From left to right: Stonehenge, Zalamanda, Bethnoir, distant hordes of tourists.
On Saturday, a small social gathering was convened on the once-hallowed grounds of the ancient monument known as Stonehenge. On this momentous occasion, I was greatly pleased to make the acquaintance, in person, of Bethnoir.
The event was everything it should have been; the sun shone, the crowds weren’t too excessive, the picnics were happily (if not fully) consumed, the children frolicked happily together, and the grown-ups had a lovely time chatting. Oh, and nobody put Spinal Tap on their compilation CDs. Or any songs about standing stones.
Fortunately, we both have children capable of acting as photographers. Less fortunately, the subjects proved difficult; in the above image (devoid of smaller children and random tourists), we are looking at the wrong camera!
Edit: Apparently, music is required. The track I wanted isn’t on YouTube, but who needs the video?
Who cares where all the money went? Well… English Heritage snaffled a fair few pennies for admission. But I don’t really care. Right now I’m everso slightly regretting not having featured floral decorations as part of the outing (but the children were enjoying playing with the plentiful chalk).
It is a lovely photograph ! ! ! But actually you should not usually look at the camera directly with you face for a good photograph so looking at the wrong camera was not so bad a mistake ! ! !
It must have been a lovely day ! ! !
The weather here has been unseasonally gorgeous, Sakura-chan.
(We had our first garden barbecue of 2012 over the weekend.) So I’m not surprised to read this, but it’s lovely to read of a sunny picnic [mini-]Social.
Butbutbut . . . no musical accompaniment to the thread, Amanda?
Couldn’t you find anything “sunny” enough in your shared Goth collections?
* red rag / bull – sits back and waits *
Oh Wow ! ! ! it must have been very nice if you could have a barbecue ! ! !
It was raining here today but I think it will be nicer in the next days.
Spring is starting to come now and soon we will have the cherry flowers ! ! !
the sakura are just starting to come out in my garden now……it should be lovely in a couple of weeks or so….!
I didn’t realise I needed a musical accompaniment… Sunny. Goth-associated. l can do that.
Post duly edited.
Ooh, I like that! Very smooth. But allmusic says the sound quality on that live album stinks, and Daisychains is certainly rather echo-ey-space-y-iffy. Is it worth further investigation from someone whose fave AAE album is Scarlet & Other Stories?
Hmmm. Much as I’d love to encourage you, there is an issue with the sound quality. I don’t find it too disturbing, but I’m not the fussiest of listeners when it comes to the finer points of recording. However, Cinemasonic is the only place that you’ll find a licit recording of “Daisychains”, or of the rather ace Bowie cover, “Life on Mars”. “Let Me Go Home” was released as a single and is also on Keepsakes.
OK. So you don’t want Spinal Tap………………..
How about this then ?
(Nice pikkie by the way)
That’s just a little bit silly.
Yep!
the picture is great…..the blue sky and green grass are beautiful….makes me a little homesick !
Incidentally, it is probably worth pointing out that The Hat was worn very deliberately to aid recognition. Apparently, it worked!
Lovely picture, you two. And it looks like a very enjoyable day. I enjoyed the song.
This reminds me, that recently Treefrogdemon and TatankaYotanka and I met in Oxford and never mentioned it. Until now…
I think we need a write up SpottedRichard! Were photos taken and CDs exchanged? I am enjoying the one Zala made for the occasion at the moment.
I like how you are purposefully looking away from Stonehenge. As if there is something even more impressive in the other direction. *Pah, THAT old thing, etc…*
nice write up, Zala, it was indeed a pleasure to meet you and the hat was very helpful for recognition purposes.
I think the many other visitors and general ‘thou shalt not’ aspects of the Stonehenge experience made it difficult to feel very attached to it, we made more of a connection to the Cursus Barrows on Stonehenge Down, a small distance away from the henge itself. I took some photos, which are on facebook, but I don’t know how to add them here.
We shall have to meet up somewhere less well known next time
By the way, whatever happened to the planned Westcountry meet up at Abahachi’s place?
My first-time visitor perspective? A little bit like visiting a very popular stately home, but outdoors. l got over-exposed to National Trust houses in my youth and have, ever since (and possibly before), preferred ruins. Ruins generally are more amenable to wandering around.
In the case of Stonehenge, you follow the prescribed path along with everyone else, you politely refrain from leaping over the rope barrier, and you have the disconcerting feeling that you’re doing little more than “ticking off” a famous landmark.
Still. Box ticked. Lovely day. Next time we drive past, I won’t feel as if I’ve missed out on something… Although I do now know that there is quite a lot of potential (and free!) wandering over the surrounding landscape to be done…
“…whatever happened to the planned Westcountry meet up at Abahachi’s place?”
That would be an excess of the more complicated bits of life, I’m afraid, and it doesn’t seem to be getting any less complicated in the medium term, but I will seriously try to get my act together. When would be good for people? July or September?
probably September for me, but I’m sure I could make a space in July if that suited other people.
it doesn’t have to be at your place though, we could meet up at Blaise Castle or something if that would be less complicated/hassle for you
September preference for me, please. July looking busy (more domestic & voluntary than money-earning, sadly), and the later September would give me more opportunity to work on getting some work down that way again (lost my handy Chepstow customer, unfortunately).
Yeah, that worked. Here’s what you do:
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The above is one of my totally touristy I’ve-never-been-to-Stonehenge-before photo’s from Facebook.
I’ll try a photo of one of the Cursus barrows with my sons discussing spell casting on top of it.
Oh I must have done that wrong, here’s a link to the album the Stonehenge photos are in anyway.
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150640621320739.451894.662975738&type=1&l=da7e3a36f0
Jealous!
That’s my part of the world (or used to be)! Stonehenge isn’t the greatest visitor experience, but still a marvellous moment every time you drive past it. Would recommend a visit to Avebury though.
A few years ago I was an extra in an archaeology documentary, where they wanted a recreation of a few seconds’ worth of some druidic ritual of dubious historical accuracy. We got to spend all night filming in among the stones, with no English Heritage guards around to tell you off for getting to close to them. That was rather special.
we prefer Avebury too, but my children hadn’t visited Stonehenge, thought they ought to. Stanton Drew is our local stone circle, I’m glad it isn’t as popular as Stonehenge. I understand why visitors have to be controlled, there were lots of us, but it makes it takes something away.
Your druidic experience sounds fun.
Avebury is nice, but it is getting more popular. l was rather annoyed when I got there (around 5 years ago) and discovered (a) that you had to pay for the car park – an innovation for that year – and (b) I didn’t have the right coins. And there were no signs of anywhere to acquire coins. So I ended up driving to the village, where l bought stuff to get change.
Nice pic, glad you had a good day.
Nice to see you both!
Let me know if you’re doing Blaise Castle, I might be able to wrangle a visit to my brother.
that would be a long way for Zalamanda, I think.
Blaise Castle was a random thought, I was trying to think of a way for the more westerly people to get together without anyone having to go to a lot of effort with catering or anything. The ‘all meeting somewhere to picnic’ worked wonderfully for us at Stonehenge. Perhaps Roy Harper will play somewhere nice in the summer? (optimistic thought, I know, but I haven’t seen him for 10 years and I’d love to)
Roy Harper
End of the Road Festival
Larmer Tree Gardens
Dorset
31st August
Kind of packed with Spill/RR favourites actually
Taking my
oooh!
That festival looks fantastic. So does the one in Kent. Don’t think I’ll be going to either though
Look, if money is an issue, I can probably … check for you and see if there is a senior’s discount
I thought you were going to treat us all to tickets for a minute there, tincanman. I would fancy End of the Road if I had limitless funds, babysitters and time, that is a great line up.