Here in the UK we have just had four days of celebrations for the Queen's Jubilee. Months ago, my sister suggested we stay overnight in London to go and see the Pageant along the Thames. As the day grew nearer I began to wonder whether it was such a good idea. There would be crowds, transport would be difficult, what would the weather be like? But these were all concerns, the stuff of everyday life and what the Pageant and the Jubilee celebrations offered was a chance to step OUT of the ordinary and to indulge in a little excitement, a soupcon of romance. In the end, there were millions of people in London, trains were packed to the gills and the weather was foul - cold and incredibly wet. But, the Jubilee delivered totally and utterly because it did give us the opportunity to step out of our routines, to see amazing things, connect with some different people and all in a positive way. It really struck me that the news was full of fun people, exciting happenings in which we could all take part whether that was by going up and waving our flags, having a party with friends and neighbours or watching on the tv. I think the ability to step out of real life for a time is also what readers and we writers get out of pocket novels. We get to 'know' new people in the characters, we get to go to interesting places we might never visit in real life and what's more we get to go there in safety. For Pocket Novel world is a safe place - we know there won't be any gruesome murders or hideous happenings! London and in fact the whole country felt safe and very friendly during the Jubilee. We connected with neighbours and strangers and despite the massive crowds, everyone got on marvellously.
We also saw some wonderful boats which took part in the Pageant. The boat at the top is Tenacious, the largest wooden boat built in England in the last 100 years. It has been designed to help disabled people go sailing and is huge, taking a crew of 40 able bodied and 20 disabled crew. The one below that though, The Matthew was the one I loved for its romantic look. It's very small, dwarfed by the other tall ships which took part in the Pageant, but it was just like I imagine a pirate boat would look. It's a replica of a caravel which sailed the seas searching for a sea route to the orient in 1497 and instead discovered north America. Seeing it floating on the Thames gave me an idea for a pocket novel which I must now go off to jot down before I forget it! How did other people spend their jubilee?
Wow sounds good! After the celebrations I am just in awe of the queen! What a lady!!!
ReplyDeleteI had the same concerns are you...how busy would it be, worrying about transport (especially as I had heard some pretty bad stuff about people being stuck over night on the tube on the paper!!) - However, the tubes were not that bad and got me from my lovely London serviced apartment to Buckingham palace fine!! We stayed from Friday night to last night - which I think was a little long, but it was a great trip. We literally followed the Queen wherever she went! Including Derby and the Jubilee concert - LOVE ROBBIE WILLIAMS!
You really did do the whole shebang Alice, I admire your staying power! Everybody at work this morning was talking about how positive it all was and how the Bank Holidays had given them time to chat to the neighbours and cook special stuff for each other. I've yet to see the concert but I'm sure they'll be screening it again some time. Madness on the roof of the Palace sounds like fun!
ReplyDeleteGreat post! It was a fabulous weekend - I watched it all on TV up here in Scotland loved every minute. No one else could do it so well! Good analogy with the world of Pocket Novels.
ReplyDeleteThanks Rosemary. I couldn't help thinking when I heard the news this morning with its grinding reports of mayhem and misery how it was nice to get away from the real world for a while. You can't live your whole life in a fantasy world but having one to go to does help to lighten things! They seemed to be having some great street parties in Edinburgh AND the sun was shining.
ReplyDeleteA wonderful bank holiday weekend. So pleased you've got a pocket novel idea from it as well, Cara.
ReplyDeleteWe had a lovely time watching it from home. I loved the fly past and the balcony appearance and the concert. I horrified everyone by singing along to All My Loving. I could remember the words after all these years. It brought back happy memories. A lovely weekend.
DeleteWe watched it all from the comfort of our own home too, and had a marvellous time. I loved the fly past and the balcony appearance. I think these sorts of things we as a country do really well. I loved the concert too and to everyone's horror at home I was singing along to All My Loving. I could still remember the words after all these years. It quite brought back my own misspnt youth. A lovely weekend.
ReplyDeleteSorry I seem to have come up twice. Anyway it proves what a good weekend I had.
ReplyDeleteThanks Patricia. Just goes to show ANYTHING can give you ideas when the brain's receptive. Margaret, I think you may have got the best deal, we actually saw more of the boats the day after when we wandered down the Thames, in the sun and saw some of the boats close up. There was also a terrific programme last night about the Thames barges with Gryff Rhys Jones. They are superb boats with fascinating histories and my hubby and I had our wedding reception on one of them, floating from Tower Bridge down to Greenwich. They used to take goods to London from Ipswich and everywhere in between. Very romantic, meandering their way from country to town.
ReplyDeleteLiving at the bottom of the world and being a UK Commonwealth country, we shared the Jubilee here in Australia via television and enjoyed watching the river parade, church service, concert and the masses of people joining in and celebrating in person in London. Brought back memories of our trips to London and my favourite bridge, Tower Bridge, like a piece of gorgeous Wedgewood, and our ride on the London Eye. Great times...and as you said Cara, moments of wonderful escape from ordinary life. Like reading. :)
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