(no subject)

[tree_and_leaf]

I had an unexpected trip to Reading, for boring and financial reasons, though I must say that the staff in the Reading branch are much politer, helpful and indeed better informed than the Oxford shower.

Reading itself is surprisingly interesting. There are the ruins of an enormous flint-built Clunaic abbey, which has weathered in such a way that it mostly looks like termite mounds, with a curious and well restored Victorian park in the middle of the remains, a preposterously large lion as a memorial to one of the Afghan campaigns, and Reading Gaol (now a young offenders institute) right next door. There are also rather nice walks down by the river Kennet.

All in all, I'm glad my bank business took me there: it's nowhere I would have thought of taking a trip to, but I think I might now go back when I have more time.



Guess what book all these people are reading?





The amazing Swedish Scout powered Big Wheel:



Other things you can do with black canvas: the very impressive Catholic 'church' (where I went to an Anglican communion, cue inevitable jokes about the Church of England's habit of nicking RC churches...)



Tree_and_leaf in a silly hat, standing next to a poster depicting the 0º monument in Ecuador (don't ask; it seemed to make the Ecuadorians happy to take it.)


Finally, I thought I'd post this picture of one of my colleagues with the fake fire we made while sending up the Jamboree organisers' health and safety mania.... simply because the young man in question seems to me to look alarmingly like the Master from that angle. I'm pretty sure he's not Gallifreyan, but that means so little these days...

Comments

[parrot-knight.livejournal.com]

Regarding the last picture, the Master is no doubt leaving us a clue to the circumstances of his escape from the flames at the end of Last of the Time Lords.

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes, very Master-ish!

[themolesmother.livejournal.com]

It's fascinating to see my former home town through the eyes of an outsider. Those of us who lived in Reading spent most of our time whingeing about its Saturday night drinking culture and the nightmare traffic on the Inner Distribution Road. It is good to be reminded that the town actually does have some rather nice bits.

My former theatre group stages an Open Air Shakespeare in the Abbey Ruins each year (this year's was Midsummer Night's Dream. The Abbey makes a splendid backdrop for the production.

Did you notice that the way the lion statue in the Fobury Gardens is standing is completely wrong? Apparently the sculptor only found out after they'd put it up and nearly died of embarassment.

MM

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

It sounds like a really fun occasion! I particularly liked the Scout-powered Big Wheel.

Scout uniform suits you, by the way.