COVID CHRONICLES

LOCK DOWN

I am leaving my house for the first time in over a month. My wife and I have been self isolating, dependant on spasmodic home deliveries for essential shopping, searching online daily for a delivery slot with one of the many online supermarkets. It will be some time before we feel confident that it is safe enough to shop in the real world again.

I've decided to take the car for a run as it's been sitting idle on my driveway for over a month and I worry that the battery will go flat, and the car will not start when it is needed.

I slide into the drivers seat and turn the key, the engine starts first time, I put the car into gear, ease off the clutch and press down on the accelerator and there's a jolt as the brakes, which have been in the applied position for all these weeks, reluctantly loosen their grip on the wheels and the car moves forward. The car seems none the worse for its idleness as I edge out onto the open road.

The sense of freedom is incredible. Who would have thought that something as simple as driving a car could bring such pleasure. My route is a round trip of 22 miles, through villages and towns, and will take 50 minutes, enough time, I hope, to charge the battery and ensure the car will be ready if needed.

I'm surprised at how many vehicles are on the roads, I wasn't expecting it to be so busy. There are more pedestrians out as well, many of them with dogs. People appear to be trying to distance themselves from other walkers, although I do see some not adhering to the 2 metre rule. Driving through the town, I notice many shuttered shops. However, at some of the shops that are open, shoppers are not always adhering to social distancing, with shoppers passing each other in the doorways as they enter or leave the premises. The queue snaking along the pavement outside the bank is a pretty mixed bag, with some adhering to the rules whilst others are blatantly flouting them.

Returning home, I am glad I've taken the car for a run, for the car's and my own well-being, but I have no desire to venture out again anytime soon. Although I miss my social life, I feel safer at home.

COVID 19 AND TRAVEL

A note from the author:
Since writing the article on Oberammergau Passion Play 2020, I have found out that the passion play has now been postponed until 2022, due to the Coronavirus outbreak. I have not yet been informed by Leger, the tour operator who organised the trip, what they intend to do about it, or if I will get a refund!

OBERAMMERGAU PASSION PLAY 2020

Nestling against the banks of the Ammer River in the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Southern Bavaria, is the beautiful German town of Oberammergau. Famed for its woodcarvers and woodcarvings, this small town of around 5,000 inhabitants has also found worldwide fame for another reason.

During the early part of the 17^th century, this part of Europe was gripped in the clutches of a deathly epidemic, Bubonic plague was ravaging the area. Untreated, this devastating disease can kill anywhere between 30% and 90% of those infected, even with treatment it can claim approximately 10% of sufferers.

Facing these horrendous odds of survival, the townsfolk of Oberammergau prayed to God, pleading with him to spare them from this terrifying illness. They made a vow to God that if their town was spared from the plague, they would perform a passion play once every ten years as a means of thanks.

The story goes, that having made their vow, there were no more deaths in the town, and no more new cases of the plague. The townsfolk, being true to their word, staged the first passion play in 1634, and then every ten years thereafter, in years ending in a zero. The only exceptions to this rule was in 1920, when it was postponed until 1922 due to postwar economic conditions, and 1940 when the play was cancelled due to the second world war. There have also been additional plays in 1934 and 1984 to commemorate the 300^th and 350^th anniversaries.

The play involves over 2,000 actors, singers, instrumentalists and technicians, all of whom must be residents of the town. For a year prior to the performance, the male actors grow their hair and beards in order that it will look authentic. Rehearsals are also performed during this period, and most of the town is involved in one way or another. The play is performed from mid May to early October, with around half a million visitors from all over the world descending on this tiny Bavarian town to witness these spectacular performances every decade.

How ironic that the 2020 performance should be overshadowed by the global pandemic that is Covid 19. This devastating new Corona virus, which is fast sweeping the world, has the ability to cause immense economic damage and lead to the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives. This brings me to a personal note, having wished to attend the passion play for many years, my wife and I finally made the decision, last August, to book our seats for the final play of 2020. At that time no-one had even heard of Covid 19, it didn't exist, and nobody could have predicted the events of 2020.

So what happens now? Will the passion play go ahead? If it does, is it safe to go? So many questions and so few answers. We are in unprecedented times, the future is uncertain and not even the experts have all the answers. However, as a race we will get through this, we always do.

I am sure the townsfolk of Oberammergau are once again praying to God to be spared from this latest plague, let us all pray that their prayers are answered, for us all.

NATIONAL TRUST

National Trust Properties 2019

I can't believe that it's that time of year again when I look back at the National Trust properties that I have visited in the previous year. Where has that year gone?

I started 2019 with a trip to the south coast of England and as usual I looked for National Trust properties that I could visit during my travels. It was a cold, wet and windy February when I made the trip, but thankfully on the days that I visited two of the National Trust's wonderful properties, the wind and rain held off long enough for me to enjoy two very pleasant visits.

NYMANS

My first stop was at Nymans, one of the National Trust's premier gardens. These are beautiful and extensive late 19^th century gardens, located just east of the village of Handcross in West Sussex. I could very happily have spent much longer here than I did, and would have done so, had it not been for the inclement weather. The house, which was sadly destroyed by fire in 1947, and gardens were owned by the Messel family until the National Trust took over in 1953. Although in ruins, the house still dominates the garden and is a prominent and imposing feature in its own right.

WAKEHURST PLACE

My second visit on this trip was to Wakehurst Place, close to Haywards Heath, and not a million miles away from Nymans. Wakehurst is the country Estate of the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew. There are very interesting gardens to be found here and delightful wetland, woodland and nature reserve. But what sets Wakehurst apart from other country estates is the amazing seed collection housed in The Millennium Seed Bank, the largest seed collection in the world. There is some very impressive and important work being carried out here, and the displays are fascinating and very informative.

March turned out to be somewhat disappointing. Whilst in the Barking area of London, I had hoped to visit at least one National Trust property. However, on the designated day of my visit, none were open, which just illustrates the importance of forward planning! I did, however, get to look around the gardens of Eastbury Manor, although officially closed for a private function, the gentleman in charge very kindly allowed my wife and I to view the gardens, but not the Manor on this occasion. Eastbury Manor is an Elizabethan Gentry house built by Clement Sysley and is a magnificent building. The gardens, although small, are delightful and very peaceful. I look forward to returning to explore Eastbury Manor more fully in the near future.

SHAW'S CORNER

May saw me visiting the Luton and Bedford area. Just a few miles from the hustle and bustle of a vibrant Luton, sits the modest and pleasingly tranquil Shaw's Corner. Situated in Ayot St Lawrence, Shaw's Corner was the rural home of George Bernard Shaw. A very evocative place to visit, with much of interest, particularly to readers of Shaw's works. The house remains very much as it was in Shaw's day, and the small but very interesting garden still houses Shaw's writing hut, which can be found in a delightful, peaceful, secluded and thought provoking spot among the trees at the bottom of the garden.

WILLINGTON DOVECOTE & STABLES

My second visit on this trip was to Willington Dovecote and Stables, close to Bedford. These are perfectly preserved examples of 16^th century workmanship, with the Dovecote very much still in use. John Gostwick had these built, along with the nearby church, as part of his large Tudor estate. It is likely that some of the building materials came from old monastic sites. There is ample parking on the site, and it is a lovely, quiet, picturesque setting for a picnic.

The National Trust is a fantastic organisation, looking after these historic buildings and gardens and ensuring they are there for future generations to enjoy. I urge readers of this blog to join if they can, or at least try to visit one or two of these wonderful properties. They make for a wonderful day out and you won't be disappointed.

For more details, visit the National Trust website at www.nationaltrust.org.uk

I can't wait to see what other National Trust delights 2020 will have in store for me.