The Voyage of Terry Waite's Clogs

November 15, 2002 3:47 AM

The Voyage of Terry Waite's Clogs I first saw this a couple of days ago and the more I think about the logistics and reasoning behind this the stranger it becomes. I like the fact this probably wouldn't happen in any other country than England, but all the same you do have to wonder why it happened. For those non-Brits Terry Waite was the Archbishop of Canterbury's envoy to Beirut in the 80s and was held hostage for 5 years by a militant islamic group.
posted by jontyjago (10 comments total)

As an American who has lived in England for thirty years I am still amused by this sort of thing. "Only in England" is an understatement. It's this sort of strange, eccentric, absurdity that endears the country to me. I wonder if anyone has ever thought to make a collection of this kind of stuff.
posted by donfactor at 4:17 AM on November 15, 2002

Those canals look a lot more picturesque in pictures than in real life.
posted by vbfg at 5:14 AM on November 15, 2002

BTW, I'm sure I read about someone unicycling backwards across the US. 'Only in England'?
posted by vbfg at 5:15 AM on November 15, 2002

Well, vbfg, that's different. We're not just talking about eccentric behavior here. There's a particular flavor to this that's British, or at least not American. (I'm pretty sure it isn't Russian or Japanese, either.)

Just in case you haven't, do look at the pages; they're hilarious. I lived in England only briefly, but I think "only in England" is justified.
posted by argybarg at 9:25 AM on November 15, 2002

this is this the best thing I've ever seen on the internet. ever. three cheers for terry waites clogs!
posted by gravelshoes at 9:42 AM on November 15, 2002

Maybe being British and also from that specific area is blinding me to it. The factory that makes those clogs is about six or seven miles away from here in a place called Hebdon Bridge. I have a pair from there myself - I was a New Model Army fan as a teenager and those clogs were part of the uniform. Those pictures are of places that are all too familiar to me.
posted by vbfg at 10:08 AM on November 15, 2002

I'm still a clog wearing New Model Army fan...
posted by greengrl at 10:12 AM on November 15, 2002

"the best thing I've ever seen on the internet. ever. "

gravelshoes, I suspect you of having a shoe fetish.
posted by orange swan at 10:38 AM on November 15, 2002

I agree with the endearing "only in England" assessment. There is something purely English about the story, however there are plenty of eccentric tales "only in America" that may endear us to those from over seas. I remember one year we held a special July 4th celebration with friends in rural Devon, we got special permission (on condition that the officials be invited) to import fireworks, real hot dogs (not horrid bangers, along with the dogs came American Ketchup, mustard and relish) and cheap awful canned American beer. The Americans there had a usual backyard barbecue and thought nothing of it, but our English friends thought it was the most exciting native festival they'd ever seen and began shouting things like, "burn the British" when the fireworks would go off!
posted by Pollomacho at 11:20 AM on November 15, 2002 [1 favorite]

this is easily the best thing ever posted on metafilter,
or the internet, top marks to you !
this should be linked to under the what makes a good post
guidelines! this is genius!
posted by sgt.serenity at 2:21 PM on November 15, 2002