Hot Hot Hot

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Week from Monday 29th July 2024 - I'm not giving the PARIS OLYMPICS the time of day, apart from the Road Cycling events, which fall conveniently at the weekends. After all, "THERE IS ONLY ONE SPORT" worth bothering with. Even the INDIVIDUAL TIME TRIALS (usually the most boring part of a Grand Tour) had my attention this time around! Saturday brings the MEN'S ROAD RACE. Most are expecting the Belgians to dominate and they weren't far wrong...

We've had a run of incredibly HOT & SWEATY days (the hottest "of all time", say some), so I've suffered from a lot of hot/sore/itchy/prickly/stiff, unsettled and generally UNCOMFORTABLE nights, what with my post-chemo CONDITION and all. Much napping has been taken during the day when I can get it, but the humidity is pouring off of me! But all this "STAYING IN" is getting to me, so I went out on Friday (slightly cooler) for a bimble around Southampton.


I've just been listening to what passes for the Beeb's "WOMAD HIGHLIGHTS" these days, a few recordings embedded in their regular Saturday teatime "MUSIC PLANET" show. How things have changed since this bloggydiarywotsit from #TwentyYearsAgo... An excellent time had been had by all, but by this stage I was beginning to recognise that WOMAD was getting a bit too CORPORATE for my taste...

Okay, so here I am, back from THE FESTIVAL, tired and emotional. I haven't listened to any of Radio 3's version of the festival as yet - there's a (growing) pile of tapes awaiting my attention just as soon as I can be inclined. I did catch that Fiona Talkington last night, still nattering on about her WOMAD HAIKU COMPETITION...
Alright then, here's one:
two festivals now ~ one for the b.b.c. staff ~ and one for us chumps
How's that? Do you think it'll win? I really can't equate the British Broadcasting Corporation with this forced image of touchy-feely new-ageyness, FREE HEAD MASSAGES, HAIKUS and RADIO 3 INCENSE STICKS. Can you? (Mind you, the joss sticks ARE rather nice...)

I think a lot of other punters were also getting a bit pissed off about the Beeb 'taking over' the Festival. Someone clearly complained. Over the next couple of years (the last two fests at Reading Rivermead), they scaled back their presence... No more TELLY, no more stage-hogging giraffe-cams. Save it for Glastonbury! Or perhaps the powers-that-beeb thought that the "WORLD MUSIC" craze had now passed? Nowadays, I think they just send a token single radio car!

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