h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Can I sign up too for the Visit Rome in AD60 Trip?

Been a fan of Lindsey Davis since I discovered the The Silver Pigs a number of years ago. She's one of the few authors I'm tempted to buy in hardback; it's difficult to wait those extra months until the latest one comes out in paperback.

Have you read any of Steven Saylor's books? He writes about Gordianus the Finder - about 100 yrs earlier than Falco - and has also done meticulous research into that period.

Staying on the same theme - I've recently discovered Simon Scarrow - who writes about the Roman Army in Britain. Reading them alongside Manda Scott's Boudicea novels is an interesting way of seeing both sides of the story.

Too many books - too little time.......

hi Teuchter,

The first Falco book I read was Ode to a Banker, two summers ago, which had been left behind by a tenant living next door. Blues Shark was here for a holiday at the time and told me what a wonderful series it was so I thought - what the heck - and started this book, even though it was near the end of the series. Since then I've read most of them, mostly out of sequence.

I also started (and have continued) to read Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels completely out of sequence, having started with Night Watch (cos that's the only one they had in the bookshop here). I think I've now read about a dozen of those.

Haven't heard of Steven Saylor - will check him out. It's always good to get a recommendation and lately I've been wondering what I'm going to do once I get through all of the Discworld and Falco books. Okay, I do read other stuff in between, but these two series are books I feel very 'at home' with.

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And too little money to buy them with . . .


az

There's always the consolation that the books will still be there while we save up for them

I've been meaning to read more Pratchett - and have no excuse not to really, since my son has most of them.
Well I do have a small excuse actually - they're lurking in the depth of A Teenagers Bedroom under Bob-knows-what detritus.

How easy is it to find English language books in your part of Spain? My friend in Germany has huge problems - but at least I always know what to send for her birthday.

Happy reading.

There are a couple of bookshops here that have reasonably good English book sections and when I order books from them they are usually here within a week (so, cheaper than Amazon as I don't have to pay for postage).

I noticed awhile ago that the bookshop I usually order from had started ordering an extra copy of whatever I asked for, so they now have quite good Davis and Pratchett selections.


az

Meanwhile, picked up what looks like a very interesting book yesterday - Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts. Apparently an auto-biographical thing about an Australian armed-robber who escaped prison and then went on to India . . . wondering how much of it is actually true. But so far it's quite well-written and interesting.

And hey - got over 900 pages for just 12 euros!

Will also buy Don't Eat This Book next week and read the two of these off and on together for awhile, I think.


az

I've got a bit of a book hiatus just now

Just finished Alexander McCall Smith's "Sunday Philosphy club" - which is set in Edinburgh, rather than Botswana, and which has a heroine who is not of traditional size.
Fairly gentle - with a wee twist at the end.

I have a Henning Mankell waiting - but need to be in the right mood for him as his books are as dark as a Scandinavian Winter.

Let me know how Shantaram turns out.

I think I came across 'Sunday Philosophy Club' at the local bookshop but wasn't sure about buying it. So probably will now!

Sadly, it's a choice I've had to make over the years due to financial constraints - either buying books or buying music. So my music library is very small but my bookshelves are quite full.

Meanwhile, Shantaram is a hoot! Am really loving it. Interesting that it is meant to be autobiographical, though of course I take this with a huge grain of salt. Still, quite compelling reading, a good story and 'simplistic philosophies' aside (which are sometimes a bit gag-making) it's very enjoyable.

Have you ever read any Robertson Davies? A Canadian author. In fact, he remains my favourite author of all time. Perhaps because I started reading him when I was 18 . But I find his stuff so amazingly interesting, all about religion and myths, magic, philosophy, etc all told within very realistic settings, also dealing a lot with personal relationships. Within all the 'intellectual' and 'esoteric' stuff going on in his novels he is also a wonderful story-teller and he never 'talks down' to his audience. If you ever find The Deptford Trilogy I would recommend starting with that one.


az

I must have a look for Shantaram - it sounds intriguing. Any book that makes you laugh and makes you think has to be worth a fiver of anyone's money.

I don't know Robertson Davies - but will also look out for the Deptford Trilogy.

I do like getting recommendations about books - when you go into a bookshop and there's so much to chose from but when you can only afford to get one, it needs to be a goodun.

Have you read much of David Guterson's work? I loved Snow Falling On Cedars - but his other stuff never quite lived up to expectations.

Another Roman type book which is worth a read is Robert Harris' Pompeii. Loved the historical detail and the characterisations - plus it had a bit of suspense thrown in and was very readable.

Thirty years ago? Eek - where did that time go? Too damn quickly. Wouldn't it be great to go back and relive the really good bits now and again - taking an occasional wee holiday from the present into the past.

Yes, I did read Snow Falling on Cedars a few years ago and my reaction to it was that it was kind of . . . um, flakey? Though I don't remember the book much, only my reaction at the time.

Pompeii sounds like it might be a good read. Perhaps it is similar to Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth - lots of historical detail (especially about architecture in 11th century England) and quite a good story.

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Frankly, you couldn't pay me enough to go back to my twenties again - even for a visit (unless I could visit with my present day personality and have that lithe slim body again . . . ). I don't think I started feeling like *myself* until I turned 30.

How old are you? (if you don't mind me asking). I'm 48 1/2.


az

Same as you ....I'm end of January.

But mostly I feel like I did thirty years ago - until I look in the mirror.
You're right though - today's personality, outlook and experience - and yesterday's body would be a rather good combination.
I wouldn't care to go back to my teens; too much angst and uncertainty - but I quite enjoyed my twenties and thirties. And the forties are okay - apart from that strange sensation that one is gradually becoming invisible.

Must have a look for Germaine Greer's book about becoming an old bat - can't remember the title but I think it's about becoming empowered by being menopausal
Don't agree with her on everything - but she certainly provokes a few thoughts.

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A few years ago I came across this *phenomenon* for the first time . . . was walking down the street with a young German flatmate who was wearing skin-tight clothes and high-heeled boots . . . and suddenly I no longer existed.

I couldn't decide if I cared or not, or if it wasn't a bit of a relief (oh thank gawd I don't have to be 'sexy' anymore) or if it was just quite funny.

If nothing else, I've been told I have a 'memorable' face, which could mean a lot of things. Even now that I'm older and *much* chubbier, the face continues to serves me well I think. I'm just glad I got to like myself a bit more by now so that I can care less about what the exterior package looks like.

Have never read Germaine Greer. Wasn't she also recently on a Big Brother series? I'm going to have to guess at when I go menopausal, though I can't imagine feeling any more emotionally askew than I do most days anyhow . . .

Hormones, schmormones . . .


az

Seen this? F119314?thread=786850




az

I'm so pleased the mini-meet in Seville seems to be coming together!

Meanwhile, here is a photo of me and Noggin at home (and my books).

http://public.fotki.com/azahar/amigos/dsc00128.html

The photo was taken by blicky when he was here staying with us last March, so there are actually more books by now . . . and that's me looking 48+ and very chubby. Noggin is one of those very annoying 'naturally skinny' people who can eat anything they like and never put on weight - though I try not to hold it against him.

Hey - you're not in my h2g2 friends photo gallery, are you? (couldn't find you when I looked this morning).


az

You both look like lovely people - and that bookcase is so much neater and cleaner than mine . Oh - I mean clean in the sense of dust and stuff, not smuttiness.

I don't think you look at all chubby. Putting on a wee bit of weight is natural as we get older - and lends a certain gravitas, methinks.
Skinny women our age just look scrawny - the ratbags

I'm not _really_ an ageist or sizeist person - I'm far more interested in people's characters and deeds than their looks.

As for my looks - if I could find a photo that didn't make me look like Albert Steptoe with spectacles, I would send it for your gallery.

I do hope the Sevilla Meet comes off. Though you and N could be find yourselves running Hootoo Tours every alternate weekend next Spring.
All the H2G2 people I've met in RL have been great. We even had one of the Salonistas over for a visit from the States in May - it was brilliant.
Have you ever thought of visiting Lil's Atelier? There's a good bunch of people in there - including Ben, Z and myself.

Yeah well, the DUST doesn't actually show up in the photo - thank gawd.

Meanwhile, am definitely chubby, even *beyond chubby* - why else do you think I tried hiding my massive bulk behind Noggin for that photo?

Re: Lil's atelier, I was there for awhile. I was invited by Lil, Ben and some other salonistas after the 'oetzi experience' - remember him? He was stalking me and others at the time.

I dunno, I guess I felt a bit like the salonistas all knew each other so well that most of my posts ended up going unnoticed. Perhaps I should have persevered but then again, I sometimes think I already have too many threads happening to keep track of.

The only h2g2 people I've met in person (so far) are those who have come here to visit. Noggin, of course. Also Blues Shark (who's been here twice, the second time with his now wife SLG) and blickybadger, my hootoo 'little bro'. So I'm quite looking forward to meeting more!

I actually have quite a bit of email and IM contact with other researchers, which makes me feel like I know them fairly well.

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Actually wouldn't mind that one little bit as I love 'showing off' my beautiful Sevilla. Not sure though if I could actually afford all the eating and drinking out - either financially or health-wise.

Meanwhile, isn't it just so cool that after seeing you around for ages, we have now got to know each other better because of Falco?

Even if you *are* and ageist/sizeist person.

<> Love it!


az

The pace of conversation in the Atelier does take some adjusting to - and it doesn't help that we're a gabby lot and usually have about six different threads of conversation going on simultaneously. It's not unusual for me to come in from work and find 90ish posts to catch up on.
Sometimes a posting will go uncommented on - it's happened to me too - but if it's important I usually repeat myself until someone notices.
I made my first visit there around the time of the Oetzi debacle too. We definitely seem to have been shadowing each other around this site - so it is good to have the opportunity to get to meet you properly

I do like Ask for the sheer silliness of some of the threads but am glad that places like the Forum exist too. A bit of balance is a good thing.
I probably read more than I post - mainly because I don't want to fall into the trap of making annoyingly vacuous comments which are a mere repetition of what has been said previously in a conversation. Or there's the blandly inane and downright stoopid - one worries that a posting may come across as such. Many's the time I've written a whole screed, previewed it and thought Sod It, I can't post that load of mince.

Now, about this getting older stuff. As well as having to get used to a bit of extra ballast - what is it with the hair? In places where it's not welcome?
I noticed, as I stood in front of the mirror today with the sun coming across at a particularly unflattering angle, that I have half a moustache. What's that all about? Think I'll be saving my pocket money for some laser zapping on that. By the time it gets to Italian Mother-in-law proportions I may have enough saved to get it seen to. Either that or put it up for adoption as a small domestic animal.

I've just been showing Mr T your photos of Sevilla - and his appetite is well and truly whetted so you can put us down as very nearly definites.
Can you tell me which general area I should be searching for hotels. We didn't do anything for our Silver Wedding and would like to treat ourselves a wee bit - but still be near the area where other H2G2 peple are staying.

I am getting rather about this trip.

So, I take it you aren't into the cheap & cheerful pension for 20 euros a person per night. Okerly dokerly . . .

How about these two places? About 80 euros a night.
http://www.hotelsimonsevilla.com
http://www.yh-hoteles.com

Or this place? About 150 euros a night.
http://www.hdmaria.com/lang/english/hotel/index.html

The Doña Maria has a great rooftop terrace that looks straight onto the cathedral and Giralda tower, but you don't have to be staying there to go up and have a drink.

Of course if you *really* want to splash out you can stay here

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/westin/search/hotel_detail.html?propertyID=88&localeoverwrite=


All of them are very close to the cathedral (and me!)


az

Thanks for that info and the links.

We probably *should* do the sensible thing and go for the pension - but feel we could splash out a wee bit, since we've only managed one holiday in the last five years and didn't do anything to celebrate our 25 yr matrimonial milestone.

We'll probably go for one of the first two - and justify it on the grounds of freeing room at the pension for someone else.

It'll be good to have this weekend as a beacon to light the way through what'll probably be a dreary and dismal winter here.

The first two are quite nice. I'd recommend the second one out of those two, as it's just around the corner from us, so you'd still be right in the 'barrio', and also about two minutes from the pension.

I think you can book online but remember that you have to specify if you want a double bed, otherwise you'll probably get two single beds.

I can also check around for something a bit cheaper if you like. I think there are also places nearby for about 60-70 euros a night but I don't think they have websites.


az