What a day we had upon the Avon
Starting early in the Rose and Crown,
Starting early in the Rose and Crown,
Watching
our brave Lion heroes
Battling
hard to put the Aussies down.
Then
onwards to the River Festival
Out
into the sunshine we did stride.
Across
the bridge 'mongst thousands
Of happy, singing Brummies by our side.
There
were beer tents, stalls, live music
But
very little "Kulture" we did see
Just
drunken, sweaty Brummies
Across
from the RSC.
Stratford
is a pleasant town,
But
it's streets are paved with Shakespeares.
And,
"if music be the food of love"
I'll
have a pint of Brakespeares!
What a weekend - or 4 days to be precise!
The hottest weekend of the
year found us not at Lesley but in Stratford upon Avon for an extended weekend
which included the annual two day River Festival.
However the first item on
the agenda was The Big Bash at Melbourne Park.
What a game and an
Englishman scored the first try!
The only down side was the resident
panel of experts (spelt NIT WITS)
of Stuart Barnes and Scott Quinnell!
SkySports must have a
"Say the bleedin' obvious" training course that ex players have to
pass before they are allowed on air.
The Welsh Bard was not
impressed either:
Up,
down, Up Down Under…
Thank the Lord it’s over in Australia!
Thank the Lord it’s over in Australia!
I’m sure that I’ll
recover, by and by;
I didn’t have to cope
with final failure,
But I’d had my fill
of Stuart Barnes on Sky…
The Western Mail was far too chauvinistic
–
Thank God some
non-Welsh players scored a try!
But nothing made this
viewer so ballistic
As Stuart Barnes, and
Scott Quinnell on Sky…
There’s never been a
man to match McLaren,
Whose talents set the
standards way too high.
The rugby’s great –
the commentary’s barren,
With Stuart Barnes
and all his pals on Sky…
So thank the Lord the
torment wasn’t tougher;
At least the local
didn’t (quite) run dry.
It’s over, and no
more we’ll have to suffer
Those Saturdays with
Stuart Barnes on Sky!
Feel
the same way? - then click this link:
The Stratford River
Festival was brilliant with live music from midday onwards and fireworks at
nightfall across the water from the RSC with all the long boats illuminated.
And to top it all the beer tent had Brakespeares Special!
To
say that Stratford upon Avon is a one man town is an understatement but, with
the exception of Anne Hathaway's cottage which was in walking distance of where
we were staying, we avoided the many tourist attractions including the half timbered Kebab House.
I
also avoided having to endure any Shakespeare performances although Janice did
sit through Romeo & Juliet and Twelfth Night at the Dell RSC Open Air
Theatre.
I did, however, get dragged into the RSC Swan theatre to see "A Mad World My Masters" - a rarely performed 17th century tale of sex and money.
It has been transformed into a 1950s romp set in London’s seedy Soho by Director Sean Folly, who described the Thomas Middleton comedy as “the filthiest play I’ve ever read”. It is a farcical foray into the sleazy world of prostitutes, tricksters and the tale of an over jealous husband seeking to expose his straying wife’s affair and described by one critic as a "disgracefully entertaining evening."
Meanwhile the Prospect Plot is booming,
especially the fruit. We have picked at least 30lbs of strawberries and they
are still coming!
I'll finish with this bizarre story,
brought to my attention by the Welsh Bard earlier this week.
Brazilian referee beheaded by spectators after he fatally stabs player
Police in northern Brazil say one man has been
arrested after a referee who fatally stabbed a player during a match was
decapitated by spectators who stormed the field.
Local reports said
the incident, which took place on 30 June in the remote Brazilian town of Pio
XII, escalated when the player, 30-year-old Josenir dos Santos, became involved
in an argument with the referee, Octavio da Silva.
As the confrontation
became physical and Dos Santos refused to leave the field, Da Silva allegedly
produced a knife and stabbed the player, who died while being taken to
hospital.
Reports said that
outraged spectators responded by running on to the field and stoning Da Silva,
before severing his head and sticking it on a stake in the middle of the field.
Police at the
regional headquarters of Santa Ines said a 27-year-old man was arrested on 2
July, with the investigation continuing.
Still
thinking of going to the World Cup next year?
Here's the thoughts of the Welsh Bard:
There are dangers
that lurk in the Amazon’s murk
More potent than
snakes or piranhas:
The beautiful game
will not be the same
Since the ref drove
spectators bananas…
In Europe, it’s said,
footy goes to your head,
But
this may be the answer for Blatter -
We’d all have a
thrill if the boys from Brazil
Served up his head on
a platter!
All I can say is "Roll me away!"
Eat your heart out Bruce!
Hey Ho!
