All right, I think I am starting to accept that my vacation is over, and I may not ever get back to Great Britain, no matter how hard I close my eyes and wish it. Tomorrow? Back to regularly scheduled book programming, I promise. But there's just one last thing:*
I don't know how well you can read it, but this is what the sign says: "84 Charing Cross Road. The booksellers Marks & Co were on this site which became world renowned through the book by Helene Hanff."
This tribute is still there, sandwiched between two unremarkable shops (I think one was a restaurant; the girl inside seemed to wonder why we seemed to be taking pictures of her through the window) and just across from a Subway sandwich shop, and high up on the side of the building. Thank goodness for that; some yobs had seen fit to plaster some stickers or advertisements on the wall below it, which did not, in my opinion, fit in with the sacredness of the site. But I shut my eyes and pictured London in the 1950s, and later, when Helene herself visited the shop, and it made me very, very happy.
And:
Anyone who's ever watched a Jane Austen adaptation with scenes of Bath might recognize the above gorgeous building as the Royal Crescent, in Bath, which is on the west coast of England, and which is perhaps the most beautiful place I've ever seen. We recognize this is not the most artful shot (my favorite is the two people napping in the middle) but our camera was dying and people trying to snap photos in a hurry can't be too artsy. If you can't tell, I am literally incandescently happy. I'm so sorry that, by all accounts, Jane herself was very unhappy while she lived in Bath, but I would guess that other family and health issues had her down, and I can understand that.
My favorite photos were the many Mr. CR and I snapped of ourselves (you know the kind; big heads in the foreground corner, tourist sites in the background) but as Mr. CR is only slightly more reclusive than J.D. Salinger, I'd best not include any of those.
*Many thanks to Lynne for her suggestion of IrfanView, the photo editing software that worked like a charm!
[doing the wild toddler arm waving thing you described in a previous post] Yes! Yes!
Posted by: Robin | 22 October 2009 at 10:22 AM
I thought you might like those, Robin. In most of the photos I'm in I'm doing that with my arms--I just wanted to sweep the whole country in and bring it home with me!! Of course now I want to go back and watch both versions of Persuasion to see if any of the Bath scenes are familiar...
Posted by: Citizen Reader | 22 October 2009 at 11:13 AM
You're killing me - 84 Charing Cross and Bath. Your trip sounds wonderful.
Posted by: Melanie | 22 October 2009 at 12:00 PM
I'm so glad to have helped! These are lovely photos, too. We went through Bath in the middle of the night on my only trip to the UK many many years ago, but I have fond memories of many other sites we visited: Edinburgh, Stratford-on-Avon, Salisbury, Cardiff, the Isle of Wight, and the British Museum were some of the highlights for me.
Posted by: LynneW | 22 October 2009 at 12:34 PM
OK, you got me started on a Helene Hanff obsession and now you show me that the marker really does exist. I might just have to jump over the pond to see all of this stuff too. Are you working for the British tourist office?
Posted by: Donna | 22 October 2009 at 12:50 PM
I visited the London area back in late May - early June. I loved it. Didn't go to Bath and it is my only regret. Next time (there has to be a next time!).
Posted by: sherry (nite swimming) | 22 October 2009 at 02:38 PM
Melanie,
Oh, you have to go. My only regret is not getting down to Lyme Regis on the southwest coast--another big Austen location--or to more country villages, but 84 Charing Cross and Bath memories will keep me happy for a long, long time.
Lynne!
I'm actually excited to play around more with the Irfan Viewer; I saved these pictures pretty quickly and low quality so they'd load faster, but I want to learn more about it. Ooh, Salisbury and Cardiff and the Isle of Wight! Now I'm jealous of you! Do consider passing through Bath in the daytime next time--it's lovely.
Donna,
You don't know how happy it makes me to hear I started someone on a Helene bender. Isn't she the BEST? Did you read "Q's Legacy" yet? I think I loved it as much as 84 CCR. Hm, the British tourist office. Do you think they'd hire me? Then I'd HAVE to go back for research.
Sherry,
I will hope for next times for both of us!!
Posted by: Citizen Reader | 22 October 2009 at 04:12 PM
BATH! I'm so glad you got a chance to see it. I went there a few years ago, and I believe I drove everyone crazy with my constant 'hey, this is where they filmed that one scene...' comments. Although whenever I see the Royal Crescent, I can't help but think of that scene in Persuausion '07 where Sally Hawkins runs in the totally wrong direction to get from the Crescent to the Pump Room.
Glad to see you were able to make the pilgrimage. Now I have to go off and reread Northanger Abbey...
Posted by: Katie | 22 October 2009 at 09:53 PM
Katie,
I remembered you telling me about Bath! Wow, was it spectacular. I too drove Mr. CR nuts with wondering where film locations were, as well as where Jane herself had lived, which I had not thought to look up before we went. Dolt! Oh well. I had thought far enough ahead to copy a map of the city and a little blurb about it out of a bigger travel book to take along, so at least we had that. I can only be about half prepared in any given situation.
I know you were not fond of that running scene in Persuasion 2007---but it did include some gorgeous footage of the town. And hey, are you ready for the new adaptation of "Emma" that will be shown in the US early next year? Prepare to be jealous--I watched an episode of it while we were there, and felt like I was getting the real sneak preview. Now I can't wait to see the rest.
Posted by: Citizen Reader | 23 October 2009 at 09:55 AM
What a wonderful picture! I'm sure the nappers can be photoshopped out..I love that you were incandescently happy there. :)
Posted by: Heather | 29 October 2009 at 10:05 PM
Oh, Heather,
The thought of getting anywhere near Photoshop makes me whatever the opposite of incandescently happy is--I'm way too lazy to fuss with that. The napping people are starting to grow on me, actually--they had the right idea, after all. 1. Find most beautiful place in the world. 2. Take nap. If we'd had any brains we'd have done the same thing!!
Posted by: Citizen Reader | 30 October 2009 at 12:17 PM