Spanspek

The BA flight we boarded this morning took off 90 minutes late. The captain stated that all electronic systems would have to be shut down and rebooted. Sometimes, he said, "we have to control-alt-delete".

I really hope aeroplanes don't run on Windows. (That's not a joke.)

Today we visited Greenwich. Sue and Kiera made it to the meridian but we all visited the National Maritime Museum. Daniel was a bit ratty so we ended up eating there rather than finding a local pub to sink a soothing ale.

That's one of the ambitions I had for this trip: to sit in a pub and have a local ale. The other was to treat my mother to churros and hot chocolate (or coffee) in Spain. it didn't quite work out that way.

Today is my birthday. I have been reminded of it several times over the past few days and it is always a little surprising as it's the last thing I've been thinking about.

Daniel announced that he was giving me a new laptop. I suspect there's a certain amount of self-interest there because he mentioned specifically that it starts up "really, really fast". That way he can begin watching Thomas the Tank Engine or Thunderbirds on Youtube, or start playing his Pippi Longstocking CD-ROM sooner!

A new laptop would be very nice, but it's the sort of item I would really want to get myself. It's of too great a value for a gift. I'd want to feel I'd earned it.

The major tour for today was the Tower of London. Like many sites in Spain, it's difficult to appreciate the immense history of the place.

The succession of British kings and occasional queen is a lot more straightforward than the Arab and Moorish conquests and the subsequent establishment and unification by the Spanish kingdoms.

The site was established by the Romans, used by William the Conqueror,and then much expanded by the Plantagenets and the Tudors. It comprises several palaces and armories. However, it's not been used as a palace for three centuries. The Crown Jewels have been on display for all of that time. It's now a marvellous museum.
The major exhibition at the moment is entitled Henry VIII: Dressed to Kill. Daniel really liked seeing all that armour.

There was a demonstration in the moat (now filled in) of siege machines used in the 13th and 14th centuries. The audience was invited to participate. Daniel, on my shoulders, was made Captain of the marauding French army and shouted "Havoc!" with great gusto. Other children volunteered to die horrible deaths as they "sacked the walls" and were repulsed by the Tower's defenders.

Two teams, men and women, operated the perrier. The men flung a pig's bladder (well, a water-filled balloon) a good distance. The women managed to drop one straight down. Much merriment was had but it emphasized the point that the machines were very dangerous.

I'm so over Michael Jackson and his fans. Let's get some perspective, here people. He was a weird due who did a lot of weird, and quite probably disgusting, stuff.

Remember when he was black (and apparently happy in that state)?