Thursday 13 December 2007

England's grey and pleasant land - # 321

We have all heard these stirring songs and poems about about "England's green and pleasant land and "This jewel set in a perfect sea" (hope I got that line right), and so on, but on a grey, wet, wind-buffeted, chilly day I find it hard to see what is so lovely about this "sacred isle".

Certainly we do not have mosquito infested malaria swamps (like they had until relatively recently in the South of France) and our financial centres can function without air conditioning, unlike in say Dubai, where nothing much could function if it were not for air conditioning (yes,yes: I know that Dubai has a long and excellent history as a Gulf trading centre - just don't pester me with specifics, when you know that my general thesis is sound, and I am an admirer of Shiekh Mo)...................but, on grey days like this it is very easy to see why Britain is a nation of sea farers and world-travellers just itching to get away!!

3 comments:

  1. Ah, I detect a longing for sun and sea breezes softly caressing your face. Buck up, kid, you could be in Minnesota that is emphasizing its reputation as the land of ice and snow...already. I'm impressed with the tones in your photo; it underscores your commentary!!

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  2. don't be too hard on your country. It's one of my favorite places in the world

    --steve buser
    New Orleans Daily Photo

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  3. I suppose that what you so kindly describe as “mosquito infested malaria swamps” is the fabulous Camargue with its blue sky, its flamingos, bulls, horses…
    I wish you a nice weekend under a blue sky!!

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