( n.b. Only countries with a historical
significance to Japan have their own kanji character )
2024年8月15日
"Expat blog for hiking, music; life in Germany and Japan"....... So runs the description of The View from the Towers blog. Time to step out of this two country mode and visit that island to the west of continental Europe......A family re-union trip....
故郷への訪問 。。。。。 再会(さいかい）しました。
At Frankfurt airport the plane was not big enough to handle all the carry-on luggage, so we were told we had to check it in........This rather did away with the advantage of travelling light.......However the BA Cityflyer to London City Airport was fast and comfortable. It's amazing how it only takes 11/2 hours to change from one culture to the other.
ロンドンシティ空港へ行きました. 息子と娘と一緒に.
We also had to relinquish our baggage on the way back from London. But there we were not told to check in our luggage (as in Frankfurt) - rather - they asked for 6 volunteers from amongst the passengers to give up their cabin luggage to be placed in the hold. Cultural nuances.
👮♀️ Immigration control in Frankfurt :
Immigration Officer: ".......how did you enter Germany?" (I had presented a UK Passport)
Me: ".......errr....I'm not entering Germany...I'm travelling to the UK...."
Officer: ".......But you have no visa in your passport.....!"
Me: ".......I live in Langen, you know, just down the road from here.....been there for over 30 years...." (😅)
Officer: "......Do you have another passport?....."
Me: ".......Yes, but it's buried in my suitcase......"
(Colleague enters discussion)
".....Ach....lass ihn einfach durch....er ist ok...."
パスポートの問題
Oh, the joys of travelling. If you have ever watched Foil, Arms and Hog, you will see potential here for a satirical sketch. Did I say cultural nuances? ...The onboard snack......oh dear.......("... in the UK it's estimated that around 1 in every 4 adults and around 1 in every 5 children aged 10 to 11 are living with obesity....") source NHS..
不健康なイギリス料理
To Sussex we must. Where we will stay with old friends and enjoy an English country garden........
私たちはサセックスの古い友人の家に滞在しました
....resplendent in the red, purple....
and orange....
with no shortage of butterflies......
Breakfast on the terrace? Is this possible in the UK?......yes....it is!
テラスで朝食？イギリスでこんなことできるの？……はい、できますよ！
"Sussex by the sea". That saying has been around for centuries. And where was our first outing? The sea of course. Lovely Seaford Head, with its famous view along the white cliffs - the so-called Seven Sisters.
最初の遠出：シーフォードヘッド
This was just a 45min drive in a nice blue Renault Clio, provided by Parker's Car & Van Rental of Wivelsfield. A friendly local firm that charged 80.00 GBP for 2 days. I found that ok. But at first I couldn't find the back door handles....
2日間（ふつか かん）車を借りました。最初はドアハンドルが見つからなかった 😅
After various hit and miss attempts some of managed to get internet and use google maps....
Time for lots of photos. After all, the reason behind this family trip was to connect up again - with places and people.
娘のエスターちゃんと
When you walk down to the beach you pass these old coastguard cottages, which are perched on the cliffs above the waves.....
古い沿岸警備隊の別荘
And it is here that the river Cuckmere enters the sea......
海岸沿いではカックミア川が海に流れ込む
I just had to take off my shoes and feel the cool salt water......
靴を脱いで冷たい水に足を踏み入れました
Sea air makes you hungry, so we soon headed off in search of a pub to have lunch. Nearby Alfriston is a pretty, quintessential Sussex village further up the Cuckmere valley.
アルフリストン村のパブで昼食をとりました。小さくて きれいな 村（むら）です。
Where there were several pubs to choose from.....this is in The George....
Alfriston also has some quirky shops. Here we had fun trying on some "Vintage wear for men and women".......
ここには変わったお店がいくつかあります。ヴィンテージの服
Just what I need........
ちょうどいい。帽子が必要だ 🤹♀️
Bowlers and top hats, ladies handbags from the 1920s, morning suites for men, cocktail party dresses straight out of a Fred Astaire film. All genuine articles. Amazing. But stop. Wait. We are only flying with hand luggage. Lucky really...they weren't cheap....
1920年代の本物のオリジナル衣装
Now let's go on further down the coast to Eastbourne. Haven't been there since I was a child. En route I notice a sign to Wilmington. Aha! Of course! Must see The Long Man of Wilmington. Down a narrow windy lane we drive......and then, he comes into view.....
これはウィルミントンの白亜の丘に彫られた謎の「ロングマン」です
Part of the fun here is that nobody really knows why this figure was carved into the chalk hill. Our parents brought us here when we were kids, and it has remained in my memory ever since.
....The Thin Man and the Long Man
....細身の男と長身の男😉
And then on over the hill to arrive at the sedate seaside town of Eastbourne......with a nice shiny restored pier, after a fire damaged it several years ago.....
イーストボーンの桟橋
Windsurfers were trying their luck....
海岸
The earliest reference to the game of cricket is from the mid 16thc., when it was apparently played in South East England. It's popularity spread around the world in the 19thc., principally in countries of the British empire. Maybe it was one of the most benign exports Britain ever made to the world 🏏
In any case, it was at a game of cricket that we had arranged to have a family get-together. But not at any old game of cricket. No, this was at our old school, Hurstpierpoint College, where ex-pupils ( Hurst Johnians ) were taking part in a whole week of cricket, playing different teams from the area. My brother was umpiring (ie like a chair umpire in tennis). We spread ourselves out to watch beside the cricket pavilion..........
ハーストピアポイントでのクリケットの試合で家族と会いました。ここは私が通っていた学校です
Photo Andrew Ruddock
The game takes place on a carefully prepared flat field (which are very rare in Germany) and is almost impossible to photograph unless you have a telephoto lens....
試合は、入念に整備された平らなフィールド（ドイツでは非常に珍しい）で行われ、望遠レンズを持っていない限り、写真を撮ることはほぼ不可能です。
Photo Vivien Ruddock
Otherwise it's this......more of a scenic view of the college chapel from across the field......
クリケット場は学校の礼拝堂の隣にあります
Here one of the batsmen has hit the ball right as far as the boundary, which may give him 4 runs (points).
You often hear people say of cricket "....it's so boring, nothing seems to happen...". In fact, to play cricket you need to be fully alert, fast and fit. You also need a very sharp eye to see that ball. You also need good judgement and calculating skills. It is not what it seems!
Here is the moment a new batsman walks out from the pavilion, passing his colleaugue, who has been bowled out and now has to come off the field......
クリケットについて「とても退屈で、何も起こらないようだ」という声をよく耳にします。実際、クリケットをプレーするには、十分な注意力、素早さ、体力が必要です。また、ボールを見る鋭い目も必要です。また、優れた判断力と計算力も必要です。見た目ほどではありません。
Half way through the action two of my old school friends turned up. Although I had had sporadic contact with Adrian, I hadn't seen Peter since 1975, so this was a nice surprise. We decided to have a nostalgic look around the school to see if we recognized anything. The site has been heavily built up since the 1970s, now taking in twice the number of students as before. Here we are, posing in front of of the main entrance, which remained stubbornly locked....
昔の学校の友達二人に会えてとても嬉しかった
......but, low and behold, I found a side door. I moved the heavy old iron door handle (I remember it!) and in we slipped in like naughty schoolboys. I was instantly hit by a flood of memories. The cloisters were unchanged, but now nicely renovated.......
学校の景色。ハーストピアポイント カレッジ。
...giving a view of the inner quad, which had aquired some very civilized benches (no sitting down in our day....!)
懐かしい
A door to the old masters common room bears the scars of times past.....
We were even able to find a way into the dining hall. All the tables and benches had been removed for some reason, but it gave the room a nice sense of space......
ダイニングホール
...and on into the best known part of the school - the chapel. Here Adrian and myself had sung in countless choir practices and services, from the feast of St. Etheldreda to the Advent procession lit by candles. Peter had solemnly conducted duties as a sacristan...whether that influenced his later entry to the world of theatre I wonder....
教会
Unfortunately the organ had been switched off, so we were unable to play any famous hymn from our past, or something similar.......just as well probably, as it would have been heard on the cricket pitch outside....Here music student Joshua looks on bemused as we try and activate the 3 manual Degens & Rippin beast of 1961.....
残念ながらオルガンのスイッチを入れることができませんでした...
Photo: Adrian Gunning
Once outside we tried to re-enact a photo of the music scholars of our time......
49年前、私たちはここで写真を撮りました
49 years ago.......oh help! 🤣
(I have posted this photo before, but now it is in context)
So there we go...three oldies having a bit of fun...The organist, the violin maker and the stage designer.....Our housemasters would have probably disapproved of our choice of career.....not a CEO, Investment Banker, Admiral or Civil Servant in sight......
オルガン奏者、バイオリン製作者、舞台デザイナー…。
And here are the three corners of the universe when I was a child......
And at the end, the most important visit of all. Cuckfield. It is in this peaceful spot that our parents are laid to rest. Hilary and Reg Ruddock. R.I.P.
最も重要な訪問です。私の両親の墓はカックフィールドのこの教会の墓地にあります
とくべつな 家族旅行でした
Bye bye. Have a nice week.
Nigel.
終わり (THE END) 💦
Expat blog for Hiking, MMust see the Long usic, Life in Germany and Japan
ExpExpat blog for Hiking, Music, Life in Germany and Japanat blog for Hiking, Music, Life in Germany and Japan
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