Just got back from the UK.
Went to Nottingham. Yeh. Shire. Everyone is too delighted to see each other in a pub at the end of the day. Still, worse social norms, by far, than this...
Went to their castle.
The gate keeper of the castle apologized that some small display of art was all they had to share for lost tourists today, and gave me a drink ticket (?!). I had a free glass of okay red and looked at stuff dumbly, an uncultured troll.
Looking out over the castle's walls, you can see the whole of the shire, and you think: All monarchs -- without exception -- deserve the guillotine.
This is just way too much for any one class of inbred hemophiliacs to wake up to each day, yawning lazily, while the peasants die in their fields.
Johnny R. was right. He saw the truth of it and spoke to power.
Missed out on the famous forest of legend, but overall (notwithstanding realllly terrible allergies), the rolling green hills, the flowers, the trees, and so forth, were worth the sinus-swollen trip.
Bought a very stupid, never to be worn, green archer's cap at the castle gift shop.
Took the tube to Camden.
Ignored the "World's End" (the "s" had fallen off?), and instead went to some other pub less than 25 feet from there. Had a double vodka (smelled of juniper berries... was suspicious, but in keeping with the Brits', cowardice/politeness, chose to not be rude and complain), a double Maker's Mark (mmmm), a pint of 1664, and a surprisingly good, small, wood fired pizza.
Never made it to the Underworld (right next door, but too early in the day, so no time for whatever might have been going on later that evening).
Wanted to check out the Queen's Head, but waaaay too far away, (tho' sounded like a really good venue). Again, ran out of time.
Traveling is horrible, and not for poor trash, like me.
It's too much work, takes too long, and you are never, ever, physically comfortable, not even when you get to wherever you convinced yourself (imbecilically, daydreming) where you wanted to go. Even then, you have to forget about the adventure, brace for the imminent re-pack, and the miserable, sleepless return rip.
Missed the Aggrolites by a day or two.
Oh well. Short trip. A goodwill mission to our original keepers...
That said, and in keeping with the thread:
LKJ also spoke right an' true to power.
Bumbaclots.
Freezing rain and wind in May.
Feh.
Anyway, hadn't been there before, so no complaints (other than those lodged already...)
Cheers (?)