If I were you I should have a look at some of the great cathedrals: St. Paul's, Westminster Abbey, St. Alban's, Salisbury, Winchester and York Minster are all obviously on the list, but they're probably not all within your reach. You might want to see Canterbury with its Norman keep and famous cathedral (I received my degree there). You certainly have to give Oxford a good look, since it really is a fascinating place even without the Tolkien connection. Then there are Hampton Court, Blenheim Palace and far too many other places to mention.

I also recommend the Science Museum, the National Portrait Gallery and the Tate modern in London, but that's by no means an exhaustive list.

I'm glad you liked my little story. It was a strange evening to be sure.

Squatter, your tale was a joy to read! What a fantastic adventure with a wonderful reward. I am even more disappointed than ever having missed the meeting with you, Estelyn & Tar-Miriel in London last August! How great it would have been to make a personal acquaintance with one who has so much wit, style and determination! It is truly my loss to have missed the chance. Anyway, congratulations on your successful quest!

Thanks for the list, i'll be sure to make a best effort to visit every one of them, though i don't know if i will be able to!! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

pæling.

Squatter,

I read this some time ago, and was absolutely enchanted by your tale, but have only got around to responding now.

I have been to England and Wales any number of times, though sadly not in recent years. I spent my junior year at the Unviversity of Wales at Cardiff, and also worked as an au pair down in Kent for a while, plus several summers in the Public Records Office and British Museum on my disseration.

Out of all that, you'd think I could have gone and done what you did. But I didn't, and I wish I had. But I did see a Hobbit exhibit that was put on in the Bodleian Library over 15 years ago. So that's the closest I ever got to feeling I could almost reach out and touch the man himself.

I bought a poster from that exhibit and had it framed. It still hangs in my house--the one with Bilbo on top of the barrells.

sharon

Oh, Birdie, it's never too late. And anyway, each age has its own pleasures and rewards. Or so I like to think. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] You don't have to climb fences to have fun; you can drive through them!

Last time I drove through a fence, it was in my daddy's brand-new pick-up truck...

It was not fun.

Foolishness leadeth to pride, which leadeth to driving through fences, which leadeth inevitably to lawsuits and great grief and gnashing of teeth in outer darkness.

Nay. Squatter hath chosen the better path, and it will not be denied him. Better by far to climb over the thing.

I should've seen this a long time ago, but a soul of a poet indeed!

And the tribute you did was proven to be of more value as you risk your chances of having a brush with the law.

Beautifully done [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

[ March 11, 2003: Message edited by: Neferchoirwen ]

Would I ever question Squatter's tactics? Well, I might question his desire to remain thoroughly un-married to me, but that's another story. I do, however, question Birdie's belief that her wild years are behind her. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

She didn't say that! She said, "Oh to be crazy young again."

She and I are BOTH crazy old. We just know better than to drive cars thru fences.

"Born to be wild" --Steppenwolf

"For he comes, the human child
To the water and the wild.." --ask Bird

"Tinuviel was dancing there
to music of a pipe unseen"
--(if you have to ask...)

Forgive me, I thought "crazy young" was usually synonymous with wild times. Or maybe that's just the way my youth is panning out.

Furthermore, sometimes "crazy old" translates into having a bad back. So how do you conquer a fence with that? Yes, that's right, you drive through it. Of course, you can always sober up and wait for them to open the gate, but that would be too easy, and probably wouldn't make the evening news. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

Bottom line is: we should all be thankful for the good state of Squatter's back.

Bottom line indeed: and it's me who receives PMs of reprimand!

Pardon my bungling inept ignorance, Rimbaud, but has something we've done caused you to recieve a "PM of reprimand"?

Yeah, Rimbaud, spill the beans. If anyone should be reprimanded for anything these days it's me, and I mean that without a trace of humour.

Oh, I was teasing my beloved Lush, who accus'd me of sly punnery in Revenge of the Entosh Bow. Although, if she'd read any of my posts properly she would doubtless have been aghast at the serious nature of my thesis, and the absence of puns, alliteration or semi-post-modernic references. Receiving a PM from her was and still is the highlight of my short life on earth.

Forgive me for my improper reading of your posts, oh Many-faceted One, I was simply distracted by your (and Squatter's) supreme manliness, the said distraction playing tricks on my otherwise most puritannical mind.

[ March 11, 2003: Message edited by: Lush ]

[ March 11, 2003: Message edited by: Lush ]

Indeed, Rim, Lord Halfullion's status as an existentialist anti-hero is only now beginning to become clear even to me. Shame on you, Lush, for imagining any humourous intent, particularly of a bawdy nature, which as we all know is utterly alien to our amphibious colleague. I salute your sober philosophical musings, Rimbaud old chap.

Thanks for that lovely response, all those who remained within visual range of the subject. My opinion on the craziness debate is that you're never too old to make a fool of yourself in public. In later years you can even do so for a living. I believe they call it "politics".

Sharon, it's one thing to go thirty miles in a hijacked car with a bored friend to do something, but quite another to take the train from Kent or South Wales to Oxford, although I have to say that it isn't such an arduous trip down from London. Tolkien isn't going anywhere in a tearing hurry (unless some unusually grotesque piece of fan-fiction makes him rotate his way out of the county), so I presume he'll still be there when next you find yourself on our side of the pond.

It's interesting that you should mention Kent as I used to live there myself: I was at university in Canterbury, and one of my friends from those days comes from Cardiff. It really is a small world after all, although mentioning my London connections is probably stretching a point somewhat.

*hangs head in shame at own perversity, and solemnly vows to remedy her ways...tommorrow*

Well, Squatter, at least you have learned to be thankful for having such a good back. Or else you'd be messaging us from jail (assuming UK jails have internet access).

A curious evening indeed. Why didn't I read this before? Wonderfully written Squatter, I can't imagine how strange it must've been, actually looking at that grave. I hope I can go to Oxford sometime.

Up. Just because

Travesty metred out
 

Oh. It was this thread which saw the gestation and development of the fabled "Travestometer." I refer all and sundry to posts # 18, 19, 20, 26 and 34 here, from Squatter and Mr. Underhill. And here I thought it was a REB by-product.

Oh, Squatter, old boy. Our summer visit wasn't a midnight ramble but still and all it had its unique charm, didn't it?

Since it's the 3rd of January, I raise my glass to the memory of Professor Tolkien ( a fellow Capricorn, not that I brag, oh no :p) and bring this thread to light again for the enjoyment of those who have not seen it before (and of those who had seen it before, actually).