Sorry, no, we didn’t fall in the river. I was just not in a blogging mood last week.
OK – the Henley Royal Regatta. From our midwest American perspective it is a bizarre combination of the familiar and the foreign. The parking lot behind the enclosures had a lot of tailgating. I’m familiar with that. American football, pickup trucks, BBQs, hot dogs and burgers, pop and beer, jeans and sweatshirts. FUN!
This was not the same thing. This was Jags, Rovers and an occasional Volvo. There were wood tables and chairs, nice patio umbrellas, champagne, fancy food. And everyone was dressed up to the hilt. Sundresses, heels, fascinators for the ladies. And many of the men were wearing blazers in bizarre colors that men should not really be wearing in blazers.
But, I do think I have it figured out (it’s not too hard once you’ve been there for about a half hour). Rowing is a slow sport so the perfect opportunity to stand around, gossip, see and be seen and drink lots of alcohol. Or, if you’re just interested in observing odd behaviors of English people, the perfect opprotunity to people watch.
