As usual my account is belated...
As you could gather from
Esty’s report, we already met in London on Monday. Although it was the first time we met, we immediately got on splendidly and had a great time together. She is a wonderful person, very outgoing and friendly and we share many interests, (in addition to Tolkien.) I feel I have found a real friend in her!
We went to see the LotR musical which I enjoyed very much ( I had been a bit sceptical about that, but
Nafforc’s excellent review had convinced me that it was worth seeing.)
We did a lot of walking in London und saw a Shakespeare play in the Globe on the second evening. (It was “Love’s Labour’s lost” and fortunately I had prepared myself and read it beforehand.)
We then spent a day in Brighton where we visited the Pavilion and walked along the sea and in the old town. It was interesting, but I like Oxford much better.
Before going to the Oxonmoot we waited in the “Bird and Baby” for
Hookbill who proved to be a very interesting and nice young man. He showed us then the way to Lady Margaret Hall, which I found to be a beautiful place.
After dinner (which I found delicious) we met
Squatter – I’d been looking forward to meeting him in person, since I have for years very much enjoyed and admired his brilliant posts on the Downs. I therefore was at first rather awestruck. But he turned out to be very nice and friendly (and handsome, not looking like Cardinal Richelieu as I had been picturing him for ages
)
As he mentions I talked very little, but then it was interesting enough to listen to all those fascinating people, and I was intent on understanding everything.
I hadn’t been in an English speaking country for more than 30 years and so am more used to reading and writing in English than to speaking it.
The various lectures I attended on Saturday were interesting and I had no problems understanding them, but I admit I got very little of “the Lord of the Goons” and some of the “Ents”.
Nafforc whom we met later, was also very nice, and had a gorgeous costume at the party.
I also enjoyed the Art Show very much, especially Anke Eissmann’s beautiful pictures and Esty's lovely quilt.
On the whole I had a very good time in England, and I hope to go there again before long.