I Hear The Channel Islands Are Lovely This Time Of Year (Part 2)
As you may recall, at the conclusion of Part 1, Mr. and Mrs. SportDork faced an uncertain fate at the hands of ambiguous signage on the island of Herm. It did not prove to be catastrophic, however, as we used our vast powers of deduction to find our way back to the pier and back to Guernsey for a delightful seafood dinner. It turns out that when an island is only three miles long and one mile wide, you can pretty much walk in any direction and get where you need to go.
On a side note - I had some of the best seafood I've had in a long time. I tracked my intake over the three days:
Shrimp
Crab
Scallops
Brill (twice)
Lobster
Sea Bass
Cod
On a side note - I had some of the best seafood I've had in a long time. I tracked my intake over the three days:
Shrimp
Crab
Scallops
Brill (twice)
Lobster
Sea Bass
Cod
The morning before we left for the airport, Shannon noticed a growth on my back and thought I had sprung a gill, but it turned out it was just a big pimple.
We enjoyed living dangerously on the island of Herm so much that we decided to do it all over again the next day and take a ferry to Sark, another of the Channel Islands. Sark is the last feudal state in Europe - in case that kind of stuff does it for you. Cars are not allowed on the island, because, as everyone knows, feudal lords are not big fans of motorized transportation. The Seigneur of Sark is the head of the feudal government. According to Wikipedia, "The Seigneur retains the sole right on the island to keep pigeons as well as an unspayed female dog." Some guys get all the breaks.
It's amazing how quickly 8 a.m. sun turned into rain and wind by the time our ferry left Guernsey at 9:45 a.m. When someone told us a few weeks before our trip that few people ever see the island of Sark in their lifetimes, I didn't realize it's not because they don't have the ability - it's because they're smart. What do you get when you mix an hour-long ferry ride on a small boat with rain and wind? A lot of people taking advantage of the complimentary barf bags. Fortunately, my extensive experience on the high seas (which consists of one really bad deep-sea fishing experience when I was 12) saved the day, as Mrs. SportDork and I avoided the inside cabin and assumed a position outside on the rear of the boat. When you're focused on not being thrown overboard, it gives you less time to worry about hurling. Mrs. SportDork was able to capture the adventure:
The SportDork riding out 6-10 foot swells. Don't be fooled by the smile. If you ever wanted to know what fear looks like, now's your chance. I just soiled myself.
I didn't get many pictures of the island because it took me a while to shake off the ferry ride - I was nauseas and couldn't hold the camera steady - but I managed to snap this shot:
We were told that the island was rich with wildlife, but who would have thought that we would be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the rare blue-spotted sheep? I thought they had become extinct years ago. Seriously, though - is that the early stages of hoof and mouth disease? Looking at this animal, I couldn't help but wonder, "Is the spot good or bad? Is this guy marked for death, or did he do something that earned him 'special recognition', like when Ohio State players get a buckeye on their helmet for great play, or conversely, like when the Gator freshmen play well enough to get the stripe on their jersey removed? So many unanswered questions . . . .
I was so excited by our first exotic animal encounter that when the next opportunity presented itself, I had to get closer:
Just more evidence that the SportDork will go to any length for you, the reader. Yes, I'm wearing a Gator shirt - a strategic move to intimidate the bull. Go Gators. After leaping over the gate like a gazelle (pictured above), I fashioned a cape out of my rain jacket and thrilled the locals with a bull-fighting exhibition the likes of which had never been seen before on the island of Sark. I accidentally deleted those pictures when I uploaded them to my laptop, but the local paper got some great shots.
We turned down a most-gracious dinner invitation from the Seigneur of Sark (we fundamentally disagree on the principles of land ownership) on the heels of my dazzling display of athleticism and successfully made it back to Guernsey - hurl-free, once again.
On our last day we walked the streets of Guernsey and came across this gem:
How about a side of hot, juicy southern racism with your american burger?
I'll tell you this much - if there's one thing that I miss about the States, it's the Doner Kebabs. Almost as much as the baguettes and roll bars (?)
For some reason, I get the feeling that the owner might not actually be American . . . .
In spite of the weather, we really had a great time on the islands and highly recommend them. If you go for great scenery and great food, you won't be disappointed. I feel compelled to include at least one gratuitous scenery picture, so here it is:
The SportDork on the bridge between Sark and Little Sark, moments before rappelling down the side using only the bed sheets and towels from our hotel room. There was ice cream at the bottom.
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Don't forget to check the comments section at the bottom of each entry. I am happy to announce that all comments have been responded to.
Coming Friday - The SportDork drives for the first time in England (and lives to tell about it) and attends his first soccer match (I'm going tonight. If there's no entry up on Friday, you can assume it's because a) I'm still hungover, b) I said the wrong thing to the wrong fan or c) both).
And of course - the much-anticipated SportDork College Football Kickoff!
Immediately after the age of Gunner Law Student but before the genesis of the Jealous Workaholic, Mrs. Plenty of Time to Cheat on Me and Shop and I visited the Greek Islands and had a very similar boating experience from the Island of Naxos to the Island of Dionysis. Fifteen minutes into the venture a little German boy came running out of the cigarrette smoke filled interior and began reguritating over the side. Unfortunately due to the velocity of the ship his leftovers landed on everyone behind him. Like you, the fear kept our stomachs tight but calm. Others were not so lucky. I have a great pic of Mrs. Plenty of Time to Cheat on Me and Shop after the experience.
I think it would be nice for you to educate your loyal readers as to the British holiday that enabled your long weekend. NPR indicated on Monday morning that the London financial markets were closed due to a national holiday. I immediately thought of the Sportdork having a day off of work but then I remembered that the holiday actually hurt you since that meant Mrs. Sportdork would be home.
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I knew my readers were wise to the ways of the sea. Please share your sea-faring adventure photo with the SportDork Community. Pieces of vomit on other people's clothing is always a hit.
I'm so glad you asked about the "Bank Holiday" last Monday. The term "Bank Holiday" just refers to a public holiday over here. I had no idea why we had a "Bank Holiday" and what it was for, so I decided to do a little research on the subject. You know what I found out? Last Monday was the "Summer Bank Holiday", which falls on the last Monday in August. You may be wondering, as I was, what is the historical significance of the last Monday in August? Well, as far as I can tell, that' about it. It's the last Monday in August, and somebody decided everyone should get the day off. No war tribute, no religious holiday - just the last Monday in August, so everybody take the day off. Did I mention that I love this country?
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Facsinating. Such a better reason than making up a holiday like Columbus Day or Presidents Day. Jealous Workaholic has been bearing down and missed the past couple of entries but he is back as well.
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The Jealous Workaholic is back!! I thought you might have checked into rehab for your SportDork addiction.
I looked everywhere for some kind of "meaning" or historical significance behind the Summer Bank Holiday and came up empty. I am now at peace with it. In fact, like you, I'm actually digging it. It's a holiday because they said so. Nothing to memorialize, contemplate, etc. Just a day off. Very liberating. I don't know if we could handle it in the U.S. - we'd feel too guilty if we didn't attach some kind of significance to it.
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