This has been a really interesting weekend for me.
Yesterday lunchtime, on TV, there was a documentary about the men who spend their tours of duty manning a nuclear submarine. The film crew spent a week with them. It was interesting to learn how everything fit together within the submarine. Equipment is designed so that it can be moved through small spaces. They even recycle in the galley. You should have seen what they get to eat! (Well, this was a French submarine).
The crew was very interesting and friendly with a proud sense of duty. Of course, there was a lot that they couldn’t tell us and the microphones were switched off during a visit to the engine room as the sound of the engine is part of a submarine’s identity and must be kept secret. Needless to say, the film crew was glad to leave after a week in such a confined space!
I’ve written about submarines in the past: here and here
Yesterday evening there was a telefilm about Georges Clemenceau (the Tiger) who was the French leader during the First World War.
One of the monuments associated with The Towers in La Rochelle is the little house that Clemenceau stayed in for holidays by the sea in Vendée. One Christmas Rob was guardian for a couple of days and nights there and we’ve visited several times. ( A short story that I wrote about that Christmas) Clemenceau was also a close friend of Claude Monet and persuaded him to have operations on his cataracts.
This lunch time I’ve been listening to The Museum of Curiosity. Buzz Aldrin was one of the guests contributing to the Museum this week. He’s really interesting with a good sense of humour Unfortunately, there is only one day left to listen if you want to know the first words he said to his wife when he landed back on earth
5 comments:
My French brother in law spent his national service as personal chef to an Admiral! As you say that is France!
I went on a u-boat at the museum in Kiel; it was very very cramped. And a Royal Navy sub from later in the war, at Gosport, whioch seemed spacious in comparison but still cramped... James Russell has got a new book coming out about Eric Ravilious's submarine pics, which I'm quite looking forward to. http://jamesrussellontheweb.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/ravilious-at-st-bride-library.html
Wow - no-one can accuse you of not expanding your minds or making the most of your lunch times!
LOL and I once had an affair with a submariner after his submarine pulled up on the Thames .... and I so wanted to see round the sub I went up and blagged my way on! (I can't believe that was me - I will blog about it before I lose my memory) Ended up going out with the nice guy who showed me round ..... Gosh Anji, how cool to have written more than once about submarines! I can't imagine submarines being that old.
Anyway.... The Museum of Curiosity is still available - it is a long time since I have listended to Radio 4 and am so grateful to hear they are still doing great programmes. Am listening to it now as I eat breakfast and blog :-)
Hi Anji - using the submarine anology - I'm surfacing for a while to see how things are in the blogosphere. Nice to see you :-)
Caroline: You reminded me of a friend's son who was chef in the army. They didn't work weekends so he finished after lunch on Fridays and went back mid morning on Mondays. I just prayed that war wasn't declared over the weekend!
Dru: That does look interesting. I don't think I'd visit a submarine
Kath: I try!
Doris: I'm impressed. please blog about your submarine lover ;). I always catch The Museum of Curiosity just as the series is ending.
I'm pleased to see you back!
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