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Le Weekend
It was the UK Bank Holiday today. I had great plans for it, but it mostly revolved around writing and reading pretentious Proust stories in the garden. Oh, well.
The weekend played host to various festivals through Britain, so Mary and I went to have a looksee at the Mathew Street festival in Liverpool. There were the usual things; the Beatles tributes, live Irish music in the bars. We had a drink at The Cavern and met a sweet German tourist who asked us things about the city. Er, that we most didn't know the answers to.
We went to the fayre, as well, and probably sustained severe brain damage from a hellish ride that involved bouncing us up and down extremely quickly, backwards and forwards. Hmph. The European markets were also in Liverpool for the festival, so we sampled Dutch cuisine, French and Italian biscuits and salami, ogled at the gorgeous Spanish guy who was giving out free paella and educating us just how to say "chorizo" properly, and politely turning down a weird concotion at the Swedish stall.
I also managed to pick up Antonia Fraser's biography of Marie Antoinette for £3.99, as well as some weird old book on symbology in world cultures. I really meant to read a good portion of these books today, but I seem to have done little but sit in the warm sunlight in the garden and check the BBC news for updates on that friggin' hurricane.
The lastest news I've read, from The Guardian, had this to say:
In New Orleans' historic French Quarter of Napoleonic-era buildings with wrought-iron balconies, water pooled in the streets from the driving rain, but the area appeared to have escaped the catastrophic flooding that forecasters had predicted.
On Jackson Square, two massive oak trees outside the 278-year-old St. Louis Cathedral came out by the roots, ripping out a 30-foot section of ornamental iron fence and straddling a marble statue of Jesus Christ, snapping off only the thumb and forefinger of his outstretched hand.
I'm torn between shaking my fist and being extremly grateful in the most selfish way that the French Quarter apparently escaped too much damage. Strangely, all it's done is make me look up flights to NO for next year (£280 from Manchester! Bargain!) and check out hostels there. New Orleans, why are you so tempting even in your er... stormy times?
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Spanish dude inserted the freaky "th" in chorizo, didnt he? snobs...*sneer*
Becky me do...mark my words *ominous echo* do not--i repeat DO NOT--even attempt to visit NO in the late spring or summer...white people will be melting, for certain...certain white people of uber-european-Britton-descent....
But let me know, and i'll totally meet you there!!
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Vera, he did, he did! He said it with a sexy rasp, though, so we'll let him off.
Oh, my uber-European-Briton-skin dunt like stifling heat. I guess, then, it would have to be autumn... er, though I'll be keeping an eye on the weather reports like a hawk. I'm still determined to do NYC for the musical, so yeah... it will be later in 2006 for New Orleans, I think.
Oh, you'd best be there! I want me my Vera tour guide. >:)
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I am glad to hear the reports that the Quarter seems to be holding up, though things are still sketchy since people are only just now beginning to venture outside again. I've been sick about it all day.
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True about the reports. I've been following it all day and checking different news sources that don't seem very consistent with each other. I even tried CNN's website, but was..er...confused by all those links.
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That is excellent.
What an idiot of a preacher. Why on earth does New Orleans deserve to be obliterated? Methinks someone is against the very concept of fun.
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I've booked a funky hotel for Venice-- at least, I think it is from the pictures I've seen. It's Hotel Saturnia, supposedly close to San Marco square.
I'm interested in any tips you have for the best sights, and even if you know of good restaurants we should check out. Definitely e-mail me any tips at my LJ address if you can help! :D
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WORD
I think I know which hotel you're speaking about... though I don't remember how it looks!
Well, I have tons of tips... Venice is my hometown after all! I can e-mail them to you, or we can chat on MSN or ICQ, if you use them. Anyway, if you agree, we can even meet when you come here. :)
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No bank holidays? No fayres with sexah Spanish people? NO BBC?! How do British expats survive over there? Ah, yes. It'll be the sexy weather and lovely beaches.
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They teach courses about the Romantics and refuse to see the irony in William Hazlitt.
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Oh, I went during the weekend, but I didn't have the energy to fight through the crowds yesterday, so opted for sunbathing in the garden instead. It was really good, though... a few changes (they didn't have the fayre on Chavasse Park) but it was really nice at the Pier Head.
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Thanks for the link, Cat!
Would you be at all interesting in Nawlins next October?
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We're going to be *so* broke in 2006.
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