Monday and my second day in Portsmouth

I'm still in search of a free or low-cost internet connection. The hotel offers a high-speed connection at 15 pounds for 24 hours. That works out to about $24-26 (depending on the exchange rate) or about a buck an hour. I may have to break down tomorrow night and get a connection if I can't find one elsewhere, but for now I'm holding out. So let me give you a sense of the day.

There was fresh fruit at breakfast, for which I was thankful. At the same time, I'm becoming a bit fond of baked beans at breakfast (along with my scrambled eggs, toast and sausage) so I went forth fortified for what was ahead. It was a very good day. I arrived at the museum with plenty of time to spare (it was only about a five minute walk from the hotel), so found a bench and enjoyed another sunny morning. At ten I went into the museum to meet Claire, who joined me a few minutes later. After introductions, she brought me into the Holmes exhibit and gave me a brief overview. I was then on my own to explore the exhibit and spent the next half hour viewing the displays. It is very nicely done, with a voice over by the patron of the collection, Stephen Fry (the actor I first discovered in the Jeeves and Wooster series on PBS), and some electronic monitors that allow for additional digital display of newly scanned items. I was surprised at the amount of material related to Doyle's spiritualism; I wasn't aware of this depth in Richard's collection. There was also quite a bit related to various movies and manifestations of the Holmes character as portrayed by various actors. Photography is allowed in the exhibit so I took some shots for the record.

After my tour through the exhibit I found Claire in the museum tea room. She very kindly offered me tea or coffee (I chose coffee) and we sat and talked for the next ninety minutes about any number of topics related to the exhibit, collection, and my own experiences with the Holmes collections in Minnesota. It was a great conversation and opener to the week. Round about noon Claire offered to take me on a bit of a drive through sections of Portsmouth. It was the perfect way to get a larger sense of the city. But the best was yet to come. We drove to a carpark at Gunwharf Quays and walked over to the Spinnaker Tower where Claire invited me to take a lift to the top. We had one comic bit before entering the lift--as you enter you are asked to pose for a staff photographer who snaps your picture and hands you a numbered card for possible purchase of the photo after your visit to the top. Claire's comment was wonderful and somewhere along the lines of thinking of a response to her daughter's question about her day: "Oh, I went to the top of the Spinnaker with a strange man." I loved it. Anyway, we got on the lift and traveled 100 meters above ground to the first of three viewing decks. The bottom two decks are enclosed. The top, "The Crow's Nest," is open to the elements from above. On getting out of the lift on the lowest deck you are offered the opportunity of walking across a glass floor that offers a view straight down. I walked across, gazed down, but didn't think to take a picture. Oh well. Then it was over to the glass windows for some spectacular views of the coast, city and harbor. This really put the whole city in context. I had read earlier, in the packet that Claire provided, that Portsmouth is actually an island, something I hadn't known. The view from the tower made it clear. Even though it was a bit hazy, the views were still fantastic. I could see the submarine museum across the water at Gosport as well as the historic dockyard, including HMS Warrior and HMS Victory. We moved up to the second deck for another view and then finally to "The Crow's Nest" before making our way back down to the second level and lift to the ground.

After the Spinnaker Tower Claire drove me to the Guildhall, site of the Green/Doyle archive. I was a little early for my 1:30 appointment with Michael, so Claire showed me a bit of the archival collection and we had a chance to meet and chat with two of the volunteers, David and Connie. There are about fifteen or sixteen volunteers on the project (actually I found out later there are eighteen) and I was very impressed with the amount of work they and the staff have been able to accomplish in fairly short order. Once Michael arrived Claire was off to other business (thank you for a wonderful morning!) and I had the rest of the afternoon with Michael. He gave me a more extensive overview of the archival collection and described the CALM database that is used for entering collection information.

A little technical note: CALM is based on ISAD-G; when I've got an internet connection I'll do a bit more research about this software. It turns out that three different systems are used to organize the collection: Spydus for the books, CALM for the archives, and MODES for the objects. The three systems can't communicate with each other so they're looking for a single interface that will bring all the databases together in one place for public searching. I also had a chance to show Michael what we have for accessing our collections: MNCAT (Classic and Plus) for books, the DLXS database for finding aids, and Images for scanned material. We're hoping that Primo will be able to tie all three of these together, but in many ways we find ourselves in the same situation as Portsmouth, i.e. needing a single search interface to discover all of our materials. Michael showed me more about CALM and the levels of description offered in the database. Then it was time for tea.

After tea Michael pulled some materials that I had requested related to Edith Meiser (I was curious to see what Richard had in his collection) and then I played around a bit with CALM to search for other materials related to Vincent Starrett and John Bennett Shaw. In the meantime, Michael had printed out a twenty-four page list of materials that matched another search I was interested in, i.e. radio dramatizations (again, related to my interest in Meiser materials). I'm going to study this list tonight and have additional material pulled tomorrow. The Meiser materials that Michael pulled were also calling for my attention, so I spent the last half hour looking at those and making additional notes on searches in CALM. And then it was closing time. (The collections are available from 9am to 5pm.) Michael has some other responsibilities in the morning, but is going to meet me at 9 and get a few things for me. I'll then be on my own for the rest of the morning (and have the chance to meet some other volunteers who will be coming in to work on projects.) David and Connie, the volunteers I met today, are working on organizing the many photocopies of newspaper articles that are in the collection.

I managed to find my way out of Guildhall and walked back to my hotel for a quiet evening. The feet are still aching a bit, but they didn't get as much of a workout today; maybe I'm on the mend. I downloaded the pictures I took today from the Spinnaker Tower and collection and will post them when I get to the internet. Now its time to unwind a bit and see what the BBC has to offer. Tomorrow is supposed to be much colder and wetter. Looks like its going to be that way for most of the week, so today was the perfect day to get up in the tower and get a view of the city. Thanks again, Claire and Michael, for a great start to my visit.

Sunday and the first day in Portsmouth

I'm working off line at the moment because I'm waiting to get some things sorted out on my internet connection. As a result, I'll probably post this tomorrow with a little cut and paste. But while my mind is still fresh let me give you a rundown on my Sunday.

Following breakfast in London House at Goodenough College (where I've had my breakfasts since arriving) I went back to my room, finished packing and checked out about 10. From the club I went back to Russell Square and caught the Piccadilly Line to Leicester Square, where I transferred to the Northern Line and on to Waterloo station. Getting my ticket for Portsmouth was a breeze and after locating the platform for the next train I boarded and found a seat for my ride to the south coast. My train left at noon.

Once out of the southern part of the metropolis the country opened up and I was treated to views of farms and pasture land. I even spotted a deer along the rail right-of-way and some alpaca. There were plenty of sheep and horses as well. I was seated on the right (west) side of the train and spotted some highlands here and there. I'll have to check a map to get a better sense of what I was seeing. One of the stops along the way was Rowlands Castle, a place that was familiar to me from a television program I saw some time ago back home that featured Michael Palin of Monty Python fame. The program was about British railroads (and being a train buff that was enough of an excuse for me to watch) coupled with Palin's search for genealogical information about his family. What I remember about Rowlands Castle was that Palin met some lord of the manor who lived thereabouts and who was himself a train buff, to the extent that he had created a miniature steam railway on his land (and offered rides to interested folks, including Palin). (I may be mis-remembering this and conflating a couple of episodes of "Great Railway Journeys"; I can't find an exact reference on the internet.)

Shortly before 2pm my train arrived spot on time at the Portsmouth and Southsea station. My feet are still pretty sore from all the walking in London so I opted for a short cab ride to the Holiday Inn (my home for the next week). Claire's packet of information was awaiting me at the reception desk which I opened and perused after getting to my room. (I didn't get room "221" but I'm close!) After putting some things away and grabbing a couple of glasses of water (I'm trying to keep myself hydrated with all this walking) I headed out to explore Portsmouth (the pedometer count for the day is 9,763; short of my other day counts, but then you've got to take the train ride into consideration).

The Holiday Inn is a short walk from the water; I headed in that direction. One of the things I was glad to receive in Claire's packet was a map of Portsmouth, so it didn't take me too long to get my bearings. One of the first sights to greet me was the ruins of the Royal Garrison Church. From there I moved to a raised walk along the coast. I noticed a trail, marked by distinctive pavers, and so followed it. This, it turns out, is the Millennium Promenade. And it was a perfect way to move from sight to sight (and site to site) near the harbor. An added bonus was the afternoon sunshine (it was cloudy when I left London), and with a slight breeze it was perfect for walking. The promenade led me to the following: the Square Tower, the Round Tower, Bathing Lane and ultimately to a more modern landmark, the Spinnaker Tower. Along the way I saw a variety of fishing boats, tall ships, pilot boats, tugs, hovercraft, ferries, and other watercraft. Off in the distance, past the Spinnaker Tower, was a modern warship, but I didn't discover its name or type. I'll save that for another day.

After a cheap meal at Subway, at the foot of Spinnaker Tower, I headed back towards the hotel. Along the way I came to Portsmouth Cathedral. So far on this trip I've been incredibly fortunate (blessed, lucky, what have you) when it comes to church experiences. Portsmouth Cathedral proved no different. As I entered I heard organ music. So, after a short walk around the sanctuary, I found a seat and enjoyed about twenty minutes of organ music. The organist (who I didn't have the chance to meet) was practicing (possibly for the evensong scheduled later). I don't know what pieces were played, but it was lovely to just sit on a late Sunday afternoon and enjoy the music in that space. I was tempted to stay for evensong, but decided instead to head back to my room and review some things before tomorrow. I'll check the schedule for the Cathedral and see if there's another evensong on for later in the week. The Cathedral is on the same road as the hotel, so its just a short walk.

When I got back to my room I decided to soak my feet in cold water for about twenty minutes. I don't know if that will help with the pain, but it sure felt good in the short term. My boots are very comfortable and I'm glad I broke them in before I left home. The problem is with those dress shoes; I didn't give them the same treatment. (Note to self: never bring new shoes on a trip where you're expecting to do a lot of walking.) I'm looking forward to tomorrow and the chance to meet the Portsmouth staff. They've been ever so kind in helping to arrange this trip. I hope we can return the favor at some time in the future.

Time to call it a day. By tomorrow I should have the internet connection sorted out and be able to post this to the blog. I'm also looking forward to checking e-mail and Facebook and find out how Beth's visit to Clarisa in Chicago turned out. Stay tuned. These first days were a bit of a vacation (combined with some work). This week its mostly business (with some fun thrown in). It will be good.

Treasures at the BL

My feet are still a bit tender from all the walking, so I decided to start the day with a short jaunt back to the British Library and a look at their treasures. Click here to get to the BL web page about the exhibit. It was jaw dropping. My favorites: Magna Carta, Codex Sinaiticus, Lindisfarne Gospels, Gutenberg Bible, Captain Scott's diary with his last entry, Beowulf, and the manuscript lyrics for the Beatles "Help." But there were lots more. It really was an amazing exhibit.

From there I hopped the Underground (I love my Oyster card) to The Green Park where it was a short walk to Buckingham Palace. (The flag was up; I think that means that the Queen is in residence.) I then walked up Constitution Hill to the Wellington Arch and from there across to Hyde Park and the Serpentine. Then it was over to Knightsbridge and a little wandering around before I came to Harrods. I didn't go in because the crowds in that part of the city were the biggest I've seen. Maybe I'll try again when I come back after Portsmouth. Bryce says I should check out the food court. The sidewalks were packed and I felt like I was shuffling my way back to Knightsbridge. I was starting to get hungry and thought about dropping into a restaurant to get a bite to eat, but wanted to see a few more things before it got dark. So I went around the back side of the palace grounds, past the Royal Mews and Queens Gallery to the Victoria Memorial and over to the Mall. From there I caught a glimpse of Clarence House and St. James palace (complete with guards) and then over to Pall Mall and St. James Square, site of the London Library. Its tucked in the northwest corner of the square. I didn't go in as it was near closing, but may try to visit again. I wonder who the sub-Librarian is? (Those of you who know the Holmes stories also know about Lomax, the sub-librarian; there's also a scion society of the Baker Street Irregulars that's connected with the American Library Association--The Sub-Librarians. They have a meeting every year during ALA's annual conference. This year they'll be in Chicago; Jon Lellenberg is the guest speaker.)

By this time it was getting dark, so I found the Underground at Picadilly Circus and headed back to Russell Square. I found a little food store nearby and bought some sandwiches and fruit. (I've had a real craving for fresh fruit.) Back in my room, I've been checking e-mail, uploading pictures and catching up on the news.

Tomorrow I head to Portsmouth. I'm looking forward to the train ride and a chance to see another part of the country. I'm also looking forward to meeting the folks at Portsmouth and spending a productive week with them and Richard's collection. But now its late and time for bed. I think my body is finally getting in synch with the time change. Pedometer count today: 13,601.

Before the day is done

Its coming up on midnight and I'm not going to write much at the moment. I just wanted to give you a sense of the day. I took advantage of the first day with sunshine and played tourist. Here are the highlights: Temple Church, Victoria Embankment, London Eye, Thames River cruise, Westminster, Old Scotland Yard, the Ministry of Defense, Big Ben, Parliament, and ended the day with an evensong at Westminster Abbey (I sat in the nave, in one of the stalls right behind one half of the choir; it was glorious).

I've got MPR streaming on my laptop. Sounds like its cold going back home. Here's hoping for warmer weather your way.

Its now midnight. I turn into a pumpkin. Goodnight.

PS Pedometer count was 11,327 steps.

One of those cool moments

Just have to share this before I head out and about; its one of those neat web 2.0 moments. With the time shift I've gone through, and being six hours ahead of the folks back home, I'm getting in the habit of checking e-mail at least twice--in the morning and the evening. That allows me to catch most of the people when I need to, depending on what time zone they're in.

But the neat thing is not about e-mail; its about chat. I went on to my Facebook page this morning just to check on things. I really didn't expect to find anybody up back home (it was 4 in the morning there), but noticed there was one online friend up and about. So I checked. . . and it was my daughter!! She has a part-time job sitting desk overnight in one of the dorms where she's a student. It was just so neat to connect. And so unexpected. We chatted for about twenty minutes or so and caught up on each others' lives a bit. That will be a moment I treasure from this trip.

Speaking of time shifts, she reminded me that when she was little (and had an early bed time) she would ask me what time it was in London. (I don't remember the origin of that question; it might have been related to my hobby of listening to shortwave radio broadcasts and her curiosity about time.) Part of the ritual, once we had established what time it was in London (usually about midnight or 1 am with the time shift) was also to say goodnight to Princess Di. It was a sweet time, and a special memory. Thanks, Kissa Who, for reminding me of that when we chatted.

London Day Two

The British Library, the site of one of my visits today. Before I forget, the pedometer count for today is 13,490, a few more miles! And my feet are telling me the news! Guess I'll rely more on Tube and bus tomorrow.

The BL is about five to ten minutes from where I'm staying, so it was a breeze to get there. I met Kimberly at the front desk; it was great to see her again. (She's been here for five years; it doesn't seem that long.) She was a fabulous host. After getting my visitor's badge we went down to the lockers where I stored my coat and bag. Then it was a little walking tour through some of the library before meeting her colleagues for a "show and tell" on a project she's been part of. The presentation was very interesting. Basically, security photographs are being made of maps that are part of a larger volume. A number of photographs are made, including a backlit version to show any watermarks and stains. These photographs are then linked to a record in the catalog. The purpose is to be able to show the map within the context of the larger work and to provide proof, if needed (and if the map is stolen from the volume) that this map is the property of the BL. There were a number of BL staff present at the meeting; I'm glad they let me sit in on the proceedings.

After the meeting Kimberly took me to the cafeteria for coffee/tea and a chance to visit a little bit more and catch up on people and happenings back in Minnesota. After our table time she took me to see the Conservation Centre and other parts of the library. The morning went way too quickly, but I'm really glad we had the chance to connect. I didn't have enough time to see the Treasures collection or register as a reader, but I'll probably take the opportunity in the next day or so.

After the British Library I wandered down Euston Road to Marylebone Road. Along the way I passed the Wellcome Library, Park Crescent, Regent's Park and Madame Tussaud's before arriving at Baker Street. The first place I went was to see the Sherlock Holmes statue. From there it was a short walk to the Marylebone Library and my meeting with Catherine Cooke. It was great to see her again and to have the opportunity to view the Holmes Collection. Catherine gave me a wonderful tour, opening cabinet after cabinet to reveal interesting volumes. We had a chance to talk a little shop and I'm hoping we can offer some of the duplicates from our collection to the Marylebone collection. It would be wonderful, as well, to explore the contents of all those file cabinets to see what didn't get included in the DeWaal bibliography, but that will have to wait for a later time. Catherine also gave me a peek at the newly received archives of the Sherlock Holmes Society of London. It will be very interesting to see what that collection contains. I'll be getting together with Catherine again during the latter part of my trip, but I was very thankful for the time she gave me this afternoon.

After my meeting with Catherine I wandered up and down Baker Street and eventually found myself at Grosvenor Square and the US embassy. I was tempted to look for the Minnesota flag among the flags of the states, but that would have meant going through security and even then I'm not sure I could have gotten close. So I settled on prowling the square and looking at the FDR and Eisenhower statues.

By this time "my dogs were starting to bark" (as opposed to the dog that did not bark in the nighttime). My feet did take a bit of a beating today (I wore different shoes) so will probably go back to my boots tomorrow and/or rely more on the bus and Tube with my Oyster card.

Well I've been at the computer for at least the last four hours (catching up on e-mail, writing letters and notes, uploading more photos), so I think its about time to call it a day. I think I'm going to wander down towards Westminster Abbey and Buckingham palace tomorrow. I haven't checked the weather yet, but noticed via e-mail that its been snowing back home and that evening classes at the U have been canceled. Must be some storm if the U is shutting things down!

One last note for today

This one's just for the record; I'll make the mileage calculation later: 16,033 steps on the pedometer today. I think that's a few miles.