BACK

 

So just what, exactly, are you back from, so-called LSP? I'll tell you, an explosive tour around the Old Country. In brief: Survive the Eclipse Event, enter a portal and land at Heathrow, set up in Whitehall, take care of business, stroll 'round the corner to the jolly old NatLib and go from there, London's your oyster, and what an oyster it is.

Typical Whitehall Street Scene

Yes indeed, not least the Brompton Oratory where they celebrate the Mass in Solemn High grand style and, let the reader understand, in good time. Yep, an hour and fifteen minutes from beginning to end, concert high. 

NatLib - Shocking Slack

After that, catch a cab to St. James Square and Sunday lunch at the East India, order off the trolley like a pro and then, delicious meal over, stroll across the way to the In & Out (Naval and Military) and take advantage of their beautiful courtyard.

A Brazen Goat

Brazen courtyard goat notwithstanding, catch a fast train to Edinburgh and stay at the Royal Scots, what a congenial club. Ludlow beckons next, an idyllic market town which is rightly famous for the Blue Boar. Stop there for drinks and snacks. Next up? Back to London and Soho.

Prix Fixe

Get off at Euston, thanking God you're wearing a stab vest, catch a cab to Soho and have fun from thereon in. Maybe that involves multiple Negronis. Last leg of the tour, fly into Calgary and marvel at one gallon of milk costing EIGHT BUCKS. No kidding, something better change. Rock on.

Your Expat Pal,

LSP

Cleanse The Palate

 

The UK still has some soldiers, not many, hardly any, but some. Do you think UKGOV got rid of their Army because they thought it was disloyal to GloboHomo power? As in can't have those Praetorians hijack our rainbow power grab.

Maybe so, and weird calculus given the UK is baying for war. Anyway, here's what's left of the Scots regiments, doing  their thing:

Cheers,

LSP

Great Result

 

"So where've you been, so-called 'LSP'?" you mutter askance. That's a very good question and the answer's simple, in the UK. Object being to take two Sundays off and have some fun in the Sceptered Isle. So far so good with a week in London and attendant serious clubbing, let the reader understand, and now Edinburgh.

The high point? Going to mass on Sunday at St. Peter's London Docks (SPLD), one of the founders of the Anglo-Catholic Movement as we know it today. Tract into act sorta thing, and they did just that, ministering heroically to the cholera stricken poor in the 19th century.

That in mind, Sunday's Mass was outstanding. Hordes of kids, 13 Confirmations, a full church, great sounding choir and sparkling wine after Mass. Totally all good and uplifting in every respect. Well done, SPLD, you're bucking the trend and showing the world that real religion, as opposed to its ersatz rainbow simulacrum is the way forward.

And what good people! America take note, the UK is home to some pretty switched on punters, no kidding. Happy with that, I strolled through the streets of East London after Mass with an old friend, and today? 

Rode the rails to Edinburgh and the Royal Scots. More on this adventure as it unfolds.

God bless,

LSP

I Like The Look Of This Place

 

Yes, Edinburgh's Royal Scots Club, conveniently situated in New Town. It was set up after World War I as a tribute to the 11,162 Royal Scots who were killed in the conflict and flourishes today, retaining close military association.

Whatever, it has a dining room.

Pleasant. Ladies Side?

Behold tartan.

And a Door.

What a great club and you can imagine the scene. High spirits at the bar and next step? Chucked in the Forth or maybe the Leith. Some of you may have enjoyed just that. That in mind, the DLC has recip rights, obviously.

By the Left,

LSP

We've Been Conned

 

A few years ago I flew to Calgary with my eldest son to visit family after Christmas. Because he was/is serving and we were flying AA, the airline upgraded us to 1st class. What a welcome surprise and how pleasant, there we were, flying to the land of the ice and snow with room to breathe, metal cutlery, decent food, glasses made of actual glass and all of that.

Gazing out of the window of the plane in search of UFOs I thought about this and it all came back to me, flying used to be this way, for everyone. But now? You have to be rich to afford yesteryear's standard of comfort and quality.

The same thought flashed across the mental horizon while strolling in Newtown, Edinburgh, earlier this year. All these beautiful Georgian houses which are mostly cut up into apartments, you have to be rich to own and live in a whole one today.

I said as much to barrister pal who lives in Leith and was showing us around, "Yes," he replied, "Only the wealthy can afford the lifestyle of the old middle classes." Again, in beautiful Ludlow, within the orbit of the old medieval city wall you never have to go to a supermarket. There's three butchers, bakers, green grocers, cheese shops, 2 fishmongers and on. 

All of this was commonplace, if not so picturesque, not that long ago but now you have to be well favored to live in a place like Ludlow. You know, maybe here in the States people who live in Martha's Vineyard have that kind of old world luxury.

Point being, all of the above wasn't luxury so very long ago, just the way people lived, and I tell you this, we've been conned. As our part of the world's wealth has increased so too should our standard of living. But no, in many respects it's declined and quite literally; your Dollar doesn't go as far as it used to. And no wonder, it's an instrument of debt at interest to the private consortium of bankers that is the Fed.

They, the people profiting off of the way we live now, are doing very well. They're mostly invisible and can enjoy the storied delights of private islands via their private jets while we count ourselves lucky to get an apartment the staff used to live in. Yes indeed, but what shall it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul? 

This isn't a screed against wealth, eye of the needle aside I wish we all had more, but it is a caveat. We've been had, conned, and further complacence will only exacerbate the problem. Churches, I'm looking at you. OK, good luck with that.

Arma Virumque,

LSP

Scotland The Brave

 

I'll second that,

LSP

Edinburgh

  

York's great, no doubt about it, but D and I were on a mission to get to the Athens of the North via Vauxhall Tigra. Would the four wheeled runabout make it up the hills of the scenic route? It did, mercifully, and we stopped at Bremenium, a Roman fort north of Hadrian's Wall. Not much remains today but you can see traces of its walls and triple ditch. It once held a significant force of 1000 men.

Then on to Edinburgh to meet an old friend who, among other things, is President of the fabled Ghost Club. He gave us a great tour of the city, New Town, the Royal Mile and much, much more. Excellent, what a great place until... 

You get to the Scottish Parliament building, which is hideous and cost 400M GBP. They say architecture reflects the soul or spirit of the people who build it; northern parliamentarians, take note.

That aside, I was struck by the place, street after street of Georgian houses in New Town and then the old medieval city by the castle. Beautiful now but it must have been a noisome place in the days before plumbing made its way into the tall tenements and courts, gardyloo.

So go to Edinburgh if you can and enjoy the architecture, history, pubs, restaurants, museums and galleries of the city. It was great to be back after nearly 30 years and great to meet up with our ghostly friend, what a good man.

Was haggis involved? Yes. Were there pipers? Everywhere. Did I wear a kilt? No, I did not. Were there ghosts? Possibly at the Arthur Conan Doyle Center. Next stop? Back south to Shrewsbury, Ludlow and Aberystwyth.

Cheers,

LSP

Road Trip #1

 

Yes, London is awesome and I love its imperial greatness, the Embankment, Whitehall, Jermyn Street, Harvie & Hudson, the sheer greatness of the place. Tip of the top hat to our Victorian forebears and their Regency parents, there were giants in those days.

That said, movement is a sign of life, so we climbed into the motor, Vauxhall Tigra(!) and drove north from Aldgate East, to Edinburgh, via York. Sure, it's not so far but UK roads are slow so we broke up the journey. York's great, all these little shops in medieval buildings and the Minster itself.

We didn't go into the Minster but did go into a pub for a hearty Yorkshire meal of roast beef and all the rest, delicious. A friendly prof from the university joined in, he specializes in African archeology, what a good guy.

So that was fun, and so was the hotel. Just a short walk from the gates of the old city and the fleshpots of the Shambles. The place was hosting a wedding reception as we pulled in, a lovely young bride, her groom and guests, beautiful.

The next day? On to Edinburgh, the Athens of the North.

Cheers,

LSP

Queen Elizabeth II Lies in State in Scotland

 

People forget that Great Britain, in itself, is an Empire, the centralized power of Scotland, Wales, England and, tenuously, Ireland. Knowing this, Her Majesty lay in state in Edinburgh tonight.

Later, her body will be brought to Westminster Abbey where many thousands will line up around the block to pay their respects. And what respect it is.

HRH Elizabeth II embodied privilege and with it, service. That's the equation and she most evidently worked the solution. Result? The people loved her. Moral?

No one likes or loves the grifting, get rich quick, MillSoc mountebank, snake oil sales fools who run our country. Imagine, if you can, their funerals. Mall. Lampost. Noose.

Salve Regina,

LSP

Feast of Saint Andrew

It's the Feast of Saint Andrew, almost, so here's some pipes.

Scotland the Brave,

LSP