had.

Birthdays…

We had a couple of celebrations for people’s birthdays; one for Auntie V; and a combined party for Chris and Lucy (who will be 21 this year). It was great to catch up with friends and family.

Salute 2018…

Salute is a one day convention focused mainly on table-top miniatures from clubs and companies brought together by the organisers, The South London Warlords club.

I went with Marc (Marc stopped over with us for a couple of nights) and Richard, ending with a couple of pints (in pewter tankards, naturally) at the Mug House hole-in-the-wall style of pub at London Bridge.

Game Day…

Played several co-op games and a couple not:

• 5-Minute Dungeon
• Azul
• Pandemic
• Thunderbirds
• Dice Throne
• Forbidden Desert

More of wot I have read…

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman

This is a very accomplished debut novel with a good balance of humour, sadness, darkness and light. There are not too many surprises in the story, but the author does a good job making you believe you found out what was happening on your own before it is revealed to you. Nominated for awards and already optioned for a film.

‘Eleanor Oliphant leads a simple life.

She wears the same clothes to work every day, eats the same meal deal for lunch every day and buys the same two bottles of vodka to drink every weekend.

Eleanor Oliphant is happy.

Nothing is missing from her carefully timetabled existence. Except, sometimes, everything…’

The Power by Naomi Alderman

An interesting exploration into gender and power and how a change in the balance could change everything (or nothing).

‘All over the world women are discovering they have the power.

With a flick of the fingers they can inflict terrible pain – even death.

Suddenly every man on this planet finds they have lost control.

The day of the girls has arrived – but where will it end?’

Hag-Seed by Margaret Atwood

A quick read of this fine interpretation of a classic tale of revenge and forgiveness.

‘Treacherously toppled from his post as director of the Makeshiweg Festival on the eve of his production of The Tempest, Felix retreats to a backwoods hovel to lick his wounds and mourn his lost daughter. And to also plot his revenge.

After twelve years, his chance appears in the shape of a theatre course at a nearby prison, Here, Felix and his inmate actors will stage his Tempest at last, and snare the traitors who destroyed him. But will it remake Felix as his enemies fall?’

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

A fabulous read. Slow and sophisticated it gently explores the changes in Russia from the Bolshevik uprising to the Cold War, as viewed through the cultured eyes of a non-person trapped in a former gilded cage.

‘On 21 June 1922 Count Alexander Rostov – recipient of the Order of Saint Andrew, member of the Jockey Club, Master of the Hunt – is escorted out of the Kremlin, across Red Square and through the elegant revolving doors of the Hotel Metropol.

But instead of being taken to his usual suite, he is led to an attic room with a window the size of a chessboard. Deemed an unrepentant aristocrat by a Bolshevik tribunal, the Count has been sentenced to house arrest indefinitely.

While Russia undergoes decades of tumultuous upheaval, the Count, stripped of the trappings that defined his life, is forced to question what makes us who we are. And with the assistance of a glamorous actress, a cantankerous chef and a very serious child, Rostov unexpectedly discovers a new understanding of both pleasure and purpose.’