Summary of the trip to Ottawa and Britain October 2021

Here are the highlights and lowlights that are still top of mind six days after arriving home.

  Highlights

A thanksgiving family get together (from Ottawa, Vancouver and Victoria) at Tremblant in Quebec.

A spectacular Ziplining experience with the background fall colours.

Seeing a live performance of "Hamilton" in London.

"Supersize Polyphony" in Canterbury Cathedral by the Armonico Consort and Baroque players directed by Christopher Monks and accompanied by the English Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble. (The music very much like Monteverdi's Vespers that I had heard at the festival in 2019)

The National Justice Museum in Nottingham.

Evensong at Canterbury Cathedral and King's College Chapel Cambridge.

A visit to St Albans Cathedral.

Visiting with cousin Catherine, brother in law Nick and Family, colleague Tom and then my sister and family near Canterbury.

The efficiency of British trains - always on time and increasing number of fast trains like Canterbury West to London in less than an hour.

Using Google maps to navigate.

An opportunity to read British Newspapers, see excellent BBC TV and buy a couple of books.

A final concert of the Canterbury Festival - the Mozart C Minor Mass in the nave of Canterbury Cathedral.

Lowlights

The aggravation of multiple on line form filling and COVID testing. I paid for one COVID test 75 hours before departure because the testing place was in Canterbury but was closing but it was not accepted on line meaning I would not be able to fly. So I drove an hour to Rochester to get another test with the help of Google maps. I paid a total of about $500 CDN for testing in the UK. At YVR the test carried out was free. (All tests were negative).

My brother in law fell and broke his hip the day I arrived in Canterbury so that overshadowed my visit. However I was able to provide various supports to my sister and family.

Having to stay overnight in Vancouver after arrival due to Westjet not allowing one on their flight after 45 minutes before departure. I was at their desk one half hour before their flight departure time. Luckily I had  not bought a ticket as I did not know how much delay there would be at YVR.

Amazing to observe how much the British population is more relaxed about precautions against the SARS-CoV-2 virus (like distancing and mask wearing) than in BC. The UK has nearly 5 times the reported deaths (adjusted for population) from COVID-19 compared with BC.

Lunch at the Evenhill pub

About 20 years ago daughter Sarah worked at the Evenhill pub. The pub is in a building which must be at least 200 years old - lovely oak beams etc. Anne and I had lunch there. The old oast behind the pub has been made into accomodation.

Last Concert of the Canterbury Festival

In the nave of Canterbury Cathedral the Canterbury Choral Society performed Mozart's Mass in C minor. It was a highlight of the festival for me and my sister. The coductor was Richard Cooke - his 38th year conducting the Canterbury Choral society. The first work was Haydn's "Insanae et vanae curae" "Insane and vain cares invade our minds; Often our hearts are filled with rage, deprived of hope. What benefit is there, O mortal one, to strive for earlthly things,if you neglected heavenly things? All things are favourable for you if God is for you." Very fitting words for these COVID times. The second piece was Mozart's Clarinet Concerto in A performed by Anthony Pike with the English Chamber orchestra. The soloists for the Mass were Rebecca Lea (soprano - who has sung with the sixteen), Miriam Allan (soprano - she sang at Prince Phillip's funeral) Greg Tassell (Tenor) and Richard Bannan (Bass). We were sitting right up front in the second row. I have never previously sat that close to soloists. A greatly enjoyed and uplifting performance at the end of the 2021 Canterbury Festival. One photo shows the west entrance of the Cathedral with a statue of the Queen and Prince Phillip.

A day with the Hunt

Even though the weather had turned rainy 40 riders had registered to go to this pre-meet at Chilham Castle. I love to observe this piece of English country life. The castle is presently for sale. The owner who was a keen member of the UK Independance Party and made a fortune gambling but has died. His wife who developed the property to be a place for horses has also died. There are livery stables and cross country jumps. I learned that there are riding clubs in London where horse owners and lovers spend most of their times in indoor ridiing rinks often come down to events put on by places like Chilham Castle. My sister Anne in past years had been a very busy volanteer coordinater for all the jump watchers for these events. The huntsman was here with a small number of hounds. The opening meet is next weekend. Anne's horse (Shaun) who was clipped the day before is being ridden by Richard.

More farm life

My nephew Robert who manages what they now call "Nailbourn Farms" loves cars. His father David particularly liked Jensen's and Robert has recently aquired a very smart blue Jensen. Each day I have been walking 3-4 KM exercising the dog - a cocker spanial. I try and walk in different directions each time. One day I came accross the cattle herd. The cows will give birth in January and the yearlings will by that time have gone to market. I went to the morning Eucharist with my sister at the parish church. There were only a total of 14 people in attendance.

Entertainment at the Canterbury Festival

There are a huge amount of talks, entertainment, music and walks that are part of the Canterbury Festival. My sister and I just choose a few to go to at a pace that is manageable! "Mrs Churchill - My life with Winston" starring Liz Grand was a two act monolog play suberbly acted in the Great Hall of Kent College. The dialog was brilliantly written to give the perspective of a supportive spouse, which is what Clementine was. There was a lot of emphasis on her and Winston's tumultuous childhoods and of the multiple relationshiops and marriages that their children were involved in. Throughout many quotes from Winston Churchill were humourously presented. For someone who has read many books about Churchill and his family it was a new perspective and very well acted. Winston Churchill said "My most brilliant achievement was my ability to persuade my wife to marry me." The Hogwallops at the newly (2019) opened Malthouse Theatre attatched to the Kings School was performed by a group of very skillful circus players. "thrillingly spectacular circus skills blend seamlessly with physical comedy, juggling, and theatrical storytelling in the colourful,loud and funny show". They are a UK based circus company called "Lost in Translation". The actors in these show were clearly very happy to be back in front of live audiences. "Marlene's Cabaret Cocktail" at the Westgate Hall in the center of Canterbury was a raucous burlesque cabaret. It was much enjoyed. The jokes and commentary was very raucous and probably would be tailored to a working mens pub crowd. Very much english humour which I think would be too rauncy for a north amerian audience.

More of the Canterbury Festival

The day I returned to Garrington my sister Anne had a cataract operation in the morning. Niece Helen came down from London to transport her. Anne is already noticing what a difference it makes - she can read the newspaper again. That evening I heard Sir Vince Cable a previous British cabinet minister and previous head of the British Liberal Democratic party give a talk "The Chinese Condundrum: Engagement or Economic War" based on a book he recently published. He was very realistic about the economic power of China and the importanace of maintaining that relationship. He said that he thought Britain should allow the 5G that Huawei has been involved in the UK as he had been reassured in cabinet that the national security controls were in place. He was not supportive of the US having bullied the UK to ban Huawei 5G. Later that evening I watched a comedy show by Mick Doran, Principal Percussionist of the English National Opera. It was titled "An A to Z of Orchestral Triangle Playing". A very entertaining commentary on classical music, conductors, players and of course the Triangle. The following day Anne came with me to hear "The Kingdom Choir" a gospel choir that came to instant fame after singing at the wedding of Harry and Megan. It was fun to see them get all the mostly grey haired audience in the nave of Canterbury Cathedral standing up, clapping and swaying to the music. For me I thought from a musical perspective that there are probably better gospel choirs to be heard particularly in the southern US. When visiting the Cathedral we always go and "Say hello to Granny" where her ashes were buried in the Cathedral memorial garden. The wooden horse was built in 2018 to commemoreate the 8 Million horses that were killed in WWI.