NFL...Battles on a foreign field

 

 

 It was on October 28^th 2007 that the first NFL regular season game was played at Wembley Stadium, London, a rain drenched clash between the Miami Dolphins and the New York Giants in front a capacity crowd. The success of that initial game and the continued support of the fixture by the paying public as meant an increase to two regular season games in 2013. 

 

This London International Series offers a fabulous opportunity for any American visitors to tie in a visit to England’s capital city and see their beloved NFL team in action on a foreign field. The 2013 season offers up the Jacksonville Jaguars against the San Francisco 49ers, perhaps one of the most supported teams in the UK due to the Joe Montana/Steve Young phenomenon when NFL first hit the British shores back in the early 80’s thanks to Channel 4's TV screenings. With Jacksonville now committed to a four year programme of games at Wembley, it will be interesting to see how their support grows with the regular attenders at the International Series games. Will British fans will stay loyal to their existing teams or adopt the Jaguars as their own? Also scheduled for 2013 is the much anticipated game between the Minnesota Vikings and Pittsburgh Steelers, a fixture that I’m sure will have the “terrible towels” out in force considering the Steelers considerable following around Europe.

  
 

So what can any guests from the USA expect from a British NFL experience?
  

Since the original game in 2007 each subsequent year as seen further developments in pregame events ranging from Cheerleaders appearances across London, Saturday night musical events, open air film showings, NFL rallies and the Tailgate event on the day of the game.
The NFL rally at the iconic tourist attraction Trafalgar Square, as become a regular occurrence on the Saturday afternoon before the game. A free to anyone event, offering live performances from bands, related entertainment from the corresponding teams such as Drum lines, appearances from players and coaches of both teams, Q and A sessions with past stars of the game and of course, the ever popular Cheerleaders. The crowds are large with a mixture of ardent NFL fans and just the curious passing through.

 

The “Tailgate Party” on the Sunday morning prior to the game, held in the shadows of the impressive Wembley stadium, is free to all match ticket holders. This event is not what most Americans would normally expect from a Tailgate experience, they probably being used to its stadium car parks full of home town fans and their smoke billowing barbecues. Instead it is an official NFL run event with an array of attractions such as exhibitions, hands on games, NFL related entertainment , live music and past stars usually from the competing teams . In turn there are a number of beer tents, food outlets and merchandise stands spread around the large site designated to the event. The gates usually open at 11am and the numbers who attend are vast, demonstrated by the large queues at most of the attractions. There is a great atmosphere however with fans of all 32 NFL teams in attendance, a colourful spectacle of AFC,NFC, Collegiate, European and British team shirts on display all mingling together.

 



 

The game atmosphere itself is very different to a normal regular season match up, the International Series games so far have generally tended to have the so called away team having the biggest support . Therefore, despite attempts to rally the fans to back the home there does seem a “ Superbowl game” atmosphere where a large number of the crowd just want to see a close, well fought , skillful game with little sign of the fervent partisan behaviour shown when their own team is playing. However, this doesn’t distract from what is a wonderful spectacle played in a well equipped modern stadium in front of a 80,000 plus crowd who are full of excitement and anticipation.
 

Whatever the rights and wrongs are of Roger Goodell's International Series ambitions, the interest in the NFL within the UK as grown substantially since the introduction of the regular game experiment, now an annual event with ticket sales taking off as soon as they are released. With the UK fans knowledge of the game increasing ten fold and the interest in American Football widening across all age groups it seems inevitable the International Series will continue. Although my sympathies do lie with the American fans whose team loses a home game each year, the occasion does give them an opportunity to visit the great city of London and see a very different take on their beloved game.

    

Lanzarote ....The roads to nowhere

“Try this turn” suggested my son.....…On a daily basis when we wanted to explore more of Lanzarote we had needed to drive through the busy town of Playa Blanca in order to head north to the other attractions the islands offered. My sons advice seemed to make sense, there were a number of side roads that suggested they would link up with the main road in the distance which would allow us to by pass the traffic laden journey through the town itself.

 

Initially it seemed a good idea, wide modern roads heading past numerous complexes of Lanzarote’s traditional white building as per Cesar Manriques stipulations, with the main road which would lead us to Puerto Del Carmen ahead of us in the distance. We hadn’t noticed that these houses were empty but we did see the large boulders we were approaching placed to signify that the road went no further. The tarmaced surface just stopped, leaving us looking out at a view of open dusty ground with our destination agonisingly close but yet so far out of reach. Having turned round and attempted other roads in the near vicinity it seemed that our idea had come to a dead end as all the other roads were blocked by these large rocks too, as if one day the workers had got bored and just gave up on the route in the middle of nowhere.

 

 

It was a surreal experience, look straight ahead and there was nothing but dust, dirt and rocks but turn around and there was the infrastructure of a small town, roads, road signs, street lighting, houses, the only thing missing was inhabitants. In some parts of the area although no houses had been built in these sections, there were roads aplenty even with pedestrian crossings and car parks able to house up to 50 cars. This was strange considering there was no buildings within walking distance for any one to have the requirement to park there. Weeds 3-4 feet high were growing in the gutters of the roads, signifying that these through fares had been there for a while but seldom visited.

 

 

 

We decided to go back and take a look near the properties we had passed, there were hundreds of them, from a distance looking beautiful with their white washed walls and

simple "Manrique" architecture in the shadows of the Los Ajaches Mountain range. It was only as we approached nearer that we could see they were boarded up with rubble strewn across the tiled patios.  
Instead of happy children splashing around in the water, the pools were empty apart from rubbish and debris that had blown in there. This was certainly a case of the dream life which had turned into a nightmare situation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mobile sale offices were locked up, their windows full of pictures of what this place should be like, happy families soaking up the sun in their idyllic homes. This certainly seemed a case of the Planners dream going wrong. However, just like the Planners dreams, the photos were fading, the bright sunlight taking its toil on the images, gradually becoming a distant memory of what the community could have been. In one part  of the scheme there were a number of unfinished houses, building equipment still in place, as if ready for the next day but the operatives never returned.

 

Close by we came across parked cars, which judging by the dusty state of them seemed to have been there an age and had just been abandoned. In some cases windows and doors were open as if the drivers had fled some impending doom. There was an eerie atmosphere, each gust of wind breaking the silence as strange noises were emitted from within the empty properties. Creaks, squeaks and bumps echoing through the barren passageways led to an uneasy feeling as if we were being watched by some post apocalyptic tribe.....watching too many futuristic disaster movies seeming to play overtime in my mind. It was time to leave and return to the normality of a seafront bar with views of the island of Fuerteventura in the distance.  

 

 

 

 

Back at the idyllic harbour resort of Marino Rubicon, I asked a couple of local waiters about the area, the story seemed conflicting. One claimed that the project was abandoned due to the poor sales of the units, whilst another explained the authorities had withdrawn planning permission due to the failure to adhere to Cesar Manriques guidelines on the setting up of residential areas.     

 

It is hard to imagine that a deserted area like this could literally be a 5 minute drive away from the tourist resort of Playa Blanca and it's hive of activity, a sharp contrast to the Domesday type scenario witnessed. However with its infrastructure still pretty much in place perhaps there is a chance that one day this area will serve the purpose it was built for, allowing families to make the most of the many superb attractions this Southern coastal region offers. 

Tavistock Square...London's Peace Park

London is renowned for its gardens and parks but some are rarely seen due to their location being well away from the normal tourist tracks. Within the streets away from the main thoroughfares are large numbers of these green areas offering relaxing refuge from the daily hustle and bustle that a large city of this kind thrives on.

It was during a recent trip to London that I came across Tavistock Square in the Bloomsbury area of the capital. With time on my hands I entered and sat on one of the many benches there and just watched the world go by.

It was extremely peaceful, a quietness in the air despite the heavy traffic on the four roads surrounding the small park. It was obviously a popular spot for rest and reflection judging by the number of people quietly sitting there with the benches all around the park being occupied.


The atmosphere reminded me of a library, a hushed and respectful silence being observed by all visitors, quite fitting considering the Bloomsbury areas role in literacy history. For part of the Mid Nineteenth century Charles Dickens lived in Tavistock House facing the park and it was here that classics such as Bleak House and A Tale of Two Cities were wrote. Although the house is no longer there, a blue plague signifying the fact can be found on the front of the British Medical Associations building.



The "Bloomsbury Set", a group of Cambridge intellectuals, artists and writers, also played a part in the establishing the areas literacy heritage. Virginia Woolf was considered one of the most eccentric members of the group and wrote most of her best works whilst living at 52 Tavistock Square. Within the park itself there is a bust of the infamous authoress albeit perhaps not the most flattering example of her beauty.




The centre piece of the park is a magnificent statue of Mahatma Gandhi, the legendary leader of the Indian Independence movement. Gandhi's successful policy of peaceful protest is emphasised in the statue with his seated posture giving off a calming influence. This is enhanced further by the burning candles, messages of love and offerings beneath. It is more than correct to say this is a "Brilliant" statue...being the work of artist Fredda Brilliant, unveiled in 1968.

The parks message of  "Peace" is further evidenced by a large stone serving as a memorial to Conscientious Objectors who have given their lives over the years by refusing to be forced to participate in wars they do not believe in. A relatively recent memorial, being placed there in 1994, the plague carries the following message "to all those who established and maintaining the right to refuse to kill, their foresight and courage give us hope". A powerful statement demonstrating how the peace and anti-war movement has developed during the late twentieth century.


Also within the park is a Cherry Tree planted in 1967 to commemorate the victims of the Hiroshima atomic bomb. A memorial plaque provides a place for people to visit and pay their respects, an activity evidenced by the messages left round the trunk of the tree. The park is the site of a annual gathering by the CND movement on the anniversary of the bombing to promote their message of peace around the world.

Ironically, despite all the signs of peace promoted here, the park bore witness to the horrific 7/7 terrorist attacks back in 2005 when an explosion on a double decker bus passing the site killed 13 innocent victims. A commemorative plague on the railings facing the park lists the names of those who lost their lives.

Many of these public squares are missed by the everyday tourist but each one will have it's own stories to be told, they are certainly worth including on any visits to London.  Tavistock Square in particular provides a peaceful environment to stop and reflect and although it may not have the prettiest gardens in the world it's serenity can make the world look a lot nicer place.

Lanzarote.....The Macabre garden of Teguise

The convoy stretched out both in front and behind of us, a long line of rental cars all crawling along the seemingly never ending straight road with Lanzarotes barren but yet beautiful landscape either side of us. Like a posse of explorers searching for gold, all heading for the promised land where they had heard of the treasures that the tourist guides had promised there. The pot at the end of this rainbow was the tourist orientated market (Mercadillo) held weekly in the town of Teguise in the north of the island. Billed as one of the biggest events on the island, the market held every Sunday morning attracted thousands of visitors and is a big part of the excursion trips running from the major coastal resorts.

As we approached the town itself, an array of locals were frantically waving, as if they were signalmen guiding a taxiing plane into its gate. Some were waving to the left, others to the right all offering you a precious parking space as the market took over their town. Our space meant we had quite a long uphill walk up towards the quaint streets and town square which housed the stalls, however it led us to find a surreal visual experience that I'm glad we didn't miss. As we trudged up the steep hill past one of the houses we had to double take at the sights in front of us, others stopping too with mouths dropping open at the extraordinary exhibits in the large garden area.

There was so much to take in, a total visionary overload that i dread to think what would happen to your mind if you had just taken drugs before coming across it. In the garden were an array of stone sculptures of various sizes, most showing body parts of the kind we normally cover up. It's fair to say these sculptures would not be in line to win any awards for their artistic content but they were intriguing none the less.






For me the strange and macabre element of the gardens occupants were the weather beaten cuddly toys together with broken mannequins and baby dolls strategically placed around the area. Some sitting at broken computer monitors, others riding rusting bikes and some chained to trees amongst other
things.

To add to the scenario the owner of the property was sat on his porch with a big grin on his face taking in all the commotion of the tourists at the edge of his garden perimeter clicking merrily away with their cameras. He undoubtedly sees this as a totally innocent fun visual experience put on for the Tegusie visitors, however there was something unnerving about the place for me. Probably the result of watching too many American horror movies where the fun loving car load of college students breakdown and the only property in the area would contain strange elements such as those on show here.

Despite my reservations it is definitely worth stopping off here for some great unusual photo opportunity's however perhaps its best on a bright sun drenched market day rather than a deserted moonlit night when I'm sure it could be a more disconcerting experience.   




As for the market itself, it is certainly worth taking in a visit if you want to escape the beach for a day and is extremely popular as the large crowds roaming round the the stalls demonstrates. There are a massive number of vendors selling local handmade crafts,locally sourced produce such as wine and the obligatory stalls on tourist markets of this kind selling "designer" goods. Comically I saw one African stall holder selling items such as Chanel bags, Tag Heuer watches and Dolce and Gabbana sunglasses telling a potential customer with all sincerity "look sir, they are genuine copies".

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The Delta Queen...."Ole Lady of Chattanooga"

There we were sitting in a bar having a quiet relaxing drink, when a conversation struck up between two strangers discussing the merits of the early 20th century steam engine. Despite this not sounding the most enthralling subject, the knowledge of the two participants together with the location we were in made it riveting viewing as they tried to outdo each other with their expertise on the subject. We were on board the Delta Queen, an old Steam Paddle Boat now used as a a floating hotel, moored on the Tennessee River in the charming city of Chattanooga , Tennessee . As if they were playing to an audience, both happily threw fact and counter fact at each other at a considerably healthy volume allowing anyone who wanted to listen in. It was like taking part in an interactive history lecture, just one of many experiences in our overnight stay on this wonderful historical ship.

Our day had begun early on the morning on the outskirts of Chattanooga and we had gone straight to Point Park in the Lookout Mountain area to take in the wonderful views offered. From this spot you can be rewarded with views of seven states, Georgia , Tennessee , Mississippi , The Carolina's of North and South, Kentucky and Virginia . However, the mist on the hot summer morning obscured our view although we still saw the most wonderful landscapes that made the diversion well worth including on our schedule. The Mountain also has a close association with the Civil War, with the fighting marked here by cannons, Monuments and also a museum passing on details of the areas role in the conflict.

The city of Chattanooga itself was a wonderful experience, it was modern, friendly and seemed so clean and cared for. We took a gentle stroll round the streets taking in the legendary Moon pie shop, home to all sorts of purchasable memorabilia in honour to the cake which was first made in the city before it’s delights spread across America. We also took time to visit the old Railway Station made infamous by Glen Millers tune, “The Chattanooga Choo Choo”, now turned in a hotel but still showing its beautiful architecture particularly in the ticket office now used as the hotels reception area. At the rear the former platforms now house a train engine with carriages quirkily used as bedrooms for the hotels numerous paying guests

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In the hot afternoon heat we made good use of the free Electric shuttle bus service, allowing us to hop off and on as we further explored other attractions in the downtown area. We ended up at the riverside area close to the modern Aquarium centre. It was there we took sight of our accommodation for the evening, the Steam Boat “The Delta Queen”, colourfully basking in the summer sunshine, a wonderful sight on the North Shore side of the river. We crossed the river via the impressive "Walnut Street" Pedestrian bridge towards the beautifully manicured lawns of Coolidge Park where the boat was moored at their landing point.

As we boarded the boat there was just so much to take in, the red,white and blue coloured flags together with the brightly painted woodwork, a good old fashioned example of Americana from a bygone age.






Leaving the decks and entering the internal reception area was like stepping back in time. The decor and fittings were stunning and together with the Victorian periodic furniture created
a wonderful first impression. With luggage stored in our compact but charming room we
couldn't wait to explore the other areas of the boat.
 We spent an age wandering round the communal rooms as if visiting a museum. There was so much to look at, artifacts collected over the years, old books full of stories from years gone by, scrapbooks cataloguing the history of the vessel and wonderful old black and white framed photographs of previous Owners, Captains, Crew and the Delta Queens Sister Ships lined up on the walls.







Towards the front of the boat was the eye catching Grand Staircase, with a gorgeous Crystal chandelier above it. This lead up to the Texas Deck which houses the Hotels' own on board eatery "The Paddle wheel Restaurant"


Like the two engine experts mentioned previously, there are a group of enthusiast's who regularly visit and in some cases volunteer to help maintain the ship. Whilst we were on board there were a group of OAP's merrily polishing silverware whilst reminiscing about the past and openly passing on their knowledge to any inquisitive guests. It was endearing to see such passion from all the volunteers and staff on board as if they were caring for an old friend.




Perhaps if we had been in a normal everyday hotel then the small rooms and the slight musty smell in the communal areas would have been a turn off, but this was after all a 90 year old vessel, part of living history and to me it was all part of the experience. The boat also had a real atmosphere to it, although that was not due to the infamous ghost "Ma Greene" who is reported to be a permanent resident on board.

 

As the sun was setting and night fall beginning to take over we sat in rocking chairs on the upper decks of the boat, staring out at the wonderful views of the river and bridges right in front of us. The lights of the riverside buildings reflected in the waters creating a kaleidoscope of colour on the ripples of the river. It was so calm and relaxed on this humid southern night, I sat back in full contentment, worry free, reflecting on a wonderful day. Our visit to the city was meant as a stay over on our trip to Nashville, however Chattanooga had won us over with its charm and beauty and the Delta Queen added that extra special something to the trip. The boats regal name had really been quite fitting as our stay on board had been the jewel in the crown from a city that had offered so much. 

 

Ludlow...before a town awakes

8.30am on a pleasant summer Sunday morning and circumstances had found us on the outskirts of Ludlow, a picturesque market town in South Shropshire close to the Welsh border. We had visited the town many years ago and had recollections of the beautiful old buildings so we decided to take a break and have a stroll round the town centre.

The town is set at the top of a hill high above the River Teme and as you climb up to the town centre itself, you are greeted by the most marvellous buildings. The historical Black and White decorative timber facades just ooze with character. Ludlow reportably has over 500 listed buildings within its boundaries and as you look around the architecture is breathtaking. The most eye catching place on the main thoroughfare is the fabulous hotel called "The Feathers" which dates back to 17th Century when it was originally an old Coaching Inn. One can’t do anything other than stand back and admire the frontage, particularly with the attention to detail on the decorative engravings carved into the wooden facade. A peak through the window showed the character of the building continues inside with the low beamed ceilings and open fire place creating an atmospheric scene.

Across the street there were other examples although some now housed shops with the more modern glass frontages which obviously has detracted some of the splendour of the architecture. However, there are still a large amount of unspoilt examples such as "Ye Old Bull Ring Tavern", a fine old hostelry just round the corner from The Feathers Hotel. Just staring at the magnificent building sets your imagination racing of some of the tales and stories that must have been witnessed there over the years.

 

Wandering off one of the many side streets the area seemed deserted and there was a eerie silence to the streets despite the ringing of the church bells close by. Although the majority of the shops were shut, they were unusual and interesting enough to spend time window shopping at the many varied items being sold. Many catered for a specialist clientele such as arts and crafts whilst refreshingly, most being exclusive, locally owned, independent retailers and not the multi-national chains that British towns always seem so full of. This was extremely evident in the number of family named Bakers, Butchers and delicatessens all promoting locally sourced products. Although saying this, we did come across a Costa Coffee which was open and in order to help us recover from our early car journey, we entered to obtain a sufficient caffeine burst to see us through the rest of our excursion. Inside we found an abundance of people, relaxing with their Lattes whilst reading the Sunday newspapers, obviously the place to be on an early Sunday morning in Ludlow.

With our renewed energy levels we walked on towards the Market Square and found an Antiques Market taking place, quite different to the normal Farmers Markets that Ludlow regularly holds. It was wonderful, like a car boot sale for the wealthy, none of your old VHS videotapes for sale here, it was top quality items only. We spent an age just wandering round from stall to stall looking at the most varied selection of goods from statues to vases, to ceremonial weapons. It was like visiting a museum where you could actually purchase the exhibits with such an array of the old and unusual all in excellent condition despite their age. Ear wigging in on the conversation between stallholders and their potential buyers was fascinating, like a living history lesson with both parties reminiscing about the past, conversation such as “i'm not sure what it is but my grandmother used to have one of those". I found the books stalls particularly enthralling with all manners of strange, obscure and weird titles, their leather bound covers making it look like they have been took straight off the shelves of the National Library, certainly no signs here of any dog eared copies of “Fifty Shades of Grey” being sold for 50p.

   

Just across from the square was the gates to Ludlow Castle , although not open at this time of the morning, it was impressive and the ruins looked majestic in the bright morning sunshine. The Castle is around 900 years old and again features fine architecture from the Norman, Medieval and Tudor periods. The Castle grounds together with the Castle Square are also used regularly throughout the year to host various events and festivals such as Shakespeare Plays, Food events and Family Fun days amongst others.  

As we walked back through the town as the clock struck 11am it was if someone had flicked a switch as the town suddenly burst into life at an instant. Shop doors were opened, the small streets around the centre began to get clogged up with lines of cars and a stream of people were appearing from the Car Park areas to the focus points of the town. A total transformation from the peace and quiet we had encountered when we first arrived early on the morning, but evidence that Ludlow is a popular place to visit and understandably so.  

Visiting Ludlow is a history lesson in itself and one can see exactly why Sir John Betjeman described it as "the loveliest town in England".