Re: Vickie's report (Extremely long-please forgive me!)

[derek%sunstroke@sdsu.edu (Derek Langsford)]

Forgive you for a wonderful report - why!

>Really-From: katefans@world.std.com (Chris'n'Vickie of Chicago)

>Our trip to England was wonderful.

Glad you enjoyed it.  As a Brit in the US I am always curious to find out 
people's experiences and perceptions of my homeland. 

>It was light when we were getting close to London and the clouds parted to 
let >us see the beautiful countryside. We were overwhelmed at how GREEN it is.
>Seriously, we honestly didn't expect it to be so colorful this late in
>the year. We held hands as the plane began descent and kept sqeezing 
>harder and harder the closer to the ground we got. When we touched down
>I started crying. England! (OHMYGODI'MINENGLAND!!)

After summer the temperatures cool and it rains (even) more and the grass 
springs back to life before the winter sets in.  The hedgerows and trees are 
pretty dead but the fields remain verdent.  Do you understand KaTe's "Oh 
England, My Lionheart" a little better now?  It gives the natives a "gooey" 
inner feeling especially when we are away from home.        

>The first thing I bought when we got off the plane was a Kit-Kat (Kate's
>favorite snack) and I was suprised at the red packaging. If I'd known
>that they look different over there I'd have brought some American Kit-Kats
>with me to give to Kate. They taste the same though-yum!

Really.  I have always thought that UK versions of sweets (candies) have 
better tasting chocolate than their US counterparts.  At least those from 
Hersheys.    

>We met up with Ed & Larry and rode the train into Victoria Station. On the
>way there we were joking about how EVERYTHING looked wonderful ("what a
>beautiful embankment" "what interesting brick" "what a fantastic ditch")
>even though we could see why Prince Charles is so pissed off about the
>ugly Bahaus architecture. :-)

It must be quite amazing to see all the stonework rather than wood 
construction if you haven't seen it before. 


> We saw Ghost, of all things, but it was interesting seeing
>it in such a HUGE theater (the Empire) and seeing the big differences
>between English and American movie theaters. 

I hear multiplexes are the trend as well in the UK now.  Long live the BIG 
screen and 70mm.

>Chris and I found a wonderful fish & chips shop in Leicester Square. I've
>become addicted to fish & chips-now I have to find a place in Chicago
>that makes them English style.

Mind the calories and cholesterol and the lack of vitamins:)

> Watching TP in England was definitely one of the major highlights of the 
>trip! I'm certain that Kate watches it. It's exactly the kind of thing she 
>would LOVE!!!!

Was it on the BBC or ITV?  If it was the BBC there would have been no 
commercial breaks - like watching it on PBS - wonderful!

FYI, as of last week (24th Nov) Julee Cruise was up from number 35 to number 
11 in the UK chart with "Falling" - Yeah!

> We went to Oxford Street and visited the most wonderful store in the 
>Universe (almost)-the Virgin Megastore! I could have spent two days and very 
>large amounts of money in there-if I'd had either.

What you resisted using plastic?  I always get carried away - all those 
wonderful hard to get CDs - importland magic and a big Visa bill:(.
 
> Chris and I both fell in love with London and it's a shame we had to leave 
>just as we were starting to figure it all out.

I take it you'll get beck again someday then.  I am so glad you enjoyed it.  
It's not for everyone but it is something special indeed.  Reading your report 
made me feel very homesick.   

>To those who couldn't make it, I know most of you would have gone if you
>could have afforded it &/or had been able to get the time off work or
>school. You were in our hearts.

Thank you, thank you.  Maybe us unlucky folk can make it over for a concert 
next year.  Maybe we will be able to see her here in the US saving us a trip.

Thank you Vickie for a real good read.

Derek
_____________________________________________________________________________
Derek Langsford                 | "It could take me all my life,
Polperro->Edinburgh->San Diego  |  or it could only take a moment..."
derek@sunstroke.sdsu.edu        |                  Kate Bush, Love & Anger  
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