The Circus of Adventure
- Francis
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Re: The Circus of Adventure
Enid seemed to have a particular interest in circus and travelling
people. They crop up several times in the Famous Five series and
I am sure in other books as well. The "Circus of Adventure" must
be one of the most exciting of these.
people. They crop up several times in the Famous Five series and
I am sure in other books as well. The "Circus of Adventure" must
be one of the most exciting of these.
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- Ming
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Re: The Circus of Adventure
I hadn't thought of that before, but yes, now that you mention it, Tauri Hessia is certainly very similar to Syldavia. And your reasoning about the greetings, etc do point to Eastern Europe.70s-child wrote:I don't know how many Tintin fans are there on this forum, but the description of Tauri Hessia always reminded me of the country in King Ottakar's Sceptre, and that was definitely meant to be Eastern Europe.
Tony, when did you visit Romania? And out of interest, when did you stop globetrotting?
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Re: The Circus of Adventure
What a fascinating book that would make. Tony Summerfield: A Personal Anecdotage.Ming wrote: Tony, when did you visit Romania? And out of interest, when did you stop globetrotting?
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Re: The Circus of Adventure
I was last in Romania in 1985, Ming. I actually had Transylvania in mind - Dracula country! I visited Bran Castle which actually advertises itself as Dracula's castle.Ming wrote:I hadn't thought of that before, but yes, now that you mention it, Tauri Hessia is certainly very similar to Syldavia. And your reasoning about the greetings, etc do point to Eastern Europe.
Tony, when did you visit Romania? And out of interest, when did you stop globetrotting?
As for globetrotting, my last holiday of any sort was 23 years ago and I haven't even spent a night away from here for 15 years! Stuck in a rut!! Although I have been to about 60 countries (the count went up when Yugoslavia split up!) it is really Europe that I have travelled widely in. I have just missed out on four countries in mainland Europe, the three Baltic states, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia and also Albania, which was closed to outsiders in my travelling days - although I did drive to the border!
- Fatty
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Re: The Circus of Adventure
Speaking of which, the name 'Pilescu' sounds very Romanian (the suffix -escu means 'son of' in that language). It may not be too far-fetched if we put Baronia in eastern Europe then. Harder to do the same with Tauri-Hessia -- the first part of the name could be Slavic but the second half sounds like a German province.
Re: The Circus of Adventure
60 countries! That's only 58 more than I've visited, unless I can include Scotland and Wales.
I thought I was being adventurous booking my Enid Blyton Day trip.
I thought I was being adventurous booking my Enid Blyton Day trip.
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Re: The Circus of Adventure
I know I've asked this before, but how do you pronounce Pilescu?Fatty wrote:Speaking of which, the name 'Pilescu' sounds very Romanian (the suffix -escu means 'son of' in that language).
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- Fatty
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Re: The Circus of Adventure
As a child I read it as pill-ess-koo and I still think it's a fair approximation.
- Anita Bensoussane
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Re: The Circus of Adventure
Same for me. Pill-ess-koo, with the stress on the second syllable.
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.
"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
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"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
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- poddys
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Re: The Circus of Adventure
60 is pretty amazing!
I think mine is 43, but that includes Wales, Scotland (drove a mile inside the border just north of Berwick on Tweed), Holland (5 hours in transit in Schipol airport).
I still haven't been to most of Europe, and unfortunately 15 years in the USA really only counts as 1 country, plus Canada, and there I only count because I went to a wedding in Windsor, which is across the river from Detroit.
I think mine is 43, but that includes Wales, Scotland (drove a mile inside the border just north of Berwick on Tweed), Holland (5 hours in transit in Schipol airport).
I still haven't been to most of Europe, and unfortunately 15 years in the USA really only counts as 1 country, plus Canada, and there I only count because I went to a wedding in Windsor, which is across the river from Detroit.
I went on some great adventures reading the Famous Five books.
Enid Blyton Creator of The Famous Five
Enid Blyton Creator of The Famous Five
- Lucky Star
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Re: The Circus of Adventure
Pill-ess-coo is how I pronounce it. Hessia does indeed sound like the German province Hesse and indeed the language spoken in that region is referred to as "the Hessian dialect". From Enid's description of the place though I have always considered it to be set in the balkans. Its described as being a rather backward place and Hesse, in western Germany, would have been a modern place. Foe some reason I have always thought of it as being like Serbia although since Serbia and Romania are neighbours I suppose it could be either.Moonraker wrote:
I know I've asked this before, but how do you pronounce Pilescu?
Baronia seems to be even more remote still. Perhaps its somewhere like Macedonia or Montenegro, both of which are, or were, small mountanous kingdoms in the former Yugoslavia.
"What a lot of trouble one avoids if one refuses to have anything to do with the common herd. To have no job, to devote ones life to literature, is the most wonderful thing in the world. - Cicero
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- Ming
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Re: The Circus of Adventure
Tony and Poddys, I am insanely jealous of the both of you!
I've been to, in order, Singapore, the UK, the UAE, Hong Kong, China, India, Nepal, South Korea, Qatar (6 hours in transit!) and South Africa... and I thought I was adventurous.
I've been to, in order, Singapore, the UK, the UAE, Hong Kong, China, India, Nepal, South Korea, Qatar (6 hours in transit!) and South Africa... and I thought I was adventurous.
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- Fiona1986
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Re: The Circus of Adventure
You're all putting me up shame! The only country I've ever visited is England!
"It's the ash! It's falling!" yelled Julian, almost startling Dick out of his wits...
"Listen to its terrible groans and creaks!" yelled Julian, almost beside himself with impatience.
World of Blyton Blog
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"Listen to its terrible groans and creaks!" yelled Julian, almost beside himself with impatience.
World of Blyton Blog
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Re: The Circus of Adventure
Fiona, seeing as Scotland has such beautiful scenery - who needs to travel anywhere else?
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