THE TALE SPINNER
Vol. XVI, No. 38
September 18, 2010
IN THIS ISSUE:Vol. XVI, No. 38
September 18, 2010
Lyle Meeres describes their last days in London
Shirley Hargreaves starts a story of a visit to Haida Gwaii
Pat Moore tastes a "Canadian appetizer"
Zvonko Springer forwards some awkward translations into English
The editor finds biodegradable kitchen trash bags
Sites are suggested by Bruce Galway and Pat Moore
Lyle Meeres concludes his story of their
BALTIC CRUISE
On September 2nd Pat's cold was worse, but we wanted to take advantage of our last full day in London. Pat and Gordon Davies went with us in a taxi to the Globe Theatre. The cabby was chatty and had a sense of humour, so he and Gordon talked and laughed most of the way. Pat Davies walked us through the exhibits while Gordon went for a walk.
A bell announced the time for our tour. Our guide was an older man who clearly had significant theatre experience; his knowledge was interesting and thoughtful. One thing he said that I should have thought of before arose from the name of the theatre. More about this later.
Until theatres were built, the only choice for entertainment was bull- or bear-baiting. Plays had been performed at inns until James Burbage had "the Theatre" built in 1576. These early theatres were many sided. The competition, the "Rose" and the "Globe", had hazelnut shells over the floor. Initially, observers assumed that people ate the nuts the way people eat popcorn now, but archaeologists developed the idea that the shells came from a nearby soapworks. The shells were left after oil was extracted, and our guide suggested that the shells may have been used in theatres to control lice or fleas from the groundlings, people who paid a penny to watch the plays.
The first Globe theatre, built in 1599, burned down 14 years later. It had been located across the river in a marshy area, away from the population, to keep space between the theatre and the Puritans and to avoid the authority of London's Lord Mayor, who hated plays. Shakespeare became a shareholder of the second Globe and it was for this theatre that he wrote many of his plays. The necessity to avoid religious influence became obvious when Puritans tore down the second theatre because they viewed it as a source of ungodliness.
The first Globe held 3,000 people, paying one penny to stand in the yard, or a second penny to sit in the galleries, or a third penny to have a cushion and to sit near to the stage where one could be seen. The guide reminded me that this variation in social classes meant that the plays had to appeal to all: sword fights and sexual humour to entertain the groundlings but also complex characterization and thoughtful themes for the educated. Education takes us back to the theatre name, the Globe. The model of the universe suggested by Copernicus some 50+ years earlier suggested that the Earth was a globe. Since knowledge spread slowly at this time, the notion was relatively new and popular. The stage became a place where a part of Earth was put on show: "All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players" (As You Like It, Act 2, Scene 7). The guide's comment caused me to think of the "Play Within the Play" in Hamlet, where people on stage watch actors perform and we watch the actors who watch ... and where does all the acting end?
Naturally we went into the gift shop. Pat Davies gave me a pin showing the theatre exterior, a postcard with a fish-eye photo, and a booklet on the Globe.
After Gordon rejoined us, we walked across the Millennium Bridge to one and then another underground station, where Gordon bought us all tickets on the tube to the British Museum. Gordon remarked that the subway had been cleaned up after terrorists' bombs to improve visibility. We walked a goodly way after getting off the tube and when we went by the Victoria and Albert, I thought, "Strange - but Pat and Gordon lived in London before they moved south...." and Pat Davies said, “Gordon. Stop a moment." We were nowhere near the British Museum. Gordon had erred.
We took a taxi to the Museum, where Pat and I went a separate direction. We visited the Egyptian and Greek displays (we could see why the Greeks are not fond of what the Brits did by way of removing treasures), and saw the Rosetta Stone. We also saw an interesting Easter Island statue before lunch, which we ate in the museum.
We discovered that the library is not near the museum and I agreed that we had travelled around enough, so after a bit we headed back to the hotel.
We chose a cheaper place for dinner and they parked us upstairs, away from their coffee and cigarettes clientele. Back at the hotel, we drank a bit of wine with Pat and Gordon and then went off to finish packing. During the day, Donna had phoned to confirm our flight and I phoned to arrange to have a shuttle pick us up and get us to the airport at a cost of 17 pounds each.
By September 3rd we were looking forward to being at home and sleeping in our own beds. The shuttle picked us up and then picked up about five other people at other locations. I was wondering when we would get to Heathrow, but the shuttle got us there in lots of time. At the Air Canada check-in, the new regulations for carry-ons meant that a purse had to go IN a carry-on, and the carry-on size was much smaller than before, so what had been our carry-ons now became luggage. There were multiple lines snaking back and forth in the security area and when we got to the front of the line we had to remove our shoes. Pat had put her lipstick in the baggage, but she had missed one lipstick tube. Bye bye, lipstick. Actually, the whole security process only took about a half an hour.
In the departures area, I spotted a pub where three of us had a nice ploughman's lunch with beer, and Paulette had a "toastie." We then wandered to kill time. I bought two Robert Harris novels that Pat Davies had suggested. When we boarded our plane we sat ... and sat ... and sat. We learned that some passengers had got their luggage aboard but they had not come on board so the luggage had to be removed. By then we had lost our place in the line for takeoff. After a seemingly endless flight to Calgary, we drove home.
Conclusions:
I liked all of the cruise stops but I would not be eager to return to Helsinki or Tallinn. To me, Norway was the biggest pleasant surprise, but my top three would be St. Petersburg, Copenhagen, and Stockholm. In St. Petersburg, my most pleasant surprise was the interior of St. Isaac's Cathedral. I would like to have seen inside the Church on Spilled Blood.
My greatest dislike was the commercial aspect of the cruise ship. Everything was designed to take our money to the point I felt they were specialized pickpockets. I would like to try avoiding cruises for a while, and then I might well choose a different cruise line, preferably one with smaller ships.
In London, my biggest pleasant surprise was Buckingham Palace. I dislike all the money that resides within the system and I dislike the class system that was established because of the monarchy (we saw ugly remnants of it on an earlier trip). I would like to have seen more of the grounds. My top three would be seeing "Momma Mia," the Globe Theatre tour, and St. Paul's Cathedral (closely followed by the British Museum). I thought that the Victoria and Albert Museum, the National Gallery, and the London Eye were well worthwhile, and that the Big Bus tour and river cruise added interest and orientation.
I found Covent Garden and the Tate Modern somewhat disappointing, but of course my greatest disappointment was not seeing the British Library (my fault - I did think it was close to the British Museum, perhaps because of a map early in Rick Steeves' London 2005). Pat thought that London was very expensive in our dollars, but still a wonderful city to visit.
Another time I would take some tours out of London, such as Greenwich and Windsor (Pat adds Kew Gardens and Hampton Court), and I would love to re-visit Bath and York, though the latter is further afield. Cambridge was good, too.
We found the truth in the old adage: "Take fewer things and more money." We should have taken more American cash, since it was commonly used in Russia and Estonia, and we brought home clothes that we never wore.
Kate Brookfield was too busy to write more about their family trip to Scotland this week, so Shirley Hargreaves' story is appearing earlier than scheduled:
For Canadians looking for an interesting vacation, the one taken by Shirley in August would be ideal, as it does not involve passports or exorbitant medical insurance:
HAIDA GWAII
The bus for Mandate Tours took us over the Second Narrows bridge and on the highway through North Vancouver. The day was cloudy with showers, and clouds with misty edges hung over the mountains. There were silver steaks on the water, and now and then the sunlight would break through in a lemon-coloured streak. Clouds hung low over Bowen Island in the distance, but as we drove east they evaporated.
The Chief, the third-highest free-standing rock in the world, had climbers near the top. Only Ayers Rock in Australia and Gibraltar are higher. For views of the Chief and surrounding areas, go to http://www.stawamuschiefpark.ca/
The guide, Cheryl, pointed out interesting points with names and comments. We passed Furey Golf Course, Britannia Mines, Daisy Lake, and Brandywine Falls. It is a familiar drive to me but it was the first time I had been over it since improvements were made for Olympic traffic.
By the time we got to Whistler it was very pleasant. There we had an hour for lunch and exploring. Near the ski lift, cyclists, a youthful group in colourful outfits, were speeding over the downhill trails on their mountain bikes. After lunch I found the giant Inukshuk, official symbol of the 2010 Olympics: (http://arunaurl.com/3mga). Nearby Mt. Curry is the centre for helicopter skiing and snowmobile trails. Two million tourists visit every year.It was new territory for me after Pemberton. We drove through a Salish reserve with a little river on one side and ranches and meadows on the other. Then came a steady climb with hairpin curves and steep inclines, the Duffy Lake Pass. I enjoyed the changes in plant life as we gained altitude. Reforestation continues to repair the damage caused by avalanches, landslides, fire, and logging. Now they plant a variety of seedlings to maintain the natural balance of species. We had a splendid view of the Joffre Lake glaciers from the highway. At Cayoosh Pass the mountains had been scored by many avalanches and dead trees marked their trails.
We drove along the edge of Duffy Lake, the cloud shadows making patches of dark on the light sides of the mountains. A natural dam has accumulated with logs at the exit of the lake, creating a habitat for many animals. At the summit we paused for a photo break at the edge of the lake and then began the descent. The climate on this side of the Coastal Range is very dry and soon we encountered smoke from forest fires.
The driver stopped the bus at Lillooet for a break. The highway serves as the main street of this little town. It is clean and well painted in bright colours. This was the home town of Judge Begbie, the Hanging Judge of pioneer days. There is a collection of old things in a basement museum, and a plaza with huge jade stones and flower beds. I walked a few blocks to stretch my legs and took some pictures in the sunshine.
Back on the bus, we drove by Pavillion Lake. It is home to a unique type of fresh-water coral which scientists come to study. The formations of stone alongside the highway were also very unusual: they looked like "chimneys" - tall, narrow towers, as if a softer stone had eroded, leaving only a core.
Our guide talked about the gold rush to the Fraser, and the unsuccessful attempt to use camels as pack animals. We drove by a series of alkaline lakes and a huge gravel pit on reserve land. The smoke grew denser as we approached Clinton, where we settled in our motel. I looked around another museum of old stuff, including a square grand piano and a pump organ. We had an excellent dinner and settled in for our first night at Caribou Lodge.
The next morning I went for a little walk after breakfast. This town, also, had the highway for its main street. The air was heavy with forest fire haze; the sky was grey with smoke and the sun was an orange ball. We continued north and drove for long stretches of highway bordered by rolling brown hills, farmland, scarred woods, alkali ponds, pines devastated by pine beetles, fences old and new. We saw a beaver lodge in a lake. At one point the borders of the road had been sown with oats, which were now golden.
Nearing 100 Mile House, we passed several industrial sites. One was producing R.V.s and trailers, another was building log homes. Here they build structures to the customers’ specifications, dismantle them, ship them to location, and construct them again on site. The U.S. and Japan are the largest customers for these houses.
The next stop was 108 Mile House. A large parking lot and visitor centre gave us a chance to get out of the bus. While we were parked, some cowboys across the road drove a herd of cattle to new pasture. Then we continued past deserted ranches, dilapidated buildings, yards full of junk, gullies, meadows, birches, pines, and brown grass.
We stopped at the Visitor Centre at Williams Lake. It is a new modern building, three storeys high, made of huge logs and surrounded by beautiful flowers.
The next stop was Quesnel. Historically, this city was the stepping stone to Barkerville and the gold rush. We had a good lunch in the reception hall of the Billy Barker Hotel. We spent time in a very interesting museum. They have collected a lot of old stuff: "Fun with Dick and Jane", dental equipment I remembered from my childhood, and tools of many trades. I felt they should have a chair to display me! I was more interested in some sedimentary rocks which had been formed by the weight of water and sculpted by water currents into unusual shapes. The street corner fire hydrants are unique - painted to look like little men.It was a short drive to Prince George. This city is located at the junction of the Fraser and Nechako Rivers. I ate at Tim Hortons’ and caught up on my sleep at Coast Inn of the North. The next morning we would board "The Skeena", VIA Rail to Prince Rupert.
To be concluded.
CORRESPONDENCE
Pat Moore writes: I laughed when I read Jean's editorial re plastic bags when she mentioned "Spam". When I was in San Francisco the last time we went out for dinner at a lovely restaurant. They served a "Canadian appetizer", so of course we had to try it - $12.95 just for the appetizer!
And it turned out to be a small wedge of Spam covered with crumbs and deep fried in oil! (We asked to see the chef.)
Zvonko Springer forwards these examples of signs in Europe to help English-speaking tourists:
ENGRICH IN WESTERN EUROPE
Cocktail lounge, Norway: Ladies are requested not to have children in the bar.
Airline ticket office, Copenhagen: We take your bags and send them in all directions.
Hotel, Vienna: In case of fire, do your utmost to alarm the hotel porter.
At a Budapest zoo: Please do not feed the animals. If you have any suitable food, give it to the guard on duty.
Hotel lobby, Bucharest: The lift is being fixed for the next day. During that time we regret that you will be unbearable.
Doctor's office, Rome: Specialists in women and other diseases.
A laundry in Rome: Ladies, leave your clothes here and spend the afternoon having a good time.
In an Italian cemetery: Persons are prohibited from picking flowers from any but their own graves.
Hotel brochure, Italy: This hotel is renowned for its peace and solitude. In fact, crowds from all over the world flock here to enjoy its solitude.
In a Swiss Mountain inn: Special today - No ice cream.
On the menu of a Swiss restaurant: Our wines leave you with nothing to hope for.
A sign posted in Germany's Black Forest: It is strictly forbidden on our Black Forest camping site that people of different sex, for instance, men and women, live together in one tent unless they are married with each other for this purpose.
A sign seen on an automatic restroom hand dryer in Germany: Do not activate with wet hands.
On the grounds of a private school in Scotland: No trespassing without permission.
Hotel elevator, Paris: Please leave your values at the front desk.
In Eastern Europe:
Hotel, Yugoslavia: The flattening of underwear with pleasure is the job of the chambermaild.
In the lobby of a Moscow hotel across from a Russian Orthodox monastery: You are welcome to visit the cemetery where famous Russian and Soviet composers, writers, and artists are buried daily except Thursday.
Hotel catering to skiers, Austria: Not to perambulate the corridors in the hours of repose in the boots of ascension.
Taken from a menu, Poland: Salad from a firm's own make; limpid red beet soup with cheesy dumplings in the form of a finger; roasted duck let loose; beef rashers beaten in the country people's fashion.
From the "Soviet Weekly": Here will be a Moscow exhibition of arts by 15,000 Soviet Republic painters and sculptors. These were executed over the past two years.
On the door of a Moscow hotel room: If this is your first visit to the USSR, you are welcome to it.
Tourist agency, Czechoslovakia: Take one of our horse-driven city tours. We guarantee no miscarriages.
FROM THE EDITOR'S DESKTOP
You will remember that last week I was wondering how I could dispose of garbage without using plastic bags. With Kate Brookfield's help, I finally tracked down biodegradable bags that will fit in a kitchen trash can.
Kate suggested Lee Valley Tools, but on looking through their catalogue and subsequently talking to a young man in a local branch, I learned that their bio bags were too small to fit a trash can, but were meant for compost material.
One firm I contacted did not handle garbage bags at all, but they directed me to another one that did, BioBag.ca, but I found they do not sell retail. However, they directed me to London Drugs or Whole Foods, which do carry bio bags that will fit kitchen trash cans.
On investigation, I found London Drugs had two brands. Glad bags were pricey: almost $10 (including tax) for ten, which works out to $1.00 each. The other bags, slightly smaller, were 12 for about $7. That's over 50c a bag, but I suppose it's not too high a price to do away with plastic bags. In any case, many municipalities are making plastic bags illegal so substitutes have to be found, now or later.
Now when I carry my own shopping bags I will know that I am making one small effort to remove plastic bags from our garbage dumps and landfill - and oceans.
SUGGESTED WEBSITES
Bruce Galway forwards this link to an amazing dance video. I wish they had devoted more time to each dance instead of mixing them up, but certainly the dancing is amazing:
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For anyone interested in education, this video of a TED winner, Dave Eggers, who first established a unique tutoring centre for walk-in students in a pirates' den, is inspiring. His ideas have spread across the US and even reached Ireland:
You may also read this newsletter online at:
http://nw-seniors.org/stories.html
"If I were given the opportunity to present a gift to the next generation, it would be the ability for each individual to learn to laugh at himself." - Charles Schulz
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