Moment of Silence: "Michael Bond"

[ysabetwordsmith]

Michael Bond has passed away.  He created the famous Paddington Bear.  :(  While it wasn't my favorite childhood series, I did read some Paddington and I'm familiar with the character.

Comments

[technoshaman]

Pooh was *my* favourite bear, but Mother is *still*, at 73, a fan of Paddington... I made her very happy some years back when I visited Paddington Station (a HUGE place, bigger than King's Cross I think? yes, but not bigger than Victoria (the biggest) or Waterloo (Been there! Wot?! Krispy Kremes in London? C'mon mate, let's go have a doughnut!)), what has a dedicated store devoted to The Bear Himself, and brought some goodies back...

So, yeah, a cuppa Fortnum and Mason Royal Blend and a marmalade crumpet, in Paddington's honour.

(Paddington Station is also the home of the Heathrow Express, fifteen quid gets you fifteen minutes from the west end of central London all the way out to Heathrow Terminal 5, which is the big one where all the BA international flights go... so if the wee bear HAD just come in from Darkest Peru in the 21st Century, Paddington would likely be the first time he saw London from the inside...)

[cmcmck]

Indeed :o)

A certain bear has a statue on platform one of Paddington station!

[technoshaman]

So he does! IIRC that's the store in the background behind the seats.

I love the way Britain does these things. Over at King's Cross station, there's this:


And if you take the cheap way to Heathrow you'll end up going through Earls Court, which has *this* just hanging out nonchalantly next to the newsie...

Yay!

[ysabetwordsmith]

Britain is awesome. :D

Re: Yay!

[technoshaman]

Britain as a culture, and for the most part as a people, are awesome. I could cheerfully draw and quarter the lot that have currently got hold of #10 and Westminster, for the very grave crime of attempting to kill her working class by slow torture...

But, yeah. If we could get a left-wing coalition back into power soon (and it may yet happen!) and start fixing NHS and the general social safety net, and I could be assured it would *stay there* for a while? I'd just as cheerfully pack up and be off to a little place I know in Wilts... oh, g-d, to be able to get proper chips again...

Re: Yay!

[cmcmck]

We'll be picking up chips from the local chippie for our meal this evening.........

Re: Yay!

[technoshaman]

Envy much!

Re: Yay!

[technoshaman]

I think the only hell of being *there* would be distance... that and the fact that once I left, I wouldn't be coming back until the mess gets cleaned up THIS side of the pond... which... yeah. *sigh*

Yes...

[ysabetwordsmith]

Pooh for me too (I still say "Bother!" when annoyed) but I'm also a fan of Babar.

Re: Yes...

[technoshaman]

(I still say "Bother!" when annoyed)

Totes adorbs! *squishes Pooh*

Re: Yes...

[mdlbear]

Pooh for me as well; Paddington is Colleen's bear. She has a rather large Paddington stuffie that subs for me when I'm away.