Categories: uncategorized
Date: 31 August 2007 00:15:42
A very limited review, so if you're looking for an indepth report on the different talks and worship it's probably best to move along.
A genius move - making the walkway to centre of racecourse twice as wide and with lanes (I didn't see any one go against the lanes). It really did help ease congestion. Unfortunately placing the portaloos and tap right by the entrance to the centre of the site meant that people were paddling once they had crossed the walk way, but I'm sure that will change next year.
Another genius move - the carbon neutral taxis. I only got one once (well twice sort of) I was feeling rather cold on Monday having gone down to the racecourse for Taize at 9am assuming it would eventually get hot (I wore my zippy off trousers) but was very cold so nipped back up in considerably less time than it would have taken me to walk.
I loved beer and hymns and the Iona big sing, neither of which I had gone to before.
I loved Billy Bragg, music and his talk.
Duke Special was really special.
I spent a reasonable amount of Monday crying, this started while reading the 'forgiveness' project in the Centaur, then I went straight into Sister Frances Dominica of Helen House, so there were plenty more tears. In the afternoon I went to her talk at the Grandstand so there were yet more tears, quite exhausting and totally amazing.
John Smith was very good and thought provoking.
The Wibmeet was great, lovely catching up with people or putting faces to names. A reasonable amount of red wine was thrown around but hopefully no lasting damage done.
The toilets on the campsite were the best I have known, so whatever happened this year that was different worked - more of that please. Water was a problem in the sense that it produces a bog in the surrounding area but I really don't know how that could be solved. It caused some entertainment during the morning toilet queue as someone's car got stuck and they abandoned it, I don't know whether the bumper hanging off was related to the incident.
Food was lovely, I especially enjoyed the pizza which I had never had before, also the Bacon Barn Company did fantastic sausage, bacon and egg rolls, though sadly had run out of burgers both times I visited. My only culinary mistake came in going to the Fish and Chip place because it didn't have a queue on the last night, there was a reason it didn't have a queue, patience is a virtue.
I did wonder a couple of times at the wisdom of having a talk at the grandstand at the same time as loud bands were playing in the building we were sitting on, but fear the result may be to move the talks, and that would be a shame.
Finally, I hope the woman from Australia who hurt herself outside the tank is now ok.