Travels with Fluff: Vacation Photos Starring a Tub of Fluff (Part II: London [and the Opal Coast of France, for one day, to get some wine])

Don’t blame me, blame Blogger. I was so excited to get all of my Fluff photos up here, and dastardly Blogger thwarted me. Repeatedly. I wasted hours, nights, patiently reload the photos again and again. Just when it would look like everything had worked out—denied. Bloody Hell! I got so frustrated that when it finally worked, I had to take a step back, lest my wrath take away from the joys of Fluff. Oh, and Flickr? My new best friend. In case you missed the first post, you can find it here.

Welcome Back to Travels with Fluff!

Fluff first traveled with me to England, and I would like to tell the story of how (insert favorite Fluff gender here _____) became my traveling companion.

My college friend ______, who now lives in London, was kind enough to offer me a place to stay while in England. Before I left, I asked her what she would like me to bring her from the good ol’ US of A. “Four boxes of Jiffy Bread cornbread mix and four jars of Fluff, please,” she replied.

“OK,” I e-mailed back. “Cheater cornbread I can understand, but what, pray tell, do you want with four jars of Fluff?”

“Oh, they are not from me. They are for my friend. She uses it to make _________. You can’t get it here.”

She lied. You can. In several varieties, as I learned on a trip to a cute little imported foods shop. Among the other American contributions: Pop Tarts, Heinz Ketchup, Corn Flakes, Apple Jacks, and Pringles. The French isle had some amazing cheeses and wines. The Italian, fresh pasta and incredible coffee. Oh, the pride in being American.

At least it isn't another bloody Starbucks

I typed back, “Fluff for your friend, I see. That’s what they all say, my dear.” That night, I went to the grocery store to obtain the supplies (me to another customer eyeing my purchases: “It’s not for me. It’s for a friend. In England.” Eyes rolled in disbelief).

The next day, my last day before I left, I told my co-workers about what I was bringing to England. I was somewhat embarrassed. That’s nothing, my boss said. While on vacation with her family, my boss’s daughter insisted on bringing a doll around with her everywhere they went. The family had to pretend as though the doll were real, addressing it in conversation and feeding it tidbits from the table, etc.

In the middle of the story, epiphany struck. Wouldn’t it be funny to carry around the tub of Fluff like that? I could take pictures with it! It would be like the Garden Gnome Liberation Front (or Amelie), only better, because it would be Fluff and not some creepy garden creature.

Genius.

Fluff with Snow White and Dwarf Gnomes, Calais, France

And, so Fluff has been traveling with me ever since. Here are some highlights from our first trip. Most of these pictures are from London, but a few are from the jaunt to France to get some wine (I had forgotten that my camera ran out of battery life right when things got pretty). Hope you like them. Don't forget to take the Fluff Quiz below!

Fluff in London

Where Fluff changes into SuperFluff

Fluff’s first peek at Tower Bridge

Can You See Fluff?

Fluff at the Tower of London

Fluff at St. Paul’s Cathedral

Fluff enjoying a pint and some chips along the Thames. St. Paul’s Cathedral is in the background

Fluff puts on the Ritz

Fluff shops at Harrods

Fluff enjoying the Kensington digs

Fluff visits Buck Palace

Fluff at Piccadilly, but not for long

Fluff and the Oxo Tower

Fluff and Rod Stewart

Oh-oh! Fluff at the Natural History Museum

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Fluff at the Victoria and Albert Museum

Fluff and London Bridge

Fluff on the Bullshit Green at Parliament

Fluff in Soho

Fluff at the Coach and Horses in Soho

Fluff with friends, Pint and Mustard

Take Courage, Fluff!

Fluff at the British Museum

Fluff at Whitehall

Fluff at the National Gallery, Trafalgar Square

Fluff is not on holiday by mistake! Fluff in Camden Town

Fluff learns a lesson

Fluff in the Underground

Here are a couple of shots from France

Fluff in Boulonge on the Opal Coast of France.
We showed up on the sixtieth anniversary of the Boulogne’s liberation from the Nazis

Fluff slumming it in tacky France

Fluff Quiz the First!
Yes, kids, it’s time to put your books and notes away and get out paper and a pen for the first quiz. Well, you don’t really have to get out pen and paper, but take the quiz anyway. Answers to this quiz will be posted in the next quiz. Remember, if you cheat, you are only cheating yourself.

1. Name one common recipe calling for Fluff.
2. Name two ingredients in Fluff.
3. To what does “Take Courage” refer?
4. How old is the existing London Bridge?
5. Would you go see the Rod Stewart musical? Why or why not.

Extra credit: In the photo from Camden town, Fluff declares that Fluff has not gone on holiday by mistake. What flick was Fluff riffing on?

In the next installment, Fluff takes a bite out of the Big Apple.

Check out other Fluff posts.
Introduction
New York City
Dispatch from the What the Fluff? Festival, Union Square, Somerville