Human Conflict

A time for reflection, given the fighting in Ukraine, Sudan  Israel Gaza and Iran to name those areas which come to mind.

There is or was a beautiful Orthodox Church in Gaza:

Western society has enjoyed  a relatively peaceful existence since WWII. Possibly this peace causes many in the West to  attempt to prevent states which are attacked from retaliating. 

I have no special affinity for Israel. Perhaps many of the region's current difficulties stem from WWII itself or earlier. I am no historian but the fact of millions of Jewish people being massacred by the Germans during WWII gave rise to many the current issues in the Middle East over 70 years later.

Possibly much of today's conflict in the Middle East could have been avoided if Germany, the country mainly responsible for killing so many Jewish people  by 1945, had been required to carve out a decent part of its nation for Jewish people within which to settle, rather than creating essentially a new or maybe renewal of an ancient, Israel.  The UK  no doubt with the support of allies,  commenced Israel's (re)creation yeaars earlier after WWI, prior to which the area was part of the Islamic Ottoman empire. 

History is  usually impossible to fathom as interpreting what occurred and why depends so much on individual country's interpretations of fact. Add to that, the selfish (putting the description mildly) nature of so many dictators and rulers, the suffering of many people in different countries since the time of the ancient Egyptian pharoes if not before, is surely largely down to such leaders' actions?

President Putin for example, inititially described his incursion into Ukraine as a "Special Military Operation" but only recently admitted that Russia is at war with its neighbour. The West, especially the EU but including the UK at the time, stood by when Putin's Russia previously invaded and took control of the Crimea from Ukraine.

Sudan likewise has been at war for months, yet the opposing generals in the war, are really only fighting for the enormous potential wealth  that there is in that country. 

The Romans enslaved people for years; so did the British and many African states  and I recall  learning at school, about the Aztecs and Incas   -  none of the human race is exempt. 

More prayer and less disastrous fighting is the only answer I can fathom.

Isle of Wight

The midweek break in the Isle of Wight with  younger brother and his wife Jan,   youngest sister Stephanie, and mrs maytrees and I, proved a great success.

Travelling there for some of us was by train from Clapham Junction to Southampton thence by red passenger ferry to Cowes West whereas the return Journey was from Ryde, then  thanks   to younger brother who had brought his car, by the large car ferry to Portsmouth Harbour after which the drive up the A3 and home, was simple enough.

The two days on The Isle of Wight were all too brief. Mrs maytrees and I stayed at  small boutique hotel in central Cowe and the others opted for a nearby B&B. Cowes had a day or two earlier, been hit by flooding during the spring high tides and a few shops were still closed for drying out.

The first morning was cool and misty but the air was clean and still, below left:

We  decided to visit Osborne House pictured right, which had been the royal hideaway for Queen Victoria and her husband Albert, of whom she was beloved. The couple obviously enjoyed staying there. The royal couple's Osborne estate  was bought in 1845 as an occasional escape from Windsor and public life and they considerably enlarged it.   

Given that the couple were so young, it is perhaps unsurprising that some of their paintings which are displayed in several rooms are slightly risque:

The longish walk to the sea  via the Swiss Cottage built for the couple's  9 children was a delight as  as was the queen's bathing hut on the strand.

The journey back to West Cowes was uneventful. 

The following day Steph had booked a wonderful supper for us all at the Cowes smoking lobster restaurant, so to work up an appetite for that we decided on a trip to Carisbrooke Castle, which like Osborne House, is managed and run by English Heritage. 

Carisbrooke Castle was well worth the visit and some of the views of the estate from the narrow walk around the very high battlements, are excellent, for example, see right:

During our stay, on the Isle of Wight, we also visited a glass making factory, being fortunate enough to enter when there were no other visitors present. The furnaces for melting and shaping the glass were blazing and  some men were working in the heat melting and shaping glass into attractive  vases, pots and figures. One of the workers had a microphone and explained to us what he  was doing as he proceeded around the site:

An interesting visit especially as some of us had not before seen glass being made and molded.

Our two days break was all too brief and we decided to look around Ryde town before taking the ferry home.

Interestingly there is a very long pier from the town to the railway station at the end of the pier, with trains taking passengers from the FastCat ferry to Ryde town centre. We walked the length of the pier to the train terminus station at its end. A mile long I would guess.

Then the ferry home and all too quickly our break came to an end

Mere: 74 Charlotte Street

April 5th 2024 was the 49th Wedding anniversary of mrs maytrees and I. Tempus Fugit, as it seem as if only a few days ago, we were married in Dublin. Quite how mrs maytrees survived our marriage for that long I will never know.

However youngest sister having given us a present of a meal for two at Mere restaurant in London's Charlotte Street, a week or so back, I was able to book lunch for the date of our anniversary, which booking had to be confirmed earlier this week. Unfortunately mrs maytrees was ill yesterday by which time it was too late to postpone the lunch, so my younger brother John, attended with me instead. 

The restaurant was close to Goodge Street tube station which unusually still only has lift rather than escalator access from the platforms.

Mere is only a few minutes walk from Goodge Street but as we were early, we visited some of the interesting furniture shops next to Heals on the Tottenham Court Road.

Walking then to the Mere restaurant, we were welcomed,  shown to our table and each  presented with a glass of Mere's own Champagne.  The menu was thus:

And was delicious. 

The  restaurant proprietor is Monica Galetti about whom the Mere's website states:

Monica Galetti

Chef Proprietor

Born in Samoa and brought up in New Zealand, Chef Monica Galetti moved to Britain in 1999 to work alongside Michel Roux Jnr at Le Gavroche in London. She became a household name in 2008 when she joined the BBC2 team as a judge on Masterchef:The Professionals and has gone on to co-present BBC2’s Amazing Hotels – Life Beyond the Lobby

We were also provided with a tour of the Mere's kitchen and I was surprised to see how many staff were present there working extremely hard although my photo below does not do the kitchen, justice.

In addition to the the glasses of Mere's champagne, we had two large bottles of sparkling mineral water and John had a glass of beer. There were also tasting treats for us before and during the meal including a delicious marmite paste with some sourdough bread.

Before the meal ended, the manager provided me with a small box of homemade chocolates and a card from the staff, for mrs maytrees, who later told me how delicious the chocolates were.

The bill was a surprise as there was no charge for the bottled water and the tip was included with the meal cost already paid, so that the only item charged was my brother's beer although we added to the small sum payable a small additional tip.

To walk off the delicious meal, we decided instead of returning to nearby Goodge Street tube, to walk through London, back to Waterloo mainline station. Given the meal and the sunshine the walk proved ideal and there was a train waiting which departed shortly after we had boarded.

A most enjoyable afternoon though sadly mrs maytrees was unable to join us.

An Enemy of the People

The play was set at the Duke of York's Theatre in London's St Martins' Lane and is an updated production of the Henrik Ibsen original.

My youngest sister had kindly provided the tickets which at £155 each were hardly cheap. 

As an aside however, there was  recent article in The Times newspaper which showed that the cost of theatre tickets was not really expensive, given the numbers of people involved these days in setting up productions. Apparently  theatre tickets in  New York's Broadway theatres tend to cost even more. In any event, the seats near the front on the ground floor of the theatre, were ideal for us although sadly mrs maytrees was ill and unable to enjoy the show with youngest sister and I.

The weather that morning was dreadful with Storm Nelson in full swing. There were ambulances and police cars whilst I was walking along Worple Road towards the station, as there had been a fearful accident of some kind at the mid-road Thames Water works. No way would mrs maytrees and I together, have been able to make the theatre in time. Huge queues had formed at bus stops enroute. 

Walking to the Duke of Yorks theatre from Waterloo station was little better in the wind and rain. However I made it just in time.

The play itself was excellent. The 'plot' was essentially about a town rather like the town of Bath in England, where a local had discovered that the water supply was probably (there was only a single report) badly polluted.  He Peter Stockmann, was a political  leftie.  His brother Dr Thomas Stockmann, happened to be the town's mayor and was adamant that the possibility of pollution was not leaked to the people through the local press, pointing out that the re-piping of the supply upsteam, would cost an unaffordable one hundred million. The leftie's wife Katharina Stockmann, had  a small baby and grandfather occasionally entered the stage with his dog. The latter was pretty well behaved  though the family's baby  amusingly squalled from time to time.

The first half of the play contained some great singing by Katharina Stockmann together with drums and guitar playing, interspersed with arguments about the pollution,  which were all very entertaining.

The second half, was very unusual at least in my experience. 

The theatre audience lights came on and the people in the audience were asked what were essentially political questions, with members of the cast passing round microphones, so that individuals' answers could be heard and commented, upon from the stage and by others in the audience. Thus for example, one questioner criticised current British politicians, mentioning Kier Starmer by name; another Amazon and Google, with the actors always bringing the answers back to the politics of the Bath Town and its water supply.

I would have liked to ask questions about the weakening of Christianity in the country these days coinciding with an increase in many of the country's, or should I say Bath Town's problems, but that would  probably have been a distraction.

An excellent production and the walk back to London's Waterloo station was easier than the journey out had been, as the rain had cleared up.

Palm Sunday 2024

So much news about war and hunger in the world today, that some thoughts about Palm Sunday may be apt, leaving the newspapers and broadcasts, to dwell on the  wars and famines in so many parts of the world.

When somewhat younger I used to wonder why Palm Sunday services at least in Roman Catholic churches, were usually rather down beat with any music  and singing being of the solemn variety. 

After  all, my understanding of what actually occurred to Jesus Christ at the time, is that he was hugely cheered on by the crowds, thus part of one of the Catholic gospels for tomorrow reads: 

Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem

And when he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. When he drew near to Beth′phage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples, saying, “Go into the village opposite, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat; untie it and bring it here. If any one asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this, ‘The Lord has need of it.’” So those who were sent went away and found it as he had told them. And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” And they said, “The Lord has need of it.” And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their garments on the colt they set Jesus upon it. And as he rode along, they spread their garments on the road. As he was now drawing near, at the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” And some of the Pharisees in the multitude said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”

 

Now of slightly older  age, I appreciate that a point of the rather sombre note of Palm Sunday, is that the crowds who were at the time  cheering Christ, would soon be seeking  from Pontius Pilate his crucifixion.

Hence  perhaps the somehat serious vein  of  Palm Sunday Catholic mass.

The Keeper

Given the Russian War in Ukraine, civil wars in eg The Sudan, the conflict in Gaza and the  Hamas  atrocities in Israel on 7th October 2023, this film currently on BBC iplayer, apparently a true story about a German Prisoner of War being  held with other war prisoners, in a PoW camp near Manchester, following the end of WWII, is both apt and moving.

Apt, because the film depicts  cowardice, courage, human failings, love, talent, agony, human success and reconciliation in post second world war Britain; moving, because of the weaknesses, deaths and reconciliations that are depicted.

Bert Trautman the PoW, is bullied by the British PoW sergeant in charge of the camp, by for example, being made frequently to clean the latrines. On one occasion whilst playing a prisoners' football  game as goalkeeper, where he brilliantly makes save after save, although the game is stopped by the bully sergeant, he is spotted by the trainer of a local losing football team St Helens facing relegation.

Eventually, being allowed to work away from the PoW camp, albeit in restrictive conditions, in the St Helen's manager's shop conditionally upon his  helping the manager's football team survive, he succeeds with the team's final match and eventually falls in love with the manager's daughter Margaret.

Eventually, he is spotted, and later recruited, by the  then Man City manager, who is scouting for a decent player. 

There was a huge amount of resentment of  Germans at the time, being post WWII. This was reflected at the Man City ground, with the crowd both home and away supporters, loudly booing Bert. A Jewish rabbi who had fled the war to the UK, eventually shakes hands with him and Bert bcomes Man City's hero.

However he has damaging accident on the pitch. Off the pitch, his only son dies in a motor accident. Visiting his son's grave he meets the bully sergeant. They have a fight,  during which the sergeant mentions his own son killed fighting the Germans in the war. Eventually they too shake hands.

Given the reconciliations depicted at that dreadful time, today's wars could and should, surely be resolved with reconciliation being at the core of such resolutions.

British Media

The attempt, essentially by the United Arab Emirates, to take control of the Daily Telegraph and Spectator, causes me to give some consideration of the British media more generally at present, as I read both publications along with The Times newspaper or very occasionally, the Daily Mail - the latter mainly for its busness news at weekends.

The Telegraph/Spectator take-over proposals even in their altered form, seem unpopular with much of the British establishment, though the government suggests that there is not much that can be done about that  within existing UK law. 

However an MP Labour I believe, is proposing that the law be changed, with a new Act of Parliament. Over 100 Tory MPs seem likely to support such a change. Thus  the  proposed new Act of Parliament may yet prevent ownership slipping  out of Britsh hands, essentially to those  of a foregn government albeit a company has since been introduced to the mix. 

Interestingly, the foreign bidders, have repaid  the large debts by the existing holders of those publications, who are or were, as one of the brothers has died, the Barclay brothers, of the Channel island, Brecou off Sark. Whether that payment has to be repaid if the take-over does not succeed, is unclear, but Lloyds Bank from which much was apparently borrowed by the brothers, was  clamouring for its repayment prior to the UAE bid. Lloyds Bank I am sure will be relieved that their loan book  to Barclay Bros. may now  largely be closed.

My understanding is that no state, as distinct from corporate entities, owns a British newspaper although some TV channels appear to be at least influenced, by foreign states. The Times is foreign owned though  not by or through, a foreign government.

Although British media generally is sometimes criticised for being too right wing, this criticism seem to me to be becoming less and less true, perhaps because of the unpopularity of the current Conservative government, which itself today, leans rather less to the political right, than did Tory governments of my youth.

Again in my view, BBC TV and Radio have moved politically to the left, in recent years even to the extent of refusing to call 'Hamas' terrorists despite government rulings that they are terrorists, both in the UK and abroad. 

The only  UK TV news channel that  currently appears to be right of centre politically, is GB News. Yet GB News is frequently referred to the British broadcasting watchdog OFCOM, though for nothing  that seems to me at least,  to be as serious as that  for example, of the BBC's Martin Bashir on that station's Panorama programme concerning the late Lady Diana, where allegations about cooking up of alleged facts were made.  

As a reader of The Spectator (see above) I hope that that weekly magazine remains in British hands.