John David Olsen

Month: May 2006

  • Time for a Pint at Ye Olde Bell

    Time for a Pint at Ye Olde Bell

    Hurley, Maidenhead, Berkshire

    This past Wednesday evening I had the opportunity to meet Randolph Churchill for the first time. What a name that would be to live up to. He’s the great-grandson of Sir Winston, grandson of Randolph and his first wife, Pamela Digby [later Harriman] and son of Winston S Churchill MP.

    His Grandmother is the same Pamela that married former New York Governor Averell Harriman in 1971, became a naturalised US citizen and was appointed Ambassador to France in 1993 by Bill Clinton.

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  • The Duchess of M

    The Duchess of M

    Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire

    At present, I’m sitting on the fast train out of Oxford Station heading for London’s Paddington Station. [Insiders tip: On the weekends you can buy a “Cheap Day Single” and upgrade to First Class for ₤5.] It’s late morning and after a lovely breakfast at the Randolph Hotel in Oxford where we’re been for the last several days, I’m heading back to London after an eight day-long immersion into the life of one of the most renowned international statesmen The Rt Hon Sir Winston S Churchill.

    One becomes The Rt Honourable upon appointment as a Privy Councillor to the reigning monarch.

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  • A General Connection – General Sir Eyre Coote

    A General Connection – General Sir Eyre Coote

    Ye Olde Bell, Hurley, Berkshire

    I’m sitting here in the pub of The Old Bell, or in Old English, Ye Olde Bell, in Berkshire, just a short walk from the river Thames. Thinking back about all that we’ve seen in the last couple of days, it’s difficult to believe how much has been packed into these short eight days. It’s been absolutely magnificent.

    The Old Bell is billed as Britain’s oldest continually operating inn. It was founded in 1135, yes; that’s nearly 900 years of assisting guests in stepping out of their coaches and pouring them a pint. Our coach has quite a few more horses, only one driver and a rather surly footman, so we’re really quite like those travellers of centuries past.

    We visited the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst today, and the Sandhurst Archivist gave us an informed, personal tour.

    There are a great many stories to tell, which I will have to get to later on. However, we’ll be leaving to visit the codebreakers at Bletchley Park in about thirty minutes, so I only have time for one.

    It Runs in the Family

    Of the many fascinating stories from yesterday that were told, our well-informed host told the most intriguing in the Lord’s Room of Old College.

    There are two great portraits on the wall, enormous in scale even for this great room. One is General Sir Eyre Coote KB, and the other is his wife, Lady Coote.

    There are two fascinating stories here, and one is much more fascinating than the other.

    First, is that Coote, as the Governor General of Jamaica from 1806 to 1808, had these great portraits painted for the government building, which he used as the Governor General’s residence in Kingston. In government buildings, portraits of spouses were expressly forbidden (this sounds like another story). An exception was made in this case, and his wife hung alongside him in the residence. The second tale with which we were regaled was about this fellow Coote; though he and his wife had a long and happy marriage, he had an affair with a young slave girl whom he also loved dearly. And Coote and this young girl had a child together.

    When Coote left Jamaica, he was separated from his mistress and child as she could not accompany him back to England. He, therefore, set her up quite well, with money and a home in which to live. The family lived well, prospered, and eventually immigrated to the United States.

    This family later produced one of America’s most illustrious leaders, former Head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Secretary of State General Colin Powell. Powell can trace his lineage back directly to General Coote and even further back, directly through Coote, to Edward I of England, one of England’s great soldier Kings.

  • Full Rear Assault

    Full Rear Assault

    White House Hotel, London

    I was pleasantly engaged in a chat with three fellow travelers on my journey and all of a sudden, from behind, a full rear assault by a woman of a certain age and a somewhat familiar face. She stormed me from behind and I didn’t see it coming whatsoever. She forced her hand in mine and said, “Hello, I’m Mary…”

    Well, it all took me by such great surprise and I’m naturally used to calling people by their first names, that I replied, “Hi Mary, its very nice to meet you.”

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  • A Swords Length in the Commons

    A Swords Length in the Commons

    White House Hotel, London

    On our tour of the Houses of Parliament, we continued on from the House of Lords through the Central Lobby which is the lobby that lies between both of the houses of parliament. The rules of the House provide that any constituent, at any time can come into this lobby and demand to see their representative. These days of course ‘lobbying’ is a bit more organized than strolling in unannounced.

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  • The Palace of Westminster

    The Palace of Westminster

    London

    We had an 8:45 departure this crisp Monday morning from the hotel. First stop The Palace of Westminster or more commonly known as the Houses of Parliament.

    I have been to London many times before, and there’s much to see but I’ve never been to visit the inside of the Houses of Parliament prior to this trip. Our guides were able to secure a tour for us thanks to the courtesy of The Hon Nicholas Soames MP, grandson of Sir Winston.

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  • A ‘Full English’ on the First Morning in London

    A ‘Full English’ on the First Morning in London

    Endel Street, London

    Time for a ‘Full English’ breakfast

    I slept well last night after being out at a drinks party at a friend’s flat over in Marylebone until 1:30 AM.

    What jet lag?

    I find myself seated at a quaint sidewalk café nestled just off Covent Garden, after having indulged in a delightful full-English breakfast at The Old Express. This charming eatery is located in the tucked-away market of The Shepherds Market, just off Park Lane in Mayfair. Despite the expectation of a pre-tourist season lull, the streets are teeming with shoppers and an assorted array of sightseers. It’s truly remarkable to take in the rich tapestry of languages that fills the air as I wander through the bustling city.

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  • Heathrow Express

    Heathrow Express

    Heathrow Airport

    Catching the Heathrow Express to Paddington

    I caught the Heathrow Express and if you haven’t ever done this it’s the new train that goes directly to Paddington Station. It gets you from Heathrow to the City in 15 minutes. All the cabbies are of course quite upset about it, but such is progress.

    Last year when I was in London I actually got a stern lecture by a cabbie, because the doorman at the hotel asked where we were going and I said, “Heathrow.”

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  • Somewhere Above the Pole

    Somewhere Above the Pole

    Compliments to the Staff

    The flight was excellent. We arrived on the flight to Heathrow a few minutes early and I actually had very nice service from two flight attendants, both of them English.

    Well, actually from one flight attendant.

    The nice one was quite sweet and sincere and the other had been flying with United since the Magna Carta was signed. I gave them both the little appreciation comment cards that United sends out every so often. I gave the card to the first one because she was indeed very sweet and to the second one because I thought she really needed something to cheer her up. She seemed in dire need of it actually. I had a nice meal, several glasses of wine and a sleeping pill.

    There was a very delightful lady with whom I shared the row. She is a nurse from West Virginia and living in Honolulu. She and I were both reading but had a very enjoyable conversation over dinner. She was just newly engaged and is travelling to Scotland with a girlfriend for a week touring around with no plans at all—just a list of B&B’s around the country. Sounds refreshingly fun.

    I woke up an hour before landing with breakfast of fruit and pastry. I’m sure it’s difficult to bake at 30,000 feet. Seriously, do things rise at this altitude? I’d recommend sticking with the fresh fruit.

    We arrived about mid-day as fresh as new.

  • Overheard at the Red Carpet Club

    Red Carpet Club, Los Angeles International 

    Ahh—a nice crisp, cold glass of Chardonnay. Well, cheap Chardonnay, but anyway it’s cold. I’m still sitting here in the Red Carpet Club and as I posted earlier it’s rather busy here. All I could hear were middle-aged white guys chatting on their cell phones about.. well I didn’t really care what, actually. So, I thought that I would try out all my little gadgets while I’m in here. I’m already on the Internet thanks to a little wireless company called Boingo.

    I pulled out my new little ear-bud headphones and loaded up Windows Media Player and now all I hear is Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 17. It’s blaring away and a truly amazing piece. Divine really. It’s like sitting here in the midst of commotion and chaos and feeling like I’m in a dream. I can still see their mouths moving, but all I hear is Mozart! Anyone finding this as amusing as I am?

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