Bethany in the UK: Roald Dahl Museum & Spamalot

Experiences dating from Tuesday, May 27, 2008 - first 1/2 of Wed

Forgive me for not updating directly after Tuesday, but it was a very full day and I crashed into my bed at the end of it, knowing I would have a bit of free time this afternoon to write.

We began yesterday around 9:30, finding our way on the tube to yet another train station. Depending on where you are headed, there are different stations in London you would leave from. We were headed for Great Missenden, to visit the Roald Dahl museum and visit the site where he lived. As it turns out, Roald hated museums, so this one, you might imagine, was a bit different. Our guide escorted us first to the loos, but along the way we passed a door that smelled of chocolate!.. (Roald Dahl is the author/inventor of the famous Willie Wonka). Our guide than took us to a room upstairs for a lecture presentation about Roald Dahl. I thought it was fabulous! We learned of his antics as a boy, and how was also nicknamed “boy,” being the brother to four girls. We also learned of his time as a fighter pilot and the crash that ended his military career. The incident also began a new path for Roald, as he authored an article for a newspaper, mostly as a propaganda piece. I also really enjoyed hearing stories about him as a father. When you read his literature, you see some of his fatherly personality in certain characters.

After the lecture, we toured around the museum a bit which was full of interesting artifacts and activities for the visitors. The aim of the museum is to inspire the kids to read and write themselves, to participate in the art and in the museum. For instance, the kids can write book ideas, create words, drawings, or make recommendations for books (which are sometimes placed by the corresponding book in the gift shop.) There was also a replica of his “hut,” which he used as a quiet place to do his work in. There were several odd things in that room, which just added to the peculiar, yet charming man he seemed to be

The museum is located in the village that he grew up in, so we were given a walking tour of the town and some of the significant landmarks to Dahl’s work. This was easily my favorite part of the day! First, we strolled down the block to a library where our guide read us a selection from Matilda. Next, we walked to the Red Pump Garage, which was inspirational to the Filling Station in Danny Champion of the World. The Crown House was the basis for the orphanage featured in the BFG. Once we were finished on that block of town, we turned down a road and walked up a hill where a castle-like church began to emerge from behind the trees. This was the church where Roald Dahl worshipped and was later buried in 1990. His gravesite was the most interesting and precious one I have ever seen! Nearby the grave, there is a tree, surrounded by a circular bench with his children’s names on each seat. This bench is situated on a circular concrete slab with the engraving around it from his book The Giraffe, and the Pelly, and Me, “We have tears in our eyes as we wave our goodbyes, We so loved being with you, we three. So please now and then come and see us again, the Giraffe and the Pelly and me.” Not far from this special tree, there were also stone-footprints, resembling the BFG, that you could follow from there to the grave. I thought it was a very special way of honoring Roald Dahl and I was so glad to have shared in it. After this stop, we walked a good bit to get to the “Gipsy House,” which is where Roald Dahl’s family lived. Along the way, we passed under a bridge, learning that Roald Dahl used to take his kids there at night to tell them scary stories. Once we got there, it was hard to see because of all the plants and shrubbery. There was a little footpath in front of their property that was full of life with plants. We walked down that way a bit, peaking through the overgrowth of bushes to catch a glimpse of the house and gipsy caravan in his yard. It was pretty amazing to see where he had lived, but I have been continually impressed at the everyday inspirations these famous authors used. It’s the theme I’m running with for my paper too!

After the museum, we hopped back on a train to London and had class for a good chunk of our day, discussing family themes from some of our required literature. Later, a group of about 8 of us went out to grab a bit to eat before going to see Spamalot. For those of you who are monty python fans, it is very similar to that, but in a musical format. Personally, it would not have been my first choice, as I would much rather have seen Les Miserables or Phantom of the Opera. This particular play was full of comedy, but half of the comedy I didn’t really appreciate. The singer/actors were incredibly talented, but a lot of the humor was crude or relied heavily on stereotypes. I think the funniest parts were how they parodied theater and musicals the entire way through and I do like the bit with the knight who keeps receiving terrible injuries, proclaiming ‘it’s only a flesh wound!’ and keeps on fighting without any arms, etc. Anyway, I found myself in the company of a few who shared my opinions, but most everyone in our group and the audience loved it. Personal preferences, I suppose..

It was late by the time we got back, so as I mentioned before,.. crashing into bed was about all that I could manage. This morning, we traveled to Richmond to visit a famous little bookstore called The Lion and Unicorn bookshop, which has been around since 1977 and founded by Roald Dahl. A gentleman spoke to us for awhile about some modern children’s literature that was popular and then we were free to roam around the store. Amber and I came back to the hotel first, stopping along the way for a brief lunch, toothpaste, etc. Both of us were eager to begin an afternoon to ourselves. I’m enjoying my downtime this afternoon, but it is speeding by. We are having class again at 4 o’clock and then having a large group dinner at Pizza Express, which many of us have quickly become fond of! Then we are off to the Globe Theater to watch King Lear.

Tomorrow, I leave for Denmark later in the day. I will be sure to update once or twice about Denmark, but I might save that blogging for when I get home to the states at the top of next week. I’m meeting two Danish friends, Anine and Mette, who were I was very close with during my stay in Australia. I’m thrilled to visit them in Denmark, as they have shared many stories about their family and country with me. I have not seen them in two years, so it should be a fun weekend! We will be staying at Mette’s home in Arhus.

Hope everyone is doing well!

With Joy,

Bethany

The Library from Matilda