SIT (Short Inklings Trip) 12

Transcribed from my on-location journal

6/12/12

After that, we broke off by interest. Dr and Mrs Poleynard walked out the farthest, Phylis made it to the garden, but Ross and sons, Mr Conley, Missy and Mark, and I all went to one particular cliff, one that Nate had climbed down two years ago.
I got down the grass by sliding on my hinter quarters, and down the shale in much the same way, taking over half an hour. Once the granite was splashed into more of a pumice thing, however, I decided that was too much for me and my grip-less shoes. I turned back to sit with Mark and John while Ross remained to watch for Missy and Nate. The three of us made our belabored way back up the grass and over onto the top, then all the way back down to the ticket booth. I watched the boys' stuff while they investigated another hill side and ruin, then the whole group met down on the beach in front of Merlin's cave around 4:50. I'm sorry I couldn't get pictures of any of that, but it was highly demanding, physically, and my camera slipped my mind as anything more than something not to lose.

After a short talk, Missy, Mark, Nate, and I went in the cave. I was cautious on the way in, being told that the water was extremely cold, but removed my shoes and splashed like a maniac on the way back out since the water was more than bearable. Indeed, it was a marvel I managed to get so far without wetting my shoes because the cave was more of a sea tunnel (complete with light from another mouth), ridge-filled and comprised entirely of steep rocks with seaweed garnish. Yes, we did make it all the way to the other side.

Once out again, Phylis and I took the land rover up (2 pounds!) because neither of us wanted to walk and I cut my foot on the beach somewhere (not in the cave, though). I bought my sister a ring at a sweet toy store, which I subsequently lost, and we all piled back in the group cars. Another minorly harrowing ride later, interspersed with nap time, we arrived at the Youth Hostel Association - approved hostel above Coverack.
We made and ate our various dinners, having stopped at a grocery store on the way. I had leftovers from lunch and Ross gave me some of his veggie skillet... thing. It was rather funny - the whole trip, my group kept trying to feed me! I'm a frugal shopper and eater, but I'm smart, too, I won't starve... at any rate, my group made sure.
We unpacked a bit then walked a footpath surrounded by vertical hedge and through a pony pasture in deep twilight. Phylis gave us a scare by walking funny on a particularly rough patch but was fine by the next morning. We discussed what to do the next day and went to our rooms.

Shop in Tintagel

Same shop, lookit the moss on the slate! Won't see that where I'm from.

Shops of Tintagel, including ide cream, three pubs, a boating and real estate place, and the toy shop where I bought the elusive ring.

The point we walked, taken the next (misty) morning.

SIT 11

Transcribed from my on-location journal

Very uneducated map of England: Hadrian's Wall, London, Bath, Tintagel, Coverack & Land's End

     A brief reminder: this is picking up in the middle of my lecture notes from the cliffs of Tintagel, in the middle of a huge castle ruin.

Is Arthur real?
- May have been, but been turned into a tall tale?
- Celtic true story because the Romans were leaving and invaders were coming in; Arthur had tactical training and brains from the Romans
- Not king by modern definition, more of a duke of war (early 400s) and only his generation
- France wrote some songs and turned him into a legend

 Theology of mythology: false label -- myths are inherently true at the bottom -- historical and cosmic truths -- Arthur's old tale is significant today in that Avalon cannot be seen by mortals -- Arthur never visibly died -- Brittan will only have peace when he returns -- messianic but not divine, still faith? -- Mostly disappeared into fantasy during Enlightenment (turn from faith to logic) -- Get God kick from it but no public congregations -- Modernly, people may think it's cool and good but not literally historical.

At this point, Mr Conley turned us loose on the park.

Nate, Ross, and John -- father and sons, taken by request

It may not look like much, but you try going down a forty-five degree incline covered in awkward grass clumps!

The conquest continues

Non-spectacular image of the rocky crags waiting for an unsuspecting head to dash

SIT 10

Transcribed from my on-location journal

The black figure is a 20-foot stick sculpture we drove past outside some apartments, the smaller drawing is the average view of village cathedrals from the highway.

To date, I have had 5 cups of tea in 2 days, including a hot coca, which is about five more than usual. John and Mr. Conley bought Mountain Dews at the rest stop. They have less than half the sugar but 560 grams of caffeine - more than a cup of Starbucks. Around 3:30 we drove through a wild mess of huge windmills and parked outside the village. Walked through Tintagel and down to the... trail head? I guess it was a trail head. We ate food at a restaurant several yards from the booth where visitors pay to get into the ruins. I ordered hominy pie and salad to go, so I received it in two paper bags.
One obnoxiously steep walk later, we looked over the ocean from a forty-degree difference (both horizontal and vertical). Many ruins, a well, some foundations, a couple of gardens, the main-attraction castle.

(Notes from Mr. Conley's lecture)
Myths: relative Uther Pendragon was going to kill Arthur as an infant. Merlin forsaw his might and getting the Saxons out, so rescued him and sailed out to sea.
Tolkien wanted to write England's myth, because the Saxons are the modern-day English, and the Britons are now the Welsh (oops).
Aragorn, Space Trilogy
Prince Caspian was rescued / shoo'd out by his mythical tutor
Charles Williams - self-taught on Dante, taught at Oxford and competed for student numbers with Tolkien. Tolkien had great content but rotten delivery.
Arthur and Excalibur and rock - necessary because no one wanted the bastard to do well
Guinhyvre & Lancelot were Arthur's downfall
Round Table &Camelot - reign of justice and equity instead of constant fighting
Renewal in 1900s of Arthur-mania
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, one of the most famous bits of legend descended intact, most reliable translation executed by Tolkien
Mary Stewdard - Crystal Caves, These Hollow Hills, etc
Many, many crows on this location, comes through in legends
Bernard Cornwell - cynic but good
Politics or Miracles? Lots of history hidden in here, but which bits?
This is where my notes turn to actual facts, and where this post turns to pretty pretty pictures.

 

Shore sure doesn't look like this over here!

Some train and wall and ex-cliff-house

Main castle ruins, also where the Inklings group settled for our talk

That yellow building is where we had lunch, and downward of it shows the waterfall and the two first pictures (zoomed in, yes),

Foundations, and more of those naturally-growing foxgloves of which I am so jealous.

SIT Entry 9

Transcribed from my on-location journal.

You been robbed: Ribbed storage unit on a work site

 
6/11/12

Dinner was grocer's rotisserie chicken, light-colored baked beans, corn, and ice cream treats on sticks. We talked about our Christian backgrounds. Sandra grew up "in the faith" as we say and her best friend worked on Graham for a few years.
After supper, I tried to upload the accent video for my friend and gave up on it after two hours. Because of that, I stayed up until 1 a.m. while Graham watched the Grand Prix in Canada. He and Missy had fun with accents and watched videos of sea snakes. Mom pinged me on Facebook and made sure my flight went well. I posted the first two entries in this blog and caught up on all the blogs I read ( cakewrecks.com, cracked.com, regretsy.com, lamebook.com, passiveaggressivenotes.com, epbot.com). After a shower, I checked in on Missy, who was still downstairs, and turned in.
Around 8:30, I heard the Shrubsoles go downstairs and ring the bell in their kitchen. I packed, dressed, ate breakfast (grits with a hint of jam, bread with butter and jam, tea and milk), cleaned up, and brought my bags downstairs.  Once Missy was ready, Graham took us down to the church-run coffee shop. Sandra was volunteering there and had left half an hour earlier.
The Inkling (and host) group gathered for coffee and tea and hot chocolate while Ross and Mr. Conley fetched the rented vehicles. I saw some neat flowers growing in front of the church Centre and took pictures of them for Missy because her camera wouldn't focus. Everyone hugged and loaded up. Mr. Conley drove Tam and Missy, Ross drove Dr. and Mrs. and Mark Poleynard, Phylis, John, Nate, and me. We got petrol, went on the M5, got snacks, and were on our way at 12:30.

An English Light Switch

SIT Entry 8.5

Transferred from my on-location camera... with a little editting.

Slightly suspect glass of Bath water

Awkward over-the-shoulder shot of the Pump Room

Le Tea. I'm fancy.

Shot from upper balcony of the Baths. I'd like an ice cream statue, too, please!

Since I forgot to take a picture of the pump itself, here's one from outside and across two courtyards...

Baths from the swimming floor, look up to see that balcony-thing.

That mythical, magical spring, supposedly brought about by Roman deities.

Swimming strictly not allowed by the museum but you can stick your whole hand in without anyone noticing. Not that I did, but you can.

Psych'd-up reflection in the water

Cathedral entrance is right across the square

Inside some exhibits that look out on the water

Main Pool

Pump room from bottom level

That beautiful red level occurred when the baths fell into disuse and the water's low exit was blocked, so it had plenty of time to mill around and deposit a skin of iron.

 

Short Inklings Trip (SIT) 8

Transcribed from my on-location journal

Pictures captioned "Young man on train with beer can and hand-rolled cigarette" and "Chimney piece in the Shrubsoles' neighborhood".

 At the Pump Room, we caused a minor kerfuffle by insisting the ten or so of us could all fit at one table (we really could) and ordering simultaneously. While we waited for our orders, I went to look at the pump from which they distribute Bath water at 50 p a glass. One of the hosting men bought one for me. It is served quite warm still (from the underground spring) and tastes solidly of sulfur and salt, with a hint of iron. I then washed away the water with a plain white tea and some milk - first time I'd used a tea strainer in a public setting, which made me feel decidedly fancy. Mrs. Poleynard gave me a bit of Bath bun with cinnamon butter and made me regret not having ordered one of my own.
At four pm, Dr., Mrs., and Mark Poleynard, and I went to the museum and baths proper next door. Not capitalized this time; they're baths, ta-da. The hosting crew was kind enough to foot our bill at the tea room and the Poleynards generously bought my admission to the museum (ten pounds, 25 p). We did pass a "Whittard's" on the way, though, and I mean to spend some money there since their tea smells and tastes like adult Kool-Aid - sort of a quietly sweet but definitely seasoned affair - and I want to bring some home for Mom & Dad. I went through the baths and snapped a lot of shots (pictures to follow in next post; this post is too long already) but didn't spend much time in one place. That turned out to be a good thing since my quick version lasted the whole hour until they closed and I had to double back and guiltily hurry the Poleynards on our way.
Missy joined us and I found our way back to the station. We boarded the train and the hand on my journal page sat across a table from me. After a bit of confusion we transferred and were back in Nailsea by 7:30.

SIT Entry 7

Transcribed from my on-location journal

 

Missy, Graham, Sandra, and I went back to the Shrubsoles' place for sandwiches. We passed the dentist, whose sign has a phone number, the dentist's name, and a motorcycle. Upon arrival, I had tuna and sweet corn with cucumber on part of a baguette. That same carbonated fruit drink from the welcome dinner (called Shloer) was served again - I recommend a sample. The real attraction, however, was a Kit-Kat bar. This was a special "chunky" edition with a single length divided in four, rather than four lengths side-by-side, and an extra-thick chocolate shell. That shell was wildly different from American chocolate. It was sweeter, oddly enough, and actual milk chocolate instead of brown wax. Mind you, this review is coming from a person who would regularly eat 80% cacao bars if given the chance! Still, I later bought some in the airport terminal and brought it as a birthday present for my friend Godith.
I shot an amateurishly cute video of Sandra and Graham explaining their origins for another friend (see entry 5.5), finished some laundry, and we left again, this time for the town of Bath.

After spending about five minutes watching my group leaders (sans Mr Conley - he stayed behind to do some reading) flail wildly at the ticket dispenser, we saw an express train whiZZZzzz by us. Once we caught our breath, the whole Inklings group and our host families caught the local to Bath. The safety and operation signs are printed without words and using the most universal symbols they could think of, so naturally half of them don't make much sense. When the conductor checks your ticket, you have to cough up the return slip for inspection, too.
It was drizzling in Nailsea but looked to be drier as we went. My nose had been pestering me about not giving it two weeks warning before moving on, but it was learning to behave itself as well. In Bath, we dallied across from the station while Nate and John dashed ahead to the Baths and Royal Crescent. Tamara broke off to go shopping and Missy accompanied her to the Jane Austen display. I and the remaining Poleynards went to the Pump Room tea room.

A small collection of roughly 1/3 the tickets I required for the National Rail