Laura: Travel

OK, so all I can think of lately is traveling. In particular, the island of Corfu. This is partly from the film "My Family and Other Animals" and partly because of the book I just read, This Rough Magic by Mary Stewart (read it! Mystery, romance, adventure!), which takes place on the same island, only 30 years later. I don't have any movie of This Rough Magic to post pictures from, but I managed to dig up some screencaps of "My Family" and thought I'd post them for you,




In my hunt for related things to put in this post, I came across another blog post that pretty much summed up what I wanted to say PERFECTLY. Enjoy it here!





"Days went by, peaceful, lovely days."

"'I've told you all I'm going to tell you tonight, and as for Lucy Waring, how often do I have to repeat that I took the damned girl home at seven, and I haven't seen her since? That's the truth, I swear to God!'
No actress ever had a better cue. I pulled the window open, and went in."

"I felt tired myself, but restless, with sleep still a long way off, so I went along to the scrubbed and empty kitchen, made myself more coffee, then took it through the salotto, put my feet on a chair, some Mozart on the gramophone, and settled myself for a quiet evening.
But things didn't quite work out that way. The calm, beautiful room, even the music, did not manage to keep at bay the thoughts that had been knocking for admission since that morning. In spite of myself, my mind went persistently back to the morning's incidents; the discovery in the pool, the two men's raw antagonism, and the long, wearying aftermath of the interrogation, with the fresh problems it had brought to light."

"I made my way carefully through the piled rocks and the sea-wrack. Here and there a shallow pool barred the way, and I paddled across with caution, wondering uneasily about sea-urchins, which in these waters (I had read) can drive poisonous spines into your feet. Like hedgehogs, which Lie tumbling in my barefoot way, and mount Their pricks at my foot-fall...Poor Caliban. Was Julian Gale right, I wondered? I had read The Tempest late into the night..."

This Rough Magic brings forth the idea that the island of Corfu is the setting for Shakespeare's Tempest, or even that The Tempest is based on actual events! I have to admit that I haven't actually read the play, but it was quite intriqing...I want to do some more research on it now!

And thus ends this very odd, random-ish post! Actually, I do have a question: Do any of you have any books or films to suggest based on the ones I've mentioned here? I'm always looking for more that take place in some exotic location, have some romance, intrigue, or charm! I'm already a huge fan of M. M. Kaye (who wrote the six "Death" mystery books, each taking place in a different location. "Death in Zanzibar" , Kenya, Berlin, Kashmir, Cyprus, and the Andamans).

So yeah. Suggestions? Thoughts? Are you feeling as stir-crazy as I am with all this snow? (or are you one of the lucky ones who are experiencing summer right now? In which case, can I come visit? :P)