UK 2022: Snapshots.

Some bits and pieces from the UK 2022 trip:

Browsing the Fanasy section at the Notting Hill Comic Exchange – which may even contain some myffic fanasy*, if I’m lucky.

Dear Hamleys' Toy Shop, I was wondering what a three meter Optimus Prime with glowing eyes would cost?  Asking for a friend.

To my surprise, Jelly Babies are COMPLETELY different than Gummy Bears!!!  How could I not know this after so many years of Doctor Who?

I'm sorry to say this, but I saw far too many ten-year-old English boys who reminded me of Edmund Pevensie from The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe:  sullen, pouty, a little spoiled, and inexplicably red-cheeked.

All the tables were all numbered 42, apparently it was the pub from The Hitch-hikers Guide to the Galaxy.

Shopping again at the Forbidden Planet London Megastore - the geek equivalent of drinking out of the firehose.

...where I bought a couple of books, a 2000AD comic, and a long LONG overdue TARDIS pin!

As we wandered along the South Bank on our last day in London, our unplanned stroll took us into a branch of Foyles Bookshop.  Until that moment, I was completely unaware of Foyles, let alone the almost cult status conveyed upon it in the past due to its archaic (and anarchic) business practices for much of its lifespan. 

It's now owned by Waterstones, and whatever its past sins, I found it to be a well-stocked and pleasant shopping spot - as well as offering one final opportunity to spend money on books before heading home.

All in all, our first pandemic trip went surprisingly well, although we sadly decided to forgo our usual restaurant research in favour of take-out - and one cautious afternoon visit to an almost empty pub for a pint and some onion rings.  As always, Karli was the ideal travel companion for a week of Britannic shopping and sightseeing: Sherlock Holmes, Albert's Hall**, Brompton Cemetery, the Beatles***, Marks & Spencer, West End theatre, Jack the Ripper, Portobello Road, and, of course, Doctor Who.  Thank you again for agreeing to join me, my love!

- Sid

* “But I was thinking, you're in trouble now, Mrs Ogg, 'cos it'd all gone myffic.'

'Mythic?' said schoolteacher Susan.

"Yep. With extra myff. And you can get into big trouble, with myffic.”

Terry Pratchett, Thief of Time

** Apparently I'm the only person in the world who remembers the line about "Now they know how many holes it takes to fill the Albert Hall" from A Day In The Life by The Beatles. 

*** I bought a mug and a T-shirt, it's not always about science fiction.

 

UK 2022: Infinite London.

"London goes beyond any boundary or convention. It contains every wish or word ever spoken, every action or gesture ever made, every harsh or noble statement ever expressed. It is illimitable. It is Infinite London.” 

Peter Ackroyd

"I do love London, so many cameras."

Miss Kizlet, The Bells of Saint Johns, Doctor Who

It's hard not to love London.  On our last day in England, we took advantage of beautiful weather and made our way down to Embankment Station for a farewell walk along the Thames.  We took an obligatory selfie with a newly restored and regilded Big Ben, crossed Westminster Bridge, and made our way back along the water to Jubilee Bridge.

 

As we wandered along the south bank, I realized that we had reached the spot where the Doctor and Clara amaze the passing pedestrians by making a blue police box appear from nowhere in Episode 6 of Doctor Who's seventh season, The Bells of St. John. This episode marks the third appearance of Clara Oswald, the Impossible Girl, and introduces her as the Doctor's new companion.

It's a fun, fast-paced and well-written episode, but it's also a bit of a love letter to London, as the Doctor and Clara make their magical South Bank manifestation, zoom across Westminster Bridge on a motorcycle, pass Horse Guards, and cruise through Admiralty Arch to enjoy breakfast at Grange St. Paul's Hotel rooftop patio near St. Paul's Cathedral*, after which the Doctor rides up the side of the Shard to invade the headquarters of the wifi soul stealers and restore Clara's mind to her body.

The Doctor explains all this as protecting the TARDIS from falling into the wrong hands, but really, it's just to show off some London scenery.  That's the one shortcoming of the TARDIS:  yes, all of time and space, bigger on the inside, but no windows.

- Sid

* Ever since I saw this episode I've wanted to have breakfast at that restaurant, and to my intense happiness I stumbled across the shooting location in the process of researching this posting - that's now on the list for the NEXT visit to London. 

UK 2022: Time Loop.

YOU SAVED THE UNIVERSE – Fancy saving it again?

U.N.I.T need you to step up, be the hero and earn your stripes at Doctor Who: Time Fracture as you return to help save the Universe.

As a returning hero, all repeat bookers are entitled to the Returning Hero Badge. Bring this e-mail with you on your next visit to collect your Returning Hero ID Card, obtain your initial two stamps and claim your first exclusive pin badge to show off your outstanding heroism. Then, for every second future return visit, you will be rewarded with another unique badge to add to your collection.

The world is safe for now, or is it? After all, history has a way of repeating itself...

See you on the next mission, recruit!

In my posting on the Doctor Who Time Fracture immersive experience, I speculated that if I had the opportunity, I might well attend the event again, perhaps more than once, so as to fill in some of the gaps in the narrative.  Little did I realize that this was one of those situations where life was far ahead of art in terms of concept.  

Three days after attending the event, I received an e-mail from the ticketing company suggesting that I might well want to do exactly that - attend multiple times - to the point where special pin badges for numbers up to ten visits are available to repeating clients. Given that tickets are running at about $67 CAD, I think that well before I'd attended ten times, I'd be content to let someone else save the universe once or twice without me.

- Sid