George and the Dragon

Happy Saint George's Day everyone! Saint George is of course patron saint of England, even though he was not English and never set foot here. He is also and especially famous for slaying a dragon, which makes it all the more interesting for those, like me, who love old legends and monsters. Anyway, him being patron saint of England means that a lot of pubs here are named George and Dragon. It gave them a nice name, if nothing else. I took this picture in one, the George and Dragon in Marlow. I could make it a yearly tradition: put a picture of a pub called George and Dragon every 23rd of April. Preferably a different pub every time. This is a nice image, the dragon looks bat-like and demomic, interestingly enough.

Saint George's Day

I almost forgot: it is Saint George's Day today. So happy Saint George's Day everyone. Nobody notices it or cares about it in England, ironically enough, not even my son, who is a proud Englishman. I used to celebrate it a bit more, at least on this blog. But I have come to neglect it too. Which is sad: we talk about a patron saint who is associated with a fight and a victory against a dragon. It always appealed to me, because I love folklore, myths and legends and, well, dragons. I should really make something about it on Vraie Fiction, a real blogging event.

Wolfism about Saint George's Day

 Happy Saint George's Day everyone! I nearly forgot about it. Which is a pretty English thing to do. Nobody cares here about the country's patron saint. Even Wolfie does not care much, if at all, and Saint George's Day. He told me this morning, in a disdainful tone: "Daddy, what's special about Saint George's Day? Why do people celebrate it?" This is a new Wolfism and, while not the Englishest he said, it is pretty close. Because it seems that no true Englishman cares about Saint George's Day.

Saint George's Day

Happy Saint George's Day everyone! Especially to all my English readers. I never know how to celebrate. Not many places do in england, ironically enough. It is a shame, as a patron saint reknown for fighting a dragon should be inspiring for a national day. I can only dream of the things I'd do with it if I had the time, the know-how and the money. I might watch a few YouTube movies about Saint George or something. Maybe read the legend to Wolfie. But in any case, happy Saint George's Day again and beware fire breathing lizards.

Saint George's Day

 Happy Saint George's Day everyone! It is a day seldom rarely celebrated here, which is ironic because: 1)Saint George of Lydda is the Patron Saint of England and 2) as a dragonslayer, he is one very cool saint. We try to do something about it every year, or at least I to do something to commemorate. That said, this year I'm not sure whatwe will do, if we do anything. There are no special events we know of being organised nearby, so we might not even go anywhere. Which is kind of sad. But if anything happens, I will of course blog about it in the coming days or hours.

Saint George's Day (and a pub)

Happy Saint George's Day everyone!Saint George, who is of course the most famous dragon killer and the patron saint of England. I usually share a picture to go with the post, but I have none that is new, so this post will have to do by itself. Fun fact: like in many English townsor villages, we have a local pub called... George and the Dragon. This is where I would normally go to celebrate. That said: 1)since it changed ownership circa 2008, it became a pretty rubbish pub, looking kind of beige and with the poorest service among all the pubs here and 2)until the situation gets better, I'd rather avoid pubs altogether. So I will spend no time at this George and Dragon. Maybe one Saint George's Day I will celebrate in one aptly named pub, although I doubt it ill be this particular aptly named pub.

Saint George against the Dragon

Happy Saint George's Day everyone! The patron saint of England and English people, even though he never set foot here. To celebrate and pay homage to him, here is a picture of a statue representing the famous combat against the dragon, the part of his legend that made him famous. My father took it in Berlin. Very dramatic, as you can see. As if we were witnessing it.

Saint George (or saint Michael?) and the Dragon

My dad recently sent me this picture. He took it at the Roskilde Cathedral in Denmark, which we visited thirty years ago or so. This is a 800 year old clock, still working. Or at least it was working when we visited it. I barely remembered seeing this ancient clock. You can see on it a depiction of Saint George or Saint Michael killing the Dragon. We are not sure: researches we made gave us contradictory information. My money is on saint George as I think you can see a princess somewhere and he's on horseback. If I am right, then we saw in Denmark a dramatic representation on a clock of the single most famous exploit of the patron saint of Englishmen. I thought about sharing the picture for Saint George's Day, but I could not wait. I want to know if it is Saint George or Saint Michael, for one and thought I would ask it here. I also thought that either way, a 800 year old clock with a dramatic depiction of a fight against a dragon is just too cool not to share as soon as possible. So here it is.

"Gorgeous George"

Of all the English towns and cities I know, only Wallingford does something special to celebrate Saint George and his day, although it does not celebrate it on the day itself. They commemorate it the Saturday before or after. Apparently, this year it will be tomorrow, but I might be wrong. Depending on how the weather will be, we might go there. It is fitting that they make a big thing of it in Wallingford, as it is maybe the most English place I have ever known. Every year, I pay homage to Saint George in a rather simplistic manner: I just drink a pint of one of the many beers named in his honour and that's that.

This is what happened last year at the Old Post Office in Wallingford, where I tried a pint of Gorgeous George from Loddon Brewery. I rarely drink Loddon Brewery products, not that I find them bad but they rarely leave any impression on me. Of Gorgeous George, I only remember the label on the pump and the fact that it was rather blonde. I was expecting something a bit darker and redder, like the blushing (and utterly unheroic) knight on the label. I wonder if it will be available tomorrow, either there or elsewhere if we go elsewhere. I might try it again.

Saint George's Day

Happy Saint George's Day everyone! The day that is ending is the celebration of the patron saint of England. Which is ironically not celebrated much here, if at all. But on this blog, we give Saint George the respect he deserves. Mainly because he is the most famous dragon slayer. My father took this picture in Berlin, of all places. I blogged about it before. It is a monument to his most famous exploit. I thought it was fitting to show a portrait of the saint/hero in action. But I should blog more about him in the upcoming days, because we might celebrate Saint George properly this weekend.

The dragon fought by Saint George

My father took this picture in Berlin. You cannot see it well, but this is a detail of of a larger statue of Saint George fighting the Dragon.This is of course the dragon and it is one of the best, one of the scariest, one of the most beautiful (as in magnificently ugly) dragon I have ever seen. I know it is not Saint George's Day yet, but it will be soon, in less than a month, and this is a good enough excuse to share this picture. This dragon is a proper fiend and the kind of monster that inhabits the dreams and nightmares of men.

Saint George's Day!

Happy Saint George's Day everyone! I am writing this post the night before, in caseI cannot find time tomorrow. So no Google Doodle this time. I don't know who is the artist who made this gorgeous image, but I think it might be Alan Lee. In any case, it is fitting, full of action and the dragon seems terrifying, a force beyond nature. Saint George is not only a dragon slayer, he is also the patron saint of England. Given that my son is half-English and is growing up as an English boy, I intend to tell him of the legend and of this very special patron saint. It is quite rare indeed that you have one who killed a dragon and this is something to fire up a young child's imagination. Not that I want him to be overly patriotic or anything, but I think there is something quite fitting about having Saint George patron of Englishmen. And he is a legendary hero a young boy can look up to.

Saint George and the Dragon

Happy Saint George's Day everyone! There are only a few hours of the day left, but I wanted to celebrate it. As usual, I am sharing this year's Google Doodle about it, which is borderline magnificent. I am also sharing this rendition of the most famous legend associated to the saint, found on YouTube. The saint patron of England is quite cool, I have to admit.

George and Will

Today is a particularly special day: it is both Saint George's Day and William Shakespeare's 400th death anniversary (and also it is believed, the date of his birthday). Today's Google Doodle could not choose which English icon to celebrate, so it was an homage to both: the Bard and some of his most famous plays in the middle and George on the left with the dragon he killed on the right.As usual on Saint George's Day, I uploaded the Doodle here. So today, read about the legend of Saint George, drink an English beer (plenty are named after St George and/or the dragon he slayed) and of course, of course, read or watch Shakespeare.

Saint George's Day

I did not need to be reminded by the Google Doodle today, but I am putting it on this post because it is a nice one (albeit not as nice as the one last year): it is Saint George's Day today. Which means that English people were reminded of their patron saint thanks to the Doodle. But not me. Oh no. I give proper respect to a dragon killer. I do want to celebrate St George's Day properly once, since it is on a weekday it was not really possible this time, but next year because of the gap year it will be on a weekend, so I intend to do something special. I already have a few ideas, not all of them involving drinking. But I have a year to plan it. Until then, enjoy Saint George's Day.

Saint George and the Dragon

Yesterday was St George's Day, the day of the patron saint of England. I only mentioned it quickly on the blog, because of something more important. St George's Day is not much celebrated in England, which is very ironic. Thankfully, we have Google Doodle to remind us. I loved it this year, it looked beautiful and eerie, which the knight fighting the dragon in a grey and foggy woodland. I wanted to mention the day just for the sake of putting the Doodle on Vraie Fiction, I love it that much. I say it is not much celebrated here, that said during my last visit to Wallingford, they were actually having a bit of a feast to celebrate. On Saturday, but still. I thought it was nice and unexpected.

Shakespeare's 450th birthday

I thought I was going to blog about St-George's Day, as it is today (I did not even need the Google Doodle to be reminded about it), however I discovered something far more important to commemorate: today is William Shakespeare's 450th birthday. The official one anyway, as we have contradictory data. If it is truly on St George's Day, it is very fitting. The English language owes a lot to Shakespeare. Literature too and not only the English one. The art of acting as well, obviously. We can safely sum it up by human civilization. And I will celebrate the Bard. Not tonight, but in a week time: after pondering about it, I have decided that I will go and see King Lear. Not directly on the stage of the National Theatre, but in a cinema nearby that shows the play live. I already purchased the tickets. I am very excited about it. Today, I was reminded about Shakespeare's birthday. Next week, I will rediscover who the Bard is celebrated.

George and the Dragon

Today was Saint George's Day, the day of the patron saint of England. I was reminded that it was today thanks to the Google Doodle, a nice little pseudo-medieval manuscript looking doodle, which I have uploaded here. I did nothing to celebrate it today, just like pretty much most English people. No other national day has ever been so nationally ignored. As I work now I did not go to the pub to have an English beer named after the saint, the dragon, or both. This is all of what's left of Saint George, in a way: pubs' names (there is one here named George & Dragon) and beers. Incidentally, it is also the anniversary of Shakespeare's death. A very English day indeed. I have decided, to commemorate it, to upload a video from YouTube, a reading of a version of the story, aimed at children, very naive and full of charm. I hope you enjoy as much as I did.

Duke of Cambridge

I got back from The Duke of Cambridge, which I always wanted to visit. Very nice pub. There is a beer garden that is actually a ménagerie, with parrots, doves and hens, anyway various birds, some kept in cages, some flying free. Too bad it is a smoking place (beer gardens usually are) because although a bit kitsch (the place is decorated with gnome gardens and such), it was lovely. The very few locals that were there today were quite nice and friendly. I had two half pints, one bitter (can't remember the name, it won an award in 2005) and one ale called The Spirit of Saint George. They seem to have a good turnover of real ales, so I am quite happy. They are proud of their Sunday lunch, so I will have to get back there one day. However, since they sell their hens to butchers so they can get killed, I am not sure my wife will want to encourage this local pub.

Happy St-George's Day

You've got to give it to the English, they have a cool patron saint. Not every saint is a dragon killer. Anyway, enjoy yourself in this day of Englishness. I might go and have a drink at some point this afternoon.