# The Sultan's Elephant - arrives next Friday. LOOK AT THE SIZE OF IT! Blimey guv.



## dogmatique (Apr 25, 2006)

It's taller than Admiralty Arch and heavier than Nelson's Column.

This arrives “by surprise” next Friday between 5-7, somewhere around Piccadilly and Trafalgar Square.  I think it’ll be hard to miss.







They’re being a bit coy about it here:

http://www.thesultanselephant.com/

But you can see its appearance in Nantes last year here:

http://www.nantes.fr/ext/royal_de_luxe_2005/


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## William of Walworth (Apr 25, 2006)

*Elephants ROCK!!*

MONSTER!!!!!   

I really want to see it, but the Friday evening coming (28th) is Greenwich night 

That would be a fabulous beast to bring to Glasto or Carnival or somesuch!


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## dogmatique (Apr 25, 2006)

Sorry, NEXT Friday, not THIS Friday.  (Only makes sense in my world...)

May 4th-7th.


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## spanglechick (Apr 25, 2006)

that is so beautiful.


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## zenie (Apr 25, 2006)

spanglechick said:
			
		

> that is so beautiful.



Tis isn't it  

I wanna see it!!!

Havent read link but what's it for?


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## wiskey (Apr 25, 2006)

William of Walworth said:
			
		

> That would be a fabulous beast to bring to Glasto or Carnival or somesuch!



can you imagine pulling it out of the mud! you'd need a fleet of tractors.

it looks great. i want to see it.


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## JTG (Apr 25, 2006)

I want one.


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## Dan U (Apr 25, 2006)

wicked stuff

SO going to see that, nice one


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## Louloubelle (Apr 26, 2006)

OMG that's beautiful!

*pedant mode*
It's an African elephant though, a sultan would have an indian elephant as any fule kno.  Also the dark patches under his eyes indicate that he's in must.  Which would mean that he would be an extremely randy, angy and out of control elephant!
*end pedant mode*


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## DalstonExpress (Apr 26, 2006)

Louloubelle said:
			
		

> It's an African elephant though, a sultan would have an indian elephant as any fule kno.  Also the dark patches under his eyes indicate that he's in must.  Which would mean that he would be an extremely randy, angy and out of control elephant!



No it's not, it's a wooden elephant.


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## Louloubelle (Apr 26, 2006)

DalstonExpress said:
			
		

> No it's not, it's a wooden elephant.



sheesh

You just had to spoil the magic didn't you


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## Random One (Apr 26, 2006)

that looks so cool


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## fudgefactorfive (Apr 26, 2006)

I think it looks a bit scary   Like an evil undead mecha elephant assembled from the bones of disrespected graveyards


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## JTG (Apr 26, 2006)

Louloubelle said:
			
		

> OMG that's beautiful!
> 
> *pedant mode*
> It's an African elephant though, a sultan would have an indian elephant as any fule kno.  Also the dark patches under his eyes indicate that he's in must.  Which would mean that he would be an extremely randy, angy and out of control elephant!
> *end pedant mode*



what if it's an African elephant which was given to the sultan as tribute by some conquered African tribe? Eh? You didn't think of that did you?


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## zenie (Apr 26, 2006)

Right who's house am I staying at next weekend??


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## Yossarian (Apr 26, 2006)

Wait a minute - during a time of war, some foreigners are giving us a 'gift' of a giant wooden elephant? How stupid do they think we are?


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## Biddlybee (Apr 26, 2006)

dogmatique said:
			
		

> This arrives “by surprise”


It's going to freak people out that haven't heard it's coming 

Looks   I might pop into town next Friday.


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## bluestreak (Apr 26, 2006)

Yossarian said:
			
		

> Wait a minute - during a time of war, some foreigners are giving us a 'gift' of a giant wooden elephant? How stupid do they think we are?



*panics*




i'm going to check that out.


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## zenie (Apr 26, 2006)

Yossarian said:
			
		

> Wait a minute - during a time of war, some foreigners are giving us a 'gift' of a giant wooden elephant? How stupid do they think we are?



Ha!! A guy from work already said at lunch 'So is this Osama's horse of Troy'


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## Dan U (Apr 26, 2006)

zenie said:
			
		

> Ha!! A guy from work already said at lunch 'So is this Osama's horse of Troy'



i wanna find out where its kept at night


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## dervish (Apr 26, 2006)

I wanna watch how they get it here.

I can't wait for Thursday, I should be going past it daily on the bus.


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## onenameshelley (Apr 26, 2006)

Yossarian said:
			
		

> Wait a minute - during a time of war, some foreigners are giving us a 'gift' of a giant wooden elephant? How stupid do they think we are?




   PMSL 

its absolutley gorgeous makes the cow parade look a bit stupid


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## TeeJay (Apr 26, 2006)

dogmatique said:
			
		

> It's taller than Admiralty Arch and heavier than Nelson's Column.
> 
> This arrives “by surprise” next Friday between 5-7, somewhere around Piccadilly and Trafalgar Square.  I think it’ll be hard to miss.


Are you sure you don't mean *Thursday*?

Thursday 4th May: Prologue: a mysterious arrival
Friday 5th May: The spectacle begins / Tour, 2pm – 3pm, 5pm – 8pm
Saturday 6th May: Sightseeing / A sultan’s welcome, 9.30am – 1pm, 3pm – 6pm
Sunday 7th May: Sunday in the city / Finale, 11am – 1pm, 3pm – 6pm

The spectacle proper begins on Friday, 5th May. It takes place in the streets and public spaces of Westminster, in the area around Horse Guards Parade in St James’s Park, St James’s, Piccadilly, Haymarket and Trafalgar Square. Detailed maps will be posted here at the beginning of May.

http://www.thesultanselephant.com/findit/findit.php


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## dogmatique (Apr 26, 2006)

No, the mysterious arrival is this thing: 






The elephant don't turn up till Friday.


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## zenie (Apr 26, 2006)

Dan U said:
			
		

> i wanna find out where its kept at night



You could be onto something there.....


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## Dan U (Apr 26, 2006)

zenie said:
			
		

> You could be onto something there.....



innit.. pm's if u find out


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## liberty (Apr 26, 2006)

I would love to have seen this but will be in Amsterdam can some who goes take lots of pictures please


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## zenie (Apr 26, 2006)

liberty said:
			
		

> I would love to have seen this but will be in Amsterdam can some who goes take lots of pictures please



Aren't you in Amsterdam THIS weekend Liberty?

It's not coming til NEXT weekend


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## liberty (Apr 26, 2006)

zenie said:
			
		

> Aren't you in Amsterdam THIS weekend Liberty?
> 
> It's not coming til NEXT weekend


o 4th -8th May  and  I really wanted to see this


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## onenameshelley (Apr 26, 2006)

liberty said:
			
		

> o 4th -8th May  and  I really wanted to see this




ahh gutted babes, i shall get you some photees and from my angle it will look even more HUGE


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## Shippou-Sensei (Apr 26, 2006)

Louloubelle said:
			
		

> sheesh
> 
> You just had to spoil the magic didn't you



reminds me i was just reading a manga  and the author wrote a note in the second volume noting they had loads of letter complaining about that she said that the tiger cub was said to be from africa but strangly none complaining about the fact it talked


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## han (Apr 27, 2006)

Wow this looks wicked, really wanna see this!


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## Windchaser (Apr 27, 2006)

dogmatique said:
			
		

> It's taller than Admiralty Arch and heavier than Nelson's Column.


Wouldn't the other way round be even more impressive?


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## laptop (Apr 27, 2006)

Riiight.



> The spectacle proper begins on Friday, 5th May. It takes place in the streets and public spaces of Westminster, in the area around Horse Guards Parade in St James’s Park, St James’s, Piccadilly, Haymarket and Trafalgar Square.



St Stephen's Tavern - but *what time*?



> Friday 5th May
> 
> The spectacle begins / Tour
> 2pm – 3pm, 5pm – 8pm



So: 13:30 or 16:30?


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## Johnny Canuck3 (Apr 27, 2006)

Amazing.


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## Louloubelle (Apr 27, 2006)

Shippou-Chan said:
			
		

> reminds me i was just reading a manga  and the author wrote a note in the second volume noting they had loads of letter complaining about that she said that the tiger cub was said to be from africa but strangly none complaining about the fact it talked



Well obviously 

Take the Lion King, you've got talking lions and warthogs and hyenas, fair enough, but if they had a talking polar bear people would have written in  to complain.  Stands to reason doesn't it?

The thing about this elephant is that it's face really does  look incredibly like a real african elephant.  Tis a wondrous thing and I'll  be there to see it.


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## dogmatique (Apr 27, 2006)

Windchaser said:
			
		

> Wouldn't the other way round be even more impressive?



Probably, but it wouldn't be true.


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## London_Calling (Apr 27, 2006)

I hear it's taking form adjacent to Battersea power station - people can apparently see it from the trains going into Victoria.


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## Dan U (Apr 27, 2006)

London_Calling said:
			
		

> I hear it's taking form adjacent to Battersea power station - people can apparently see it from the trains going into Victoria.



beat me to it!

its there alright   

and its fricking huge!

/considers a night mission to climb


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## beeboo (Apr 28, 2006)

There's a good article about this in time out this week

see here 

This is going to be great!  



(Don't hurt it if you go climbing!    )


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## Maggot (Apr 30, 2006)

laptop said:
			
		

> Riiight.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 I can't get there till 5.30 at the earliest.


Who's up for a Saturday meet up as well?


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## laptop (Apr 30, 2006)

Maggot said:
			
		

> Who's up for a Saturday meet up as well?



Me, probably, instead. On Friday I got asked to work in an office next Friday


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## Windchaser (May 2, 2006)

dogmatique said:
			
		

> Probably, but it wouldn't be true.


I didn't mean that they should SAY its that way, I meant that it should BE that way.


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## rennie (May 2, 2006)

it's going to rain friday and saturday!


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## Maggot (May 2, 2006)

laptop said:
			
		

> Riiight.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 Right, if anyone wants to meet up, we'll be in St Stephens Tavern from 5.30-6.00 before going to see the Elephant on Friday.


On Saturday morning we're gonna be outside Embankment Station, on the Villiers St side from 10 till 10.30am.


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## laptop (May 2, 2006)

reNnIe said:
			
		

> it's going to rain friday and saturday!



It's also supposed to be 23C on Friday!

Both could change between now and then.


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## zenie (May 2, 2006)

Maggot said:
			
		

> Right, if anyone wants to meet up, we'll be in St Stephens Tavern from 5.30-6.00 before going to see the Elephant on Friday.
> 
> 
> On Saturday morning we're gonna be outside Embankment Station, on the Villiers St side from 10 till 10.30am.



Ooh I think I'll be there 

May be a little late though so might have to meet you there.

Someone PM me thier mobi number please


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## laptop (May 2, 2006)

Maggot said:
			
		

> we'll be in St Stephens Tavern from 5.30-6.00 before going to see the Elephant on Friday.



Gak. If I were to get in to an office at 9am, rush down there... and I've got free beer on offer back in Holborn, also at 5:30.

Looks as though I'm leaving it to Saturday, then...


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## foamy (May 2, 2006)

i'm really looking forward to seeing this, just wondering if i can sack off all my commitments for the weekend to go stand in awe of the whole thing


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## Monkeygrinder's Organ (May 2, 2006)

This looks brilliant. I'll be trying to see it at some point.


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## zenie (May 2, 2006)

foamy said:
			
		

> i'm really looking forward to seeing this, just wondering if i can sack off all my commitments for the weekend to go stand in awe of the whole thing



Shall I bring my tent


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## Biddlybee (May 3, 2006)

Maggot said:
			
		

> Right, if anyone wants to meet up, we'll be in St Stephens Tavern from 5.30-6.00 before going to see the Elephant on Friday.
> 
> 
> On Saturday morning we're gonna be outside Embankment Station, on the Villiers St side from 10 till 10.30am.


Definitely up for Saturday... maybe Friday too, will see how work goes


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## Maggot (May 3, 2006)

This is being discussed on BBC London 94.9 NOW!


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## Biddlybee (May 3, 2006)

Maggot said:
			
		

> This is being discussed on BBC London 94.9 NOW!


I'd have a fight on my hands if I tried to change the channel in my office


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## han (May 3, 2006)

Maggot said:
			
		

> On Saturday morning we're gonna be outside Embankment Station, on the Villiers St side from 10 till 10.30am.



Oooh I might be up for this, depending on whether I can wake up in time! ...will txt you Maggot 

Looks fab!

XxX


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## Maggot (May 3, 2006)

han said:
			
		

> Oooh I might be up for this, depending on whether I can wake up in time! ...will txt you Maggot
> 
> Looks fab!
> 
> XxX


Would be great to see you! 


I can't do the afternoon bit due to the play-offs.


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## han (May 3, 2006)

Maggot said:
			
		

> Would be great to see you!



You too my darling.





			
				Maggot said:
			
		

> I can't do the afternoon bit due to the play-offs.



What ones are them?


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## Maggot (May 3, 2006)

It's Crystal Palace Vs Watford, over 2 legs. The winner gets to play at the Millenium Stadium for a place in the Premiership.


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## trashpony (May 4, 2006)

A mysterious giant wooden rocket has landed on Pall Mall, gently smoking ...


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## liberty (May 4, 2006)

Please can someone take some pics I really wanted to see this


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## marty21 (May 4, 2006)

i'm going to try and snare this beast on friday night, before hopefully telling tales of my bravery at the N1 drinks


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## Dubversion (May 4, 2006)

BBC London has a good pic gallery already here


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## zenie (May 4, 2006)

What?? It's already here?? 

Bastards!!!


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## trashpony (May 4, 2006)

zenie said:
			
		

> What?? It's already here??
> 
> Bastards!!!



No, no, that's just the rocket announcing its imminent arrival. Innit


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## Biddlybee (May 4, 2006)

trashpony said:
			
		

> No, no, that's just the rocket announcing its imminent arrival. Innit


So the elephant turns up on Saturday?


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## Dubversion (May 4, 2006)

Friday, i think. or tonight


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## trashpony (May 4, 2006)

BiddlyBee said:
			
		

> So the elephant turns up on Saturday?



Something is happening at 11am in Waterloo Place but I think the elephant turns up tomorrow afternoon ...


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## Dubversion (May 4, 2006)

Friday 5th May

1pm The Sultan is greeted by London schoolchildren and the Lord Mayor of Westminster A

2pm The spectacle begins B

5pm - 6.30pm The visitors go sightseeing 

6.30pm The Sultan attends a grand party C

7.30pm The visitors settle down for the night A

Saturday 6th May

9.30am - 10am The visitors get ready for the day A

10am - 1.30pm They all go sightseeing

1.30pm The official welcome D

3pm - 6pm Grand Parade

6.15pm - 8pm A musical entertainment - bedtime A

Sunday 7th May

11am - 12noon The visitors get ready for the day A

12noon - 1pm Sunday morning in the city

1pm The Sultan and his Court take lunch in a restaurant E

3pm - 5pm Last tour

5pm - 6pm Grand finale and departure A


All times are approximate


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## Biddlybee (May 4, 2006)

Dubversion said:
			
		

> Friday, i think. or tonight




I'm getting confused... will go read all the links again.


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## Dubversion (May 4, 2006)

see above


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## zenie (May 4, 2006)

trashpony said:
			
		

> No, no, that's just the rocket announcing its imminent arrival. Innit


I know but I wanted to see that too 

Thanks Trashpants


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## Biddlybee (May 4, 2006)

trashpony said:
			
		

> Something is happening at 11am in Waterloo Place but I think the elephant turns up tomorrow afternoon ...


So "2pm The spectacle begins B" might be the elephant?

cheers Dub


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## ddraig (May 4, 2006)

dubs link said:
			
		

> And the best places to see and catch a flavour of the whole thing?
> 
> We don't want to spoil the magic, but we won't be giving too much away in urging earlybirds to get to Waterloo Place, off Pall Mall on Thursday morning (4 May) at 11am. There's a major surprise in store at the same place on Friday from 2pm and again in Horse Guards Parade from 10am on Saturday (6 May). Mayor Ken will be greeting the Sultan and his Elephant in Trafalgar Square later on Saturday at 1pm before the Parade begins, and you really should get to the finalé in Horse Guards Parade on Sunday (7 May) at 5.30pm. One more thing: bring your camera or mobile. We want your pictures of the event across the weekend - and there's a terrific prize for the best photo!



photies please!

this giant they did looks amazing as well


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## Pieface (May 4, 2006)

I'm going along tonight to look at the rocket and then tomorrow after work and then again on saturday if it's worth it.

I won't manage sunday for I'll be hungover.   I'm so glad this is happening here


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## rennie (May 4, 2006)

the rocket is already in Pall Mall... dum dum called this morning to tell me n I missed my bus as a result!


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## trashpony (May 4, 2006)

Dubversion said:
			
		

> see above



Dub dear - what do the A, B, C and D mean in your post above?


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## Dubversion (May 4, 2006)

trashpony said:
			
		

> Dub dear - what do the A, B, C and D mean in your post above?




look at the map.

i thought u woz clevah


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## Dubversion (May 4, 2006)

ah, the fuckers have moved it 

it was there earlier


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## trashpony (May 4, 2006)

Dubversion said:
			
		

> ah, the fuckers have moved it
> 
> it was there earlier



Ah hahahaha 

See?


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## wiskey (May 4, 2006)

have you read the story about the barrell and the little girl?


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## trashpony (May 4, 2006)

wiskey said:
			
		

> have you read the story about the barrell and the little girl?



No - tell me 

Here's Dub's mapski


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## wiskey (May 4, 2006)

i'm not sure where it is - its on their website somewhere. dervish found it. 

anyway its the story of the elephant and how it came to be and why


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## wiskey (May 4, 2006)

dogmatique said:
			
		

> No, the mysterious arrival is this thing:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




see ^^ that would be the barrel


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## dogmatique (May 4, 2006)

Modelled on Jules Verne's rocket ship, apparently.


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## fudgefactorfive (May 4, 2006)

wiskey said:
			
		

> see ^^ that would be the barrel



When I first saw that I thought it was a robot elephant turd.

Looks like me and some mates are going up there for Saturday 2pm, will keep an eye out for recognisable folk


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## Pieface (May 4, 2006)

dogmatique said:
			
		

> Modelled on Jules Verne's rocket ship, apparently.



The tale is modelled on a Jules Verne story as well.


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## pootle (May 4, 2006)

Sorry if I being lazy and/or dense, but can you see the elephant anywhere tonight then?


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## rennie (May 4, 2006)

pootle said:
			
		

> Sorry if I being lazy and/or dense, but can you see the elephant anywhere tonight then?



NO.


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## Pieface (May 4, 2006)

<shakes Pootle!>


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## Streathamite (May 4, 2006)

bring me up to speed someone - what is the reason for all these undoubtedly dandy models arriving in London now?


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## Dubversion (May 4, 2006)

christ, jezza, make an effort for once


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## Streathamite (May 4, 2006)

ahh..got it now. no, i just wondered why now, as opposed to any other time.
the whole things great, it just seems a little...strange


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## han (May 4, 2006)

strange, but....v good!

Yes that barrel is rather turd-like!


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## Maggot (May 4, 2006)

Red Jezza said:
			
		

> ahh..got it now. no, i just wondered why now, as opposed to any other time.
> the whole things great, it just seems a little...strange


Cos they first had the idea to do it 3 years ago, and it took 3 years to organise.


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## GarfieldLeChat (May 4, 2006)

film of the barrel landing

apolos about the quality it was taken on my pda


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## Maggot (May 4, 2006)

What software can we watch that film on? It's confused my computer.


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## sonik (May 4, 2006)

So apparantly the elephant is currently in Battersea Power station, how on earth are they going to move it from there? I am getting up early tomorrow as that's right by my house.


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## GarfieldLeChat (May 4, 2006)

Maggot said:
			
		

> What software can we watch that film on? It's confused my computer.


it's mp4 so any thing like media player classic or vlcc  or if you have to quick time


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## kyser_soze (May 5, 2006)

Check out the centre spread in today's Guardian for a super huge pic of the effelunt...

Welll looking forward to seeing this...


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## Pieface (May 5, 2006)

Going tonight!


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## Minnie_the_Minx (May 5, 2006)

PieEye said:
			
		

> Going tonight!




Well it's supposed to be in Horseguards at 1.00pm so I'm going to pop across in my lunch break


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## GarfieldLeChat (May 5, 2006)

Minnie_the_Minx said:
			
		

> Well it's supposed to be in Horseguards at 1.00pm so I'm going to pop across in my lunch break


you and half of london....


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## Pieface (May 5, 2006)

Yeah but it's a big fucker - should be able to see most of it.  I'll have to wear my crowd tolerance hat


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## Maggot (May 5, 2006)

laptop said:
			
		

> Riiight.
> 
> 
> 
> St Stephen's Tavern


Anyone want to meet here 5.30-6.00?


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## trashpony (May 5, 2006)

Maggot said:
			
		

> Anyone want to meet here 5.30-6.00?



I might do but I've forgotten my fucking camera what with the shenanigans down the passport office so I can't decide if I should come tonight or over the weekend


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## Dubversion (May 5, 2006)

BBC London are really caning this - i think Danny Baker was actually in it broadcasting this morning.


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## Minnie_the_Minx (May 5, 2006)

GarfieldLeChat said:
			
		

> you and half of london....


  


I'm praying for storms to put the crowds off


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## rennie (May 5, 2006)

u'll have to wait til tomorrow it seems!


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## Minnie_the_Minx (May 5, 2006)

reNnIe said:
			
		

> u'll have to wait til tomorrow it seems!




I shall be doing much rain dancing


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## Minnie_the_Minx (May 5, 2006)

Just been over there for the last hour and a half.

The elephant's lovely.  It even has eyelashes and was sleeping when I got there


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## Minnie_the_Minx (May 5, 2006)

Oh, and a guy on the top of the elephant was cooking a spit roast


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## GarfieldLeChat (May 5, 2006)

Pics


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## wiskey (May 5, 2006)

derv really wants to see this. i just cant hype myself up to face the crowds


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## rennie (May 5, 2006)

GarfieldLeChat said:
			
		

> Pics



great pics! wish I was out there!


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## GarfieldLeChat (May 5, 2006)

wiskey said:
			
		

> derv really wants to see this. i just cant hype myself up to face the crowds


tell him to meet up tomorrow teeps want's to see it too and it's going for a walk about in london tomorrow so we could meet up then


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## Minnie_the_Minx (May 5, 2006)

GarfieldLeChat said:
			
		

> Pics




I don't have a digital so can't show photos


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## marty21 (May 5, 2006)

i'm popping along about 6/6.30 for a little looksie


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## mrsfran (May 5, 2006)

I'm going to see it tomorrow!


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## Minnie_the_Minx (May 5, 2006)

Did you see the huge deckchair and scooter and I think it was a huge reel of cotton?

"The Sultan's Elephant is taller than Admiralty Arch at just over 36ft tall and weighs a whopping 42 tonnes. *He travels at one mile an hour."*  Slow bastard  

"His trunk is operated by 22 pistons and around 80 square yards of leather alone was used for its ears."


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## hatz (May 5, 2006)

I saw the elephant next to Battersea Power Station last night. My friend thought I was nuts cos I kept saying "look! look! a giant robot elephant!"

It looked cool.

But if it/he (it's a he, right? is it anatomically correct?? not that I'm an elephant perv, just interested to know...) only travels at 1 mile an hour, how did it get to the centre? What road did it take?

I'm going tomorrow. Can't wait to see it!!


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## wiskey (May 5, 2006)

GarfieldLeChat said:
			
		

> tell him to meet up tomorrow teeps want's to see it too and it's going for a walk about in london tomorrow so we could meet up then




got limited time tomorrow (gettin my new bed ) but i might give you a ring


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## fudgefactorfive (May 5, 2006)

hatz said:
			
		

> But if it/he (it's a he, right? is it anatomically correct?? not that I'm an elephant perv, just interested to know...) only travels at 1 mile an hour, how did it get to the centre? What road did it take?



Heh  Tricksy foreign invasion master plan, or cyberdildonic exhibition of simulated bestiality - you choose!

It didn't take any road - it flew in and crashlanded in a wooden spaceship - pay attention


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## wiskey (May 5, 2006)

vampire_pirate said:
			
		

> It didn't take any road - it flew in and crashlanded in a wooden spaceship - pay attention



lol


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## Minnie_the_Minx (May 5, 2006)

hatz said:
			
		

> But if it/he (it's a he, right? is it anatomically correct??




Oh, I forgot to look  

Was too busy being envious about his/her/its lovely eyelashes


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## hatz (May 5, 2006)

vampire_pirate said:
			
		

> Heh  Tricksy foreign invasion master plan, or cyberdildonic exhibition of simulated bestiality - you choose!
> 
> It didn't take any road - it flew in and crashlanded in a wooden spaceship - pay attention


So where's the spaceship? Or is that turd thing meant to be the spaceship? Oh this is all far too complex for my sun addled brain!

If I had to choose between an invasion and bestiality... it's tricky. I would have to have a long hard think about it.

When I saw it at Battersea last night, it didn't have any legs. It looked weird (cos a giant robot elephant in the middle of a building site WITH legs would NOT have looked weird at all).


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## hatz (May 5, 2006)

Minnie_the_Minx said:
			
		

> Oh, I forgot to look
> 
> Was too busy being envious about his/her/its lovely eyelashes


It must be a girl then, no??


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## Minnie_the_Minx (May 5, 2006)

hatz said:
			
		

> So where's the spaceship? Or is that turd thing meant to be the spaceship? Oh this is all far too complex for my sun addled brain!
> 
> If I had to choose between an invasion and bestiality... it's tricky. I would have to have a long hard think about it.
> 
> When I saw it at Battersea last night, it didn't have any legs. It looked weird (cos a giant robot elephant in the middle of a building site WITH legs would NOT have looked weird at all).




Are you sure it wasn't laying down having a kip?  

It wasn't standing up this afternoon until after 2.00pm


----------



## GarfieldLeChat (May 5, 2006)

vampire_pirate said:
			
		

> Heh  Tricksy foreign invasion master plan, or cyberdildonic exhibition of simulated bestiality - you choose!
> 
> It didn't take any road - it flew in and crashlanded in a wooden spaceship - pay attention


no that was the little girl the elephant is time travelling so technically it took as long as it took it jsut travelled through time to make it on time and not before time...


----------



## trashpony (May 5, 2006)

hatz said:
			
		

> When I saw it at Battersea last night, it didn't have any legs. It looked weird (cos a giant robot elephant in the middle of a building site WITH legs would NOT have looked weird at all).



It was sitting down of course 

E2a:damn that minx


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (May 5, 2006)

hatz said:
			
		

> It must be a girl then, no??




I didn't go looking for dingly danglies


----------



## fudgefactorfive (May 5, 2006)

*Google*

Your search - "Sultan's Elephant" genitalia - did not match any documents.

Suggestions:

    * Make sure all words are spelled correctly.
    * Try different keywords.
    * Try more general keywords.
    * Try fewer keywords.


----------



## twisted_angel (May 5, 2006)

Hi everyone
Maggot just text me and asked me to pass on the message that he will be late to the pub as he's stuck in work and not to wait for him.

Have a great time xxx


----------



## Dubversion (May 5, 2006)

absolutely brilliant. found it sleeping at the end of Pall Mall and followed it back down the Mall to Horseguard's Parade. Beautiful, moving, inspirational, all that.

There's definitely a hint of old Archaos in it somehow, which follows since the team behind it are French


----------



## treefrog (May 5, 2006)

I need to see the heffalump!

will go searching tomorrow...


----------



## wiskey (May 5, 2006)

you need a heffalump trap


----------



## wiskey (May 5, 2006)

Dubversion said:
			
		

> There's definitely a hint of old Archaos in it somehow, which follows since the team behind it are French



_now_ i'm motivated to go find it myself


----------



## Dubversion (May 5, 2006)

wiskey said:
			
		

> _now_ i'm motivated to go find it myself




something about the crew - and about the band on the truck behind - it all reminded me of the way a lot of the old Archaos stuff worked...

fuck, i miss Archaos.


----------



## trashpony (May 5, 2006)

Dubversion said:
			
		

> something about the crew - and about the band on the truck behind - it all reminded me of the way a lot of the old Archaos stuff worked...
> 
> fuck, i miss Archaos.



Was it teeming with people or could you get close?


----------



## treefrog (May 5, 2006)

wiskey said:
			
		

> you need a heffalump trap


Come heffalump hunting with me!  I was thinking of going along first thing in the morning 'cause I've got a busy day tomorrow...


----------



## Dubversion (May 5, 2006)

as close as you were allowed - there's a fairly broad exclusion zone of stewards / cops.

as the evening wore on and the kids buggered off, you could get much closer. THe elephant sprays water (well, a water / gas mix  ) and got me right in the face.. little tip - as it turns off the Mall into Horseguards parade and the road is narrow and lined with bollards, you can get REALLY close because they really have to squeeze it down the road. 

it's absolutely breathtaking. When it went to sleep - gently drooping, draping its trunk over its tusks and lowering its head - signifying the end of the day's activities - the remaining crowd went absolutely batshit


----------



## trashpony (May 5, 2006)

Dubversion said:
			
		

> as close as you were allowed - there's a fairly broad exclusion zone of stewards / cops.
> 
> as the evening wore on and the kids buggered off, you could get much closer. THe elephant sprays water (well, a water / gas mix  ) and got me right in the face.. little tip - as it turns off the Mall into Horseguards parade and the road is narrow and lined with bollards, you can get REALLY close because they really have to squeeze it down the road.
> 
> it's absolutely breathtaking. When it went to sleep - gently drooping, draping its trunk over its tusks and lowering its head - signifying the end of the day's activities - the remaining crowd went absolutely batshit



 

Right - that's going to be my reward then for spending the day doing dull stuff tomorrow 

Did you take pics?


----------



## fudgefactorfive (May 5, 2006)

Weird that such a simple idea has such an effect on people ... guess we're all kids at heart ...


----------



## Dubversion (May 5, 2006)

trashpony said:
			
		

> Right - that's going to be my reward then for spending the day doing dull stuff tomorrow
> 
> Did you take pics?




On Pie Face's phone - and video. But she's swanning around in the West End, whereas I had to come home because i'd been out a few hours and i'm still feeling pretty ill.

Selfish cow


----------



## Dubversion (May 5, 2006)

vampire_pirate said:
			
		

> Weird that such a simple idea has such an effect on people ... guess we're all kids at heart ...




there's that, and there's also that it is BEAUTIFULLY realised.

i love the fact that they haven't tried to hide the mechanics where they're visible, but then there the face, the ears are so beautifully detailed... A perfect blend.


----------



## treefrog (May 5, 2006)

What time are people meeting up tomorrow and where?

I want to see the heffalump and Dante won't come with me


----------



## trashpony (May 5, 2006)

treefrog said:
			
		

> What time are people meeting up tomorrow and where?
> 
> I want to see the heffalump and Dante won't come with me



I think Maggot said he was going to go down early (like 10am) but I have stuff to do tomorrow am so am planning on going down for the bedtime bit - around 6pm


----------



## Dubversion (May 5, 2006)

as well as the crowds dying off, the other advantage to going later is that the light is really beautiful...

and don't forget to go see the rocket, still smouldering at Waterloo Place


----------



## JTG (May 5, 2006)

occasionally, very very occasionally, the idea occurs that London may be a better place to be than Bristol.

things like this make me think that. I so wanna see it


----------



## trashpony (May 5, 2006)

JTG said:
			
		

> occasionally, very very occasionally, the idea occurs that London may be a better place to be than Bristol.
> 
> things like this make me think that. I so wanna see it


 


We need things like this to compensate for stuff like the fact that I got so squashed on the tube last night that I couldn't breathe and had to shout 'I can't breathe' to stop people crushing me


----------



## Treacle Toes (May 5, 2006)

Went to see this today and have to say it's the best piece of art-machinery-life-like-thing-magiggy that I have ever see in my life  . Truly beautiful and amazing at the same time. Well done them. it has more than just wow factor. INCREDIBLE.  

As Dub said above it's lovely to see in good light, like today at about 5pm coming up The Mall.......simply stunning.


----------



## Treacle Toes (May 5, 2006)

vampire_pirate said:
			
		

> Weird that such a simple idea has such an effect on people ... guess we're all kids at heart ...



I agree with you but the point is that this thing is not simple or simplly anything...it is a well designed and constructed visually amazing piece of art and worksmanship......don't take my word for it...everyone needs to see this. It's the stuff of fairy tales.


----------



## Treacle Toes (May 5, 2006)

trashpony said:
			
		

> Was it teeming with people or could you get close?



The thing is soooooooooooo huge that you don't have to get that close....even though there are stewards, other members of the public etc... you can get very near....

ANYONE WHO HAS NOT SEEN THIS...........GET YOUR BUTTS DOWN THERE....................IT IS NOT TO BE MISSED!


----------



## fudgefactorfive (May 6, 2006)

Rutita1 said:
			
		

> I agree with you but the point is that this thing is not simple or simplly anything...it is a well designed and constructed visually amazing piece of art and worksmanship......don't take my word for it...everyone needs to see this. It's the stuff of fairy tales.



Sure - I didn't mean it was a "simple thing", just that the idea is simple ... errr ... in a way ... actually I'm not sure what I mean ... just the pictures make me feel like a child again, in a good way ...

On the other hand it does sometimes look like a scary undead mechanical doom robot hellbent on enslaving us all ... or maybe I've been watching too much Channel 5 "When Elephants Go Bad" type stuff ...


----------



## Looby (May 6, 2006)

JTG said:
			
		

> occasionally, very very occasionally, the idea occurs that London may be a better place to be than Bristol.
> 
> things like this make me think that. I so wanna see it



I really wanna see this too, the pics look fantastic. Gutted it wasn't a week earlier as we were up in London last weekend.  

Thanks to Dub/PieEye for the pic.


----------



## laptop (May 6, 2006)

sparklefish said:
			
		

> I really wanna see this



So, having proposed and missed tonight's meetup and missed it (and currently seeing doubble on free booze  ) - 

Is there a meeting point for Saturday?


----------



## GarfieldLeChat (May 6, 2006)

dunno about a meet up on sat but firky and i are going down now to see if we can get night shots ... will report back in a few hours...


----------



## laptop (May 6, 2006)

me said:
			
		

> Is there a meeting point for Saturday?



Now I remember this:




			
				han said:
			
		

> On Saturday morning we're go#
> nna be outside Embankment Station, on the Villiers St side from 10 till 10.30am.



6 hours from now


----------



## Firky (May 6, 2006)

more coffee?


----------



## Firky (May 6, 2006)

Took around 250 photos, no one there but myself, garf and a few stewards and rozzers. F'ing excellent sky and cloud formations  

Going to have a quick look at them on the screen, will post the best ones later (no doubt in B&W!  )


----------



## GarfieldLeChat (May 6, 2006)

ditto i'm going to bed have some lovely dawn rising ones ...

It's the little details you miss when everyone else is there which i like the smashed car's in pall mall all have personal artifact's still inside them fag packets pens kids travel toys and the like... the fact that the little girl puppet(marionette?) was snoring and her cheat rose and fell and her mouth opened and closed...

oh and we woke some one up accidently who was sleeping on top of the elephant !!

....and nearly ran over a nekkid bloke in shorditch on the way back nothing to do with the elephant but was odd ...


----------



## Firky (May 6, 2006)

Here's a one to get you started, I'll upload more later

more photos


----------



## Firky (May 6, 2006)

*i *really* am going to bed this time...*


----------



## Maggot (May 6, 2006)

Rutita1 said:
			
		

> I agree with you but the point is that this thing is not simple or simplly anything...it is a well designed and constructed visually amazing piece of art and worksmanship......don't take my word for it...everyone needs to see this. It's the stuff of fairy tales.


 Too right!

This is one of the most amazing things I've ever seen. I thought it was magical and I've never used that word to descibe a real thing before.

Like Dub I saw it asleep at the end of Pall Mall where the Sultan went to a black tie reception. Then saw it get up and move (backwards at first) down to HorseGuards parade. You could get quite close at times and there were less people than I thought there would be.

The highlight was seeing Dub getting sprayed by the elephant!




Will be at Embankment at 10.30 ish if anyone's up for it.


----------



## moon (May 6, 2006)

I cant wait to see this.....lovely photos riot


----------



## DJWrongspeed (May 6, 2006)

excellent, i got totally soaked as did the rozzers    really magical,

Thought the crashed pod thingy was pretty excellent, the road was really bashed up even, how they permission for that i dunno.
http://altboard.lucidotnet.co.uk/modules/gallery/albums/elephant/IMG_2942.thumb.jpg

downside was when the music carried into the night on the Mall, really fucked up the gig I was in at the ICA  it was being recorded for R3, oh dear.  Still it seemed to resolve itself.


----------



## girasol (May 6, 2006)

We're definetely going today, later in the afternoon!  

Photos look amazing!


----------



## treefrog (May 6, 2006)

Iemanja said:
			
		

> We're definetely going today, later in the afternoon!
> 
> Photos look amazing!


PM sent!


----------



## Treacle Toes (May 6, 2006)

Maggot said:
			
		

> Too right!
> 
> This is one of the most amazing things I've ever seen. I thought it was magical and I've never used that word to descibe a real thing before.



Magical is the word. 

_Big up Royal De Luxe_


----------



## marty21 (May 6, 2006)

Dubversion said:
			
		

> absolutely brilliant. found it sleeping at the end of Pall Mall and followed it back down the Mall to Horseguard's Parade. Beautiful, moving, inspirational, all that.
> 
> There's definitely a hint of old Archaos in it somehow, which follows since the team behind it are French



we must have been there at the same time, we watched it come around the corner into pall mall at about 7.45, and then followed it up towards it's resting ground when it slept for the night, it was brilliant, got sprayed by water from it's enormous trunk


----------



## wrysmile (May 6, 2006)

Sunday 7th May

1pm The sultan and his entourage lunch in Piccadilly

Siesta


Ok, so stupid question - WTF is Picadilly Siesta? Does that just mean it'll be wandering along Picadilly? If I just go to that general direction, will I be able to find it?


----------



## Dubversion (May 6, 2006)

siesta literally means siesta - it 'sleeps'. IE, shuts down for a while before moving on


----------



## Maggot (May 6, 2006)

Todays parade has been delayed till 4.30. Hopefully it will have stopped raining by then.

Don't rain on the elephant's parade.


----------



## moon (May 6, 2006)

Cool i will head to piccadilly tommorow then.


----------



## Bob (May 6, 2006)

dogmatique said:
			
		

> No, the mysterious arrival is this thing:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I came across that drunk last night. It quite freaked me at first.


----------



## marty21 (May 6, 2006)

Bob said:
			
		

> I came across that drunk last night. It quite freaked me at first.



was the smoke coming out? that might have freaked you out more


----------



## maldwyn (May 6, 2006)

I went to see it yesterday and would agree with what has already been said, do try and see if you can.

Here’s a couple of snaps I took on a pocket camera. 

One, Two, Three, Four, Five and Six.


----------



## gaijingirl (May 6, 2006)

I'm going to see it tomorrow in St James Park.  I'll be at the Inn the Park cafe at 3pm to meet a friend if anyone is up for it.



 I mentioned it to gaijinboy...

"The what?" he said,

"The Sultan's Elephant" I said,

"Eh?" 

"It's a giant mechanical elephant wandering the streets of London"

"Oh right.. yeah I saw that yesterday"

"...and you didn't think to mention the fact you'd seen an enormous mechanical elephant in the centre of town?"...


----------



## zenie (May 6, 2006)

I'm going tonight


----------



## laptop (May 6, 2006)

zenie said:
			
		

> I'm going tonight



You're telling us it's holding a private party (not listed on the website) but not inviting us?


----------



## zenie (May 6, 2006)

laptop said:
			
		

> You're telling us it's holding a private party (not listed on the website) but not inviting us?



No I want to see it asleep


----------



## laptop (May 6, 2006)

zenie said:
			
		

> No I want to see it asleep


----------



## zenie (May 6, 2006)

laptop said:
			
		

>


 

Perhaps you should come?

Biddlybee is being picked up by myself in a couple of hours, we shall be stopping for beverages somewhere while we're up there


----------



## tendril (May 6, 2006)

Some amateur photos


----------



## laptop (May 6, 2006)

Thanks, but I'm feeling ultra-wimpy today. I'll try to stumble out tomorrow.


----------



## dogmatique (May 6, 2006)

Well that was rather fantastic!







The drizzle didn't put us off much, in fact it was the elephant that absolutely soaked us to the skin.






And if you haven't got kids, try and borrow a couple for the day, you'll have a lot more fun.  We took a couple of the Kosovan kids who live over the road.  They *loved* it!

Much screaming and fun had by all...


----------



## Firky (May 6, 2006)

I was threatned with arrest - for smoking a tab near a soaking wet bale of hay, in the middle of a traffic island, with a fire extinquisher stood right next to me.  

I challenged the poor bloke with common sense and logic, i.e that a wet hay bale is not a fire hazard when you're smoking a tab several feet away from it. Tosser.


----------



## fudgefactorfive (May 6, 2006)

Oh my god, that was an outrageously strange experience  

The only time I've ever felt that way before was at a Shivaratri festival in India where a giant onion-shaped wooden juggernaut is dragged up and down the main street while everyone pelts it with bananas.

They truly are master artists. You could see it written over everybody's faces.

I found some mad things scattered around ... won't say what in case people stumble across them themselves tomorrow ...

PS. Big thanks to dogmatique for posting about this - several people I forwarded it onto have been thanking me profusely for letting them know so I'll feed it back to you


----------



## abee (May 6, 2006)

'Just returned wet, but exhilerated. Got over a hundred pics, including loads whilst walking just about under the elephant - but being something of a newbie, I haven't quite figured out how to post them yet - so you're all safe.

I'd urge everyone to go and see this, with kids or without, it's well worth getting wet for - and the rain reduces the crowds so's you can get in closer.

Quite a fantastic day out,
and a day off for the rest of the family in my case.


----------



## Tricky Skills (May 6, 2006)

Golly gosh - she is truly wonderful. A few crappy pics from today over HERE


----------



## tendril (May 6, 2006)

abee said:
			
		

> 'Just returned wet, but exhilerated. Got over a hundred pics, including loads whilst walking just about under the elephant - but being something of a newbie, I haven't quite figured out how to post them yet - so you're all safe.
> 
> I'd urge everyone to go and see this, with kids or without, it's well worth getting wet for - and the rain reduces the crowds so's you can get in closer.
> 
> ...



if you resize them so they are all under 60KB I can host 'em on my site with a simple slideshow, or you can use an online galler [usually free but with adverts]


----------



## Sweetpea (May 6, 2006)

Just got back from a fantastic days elephant chasing   Dropped by to see the elephant sleeping at 8pm and it was having a little essential maintainance; was a bit  seeing welding sparks coming out of it's head!


----------



## treefrog (May 6, 2006)

just back from a day chasing it about.

Amazing.

Pics when I get the camera back off crispy...


----------



## girasol (May 6, 2006)

We just got home too...

I've never been so wet in all my life!  

My feet are just about dry now...

Bestest surreal wet day ever!!!!  Humongous wooden mechanical elephants are  

Got tons of photos, will post them later.


----------



## abee (May 6, 2006)

tendril said:
			
		

> if you resize them so they are all under 60KB I can host 'em on my site with a simple slideshow, or you can use an online galler [usually free but with adverts]


Tendril - while the rest of you stop cringing / laughing, tell me more on how to do this, PM me if needs be.
I'm happy to share being exposed to the elephant with you all.
Go and see it!


----------



## BrixiSteve (May 6, 2006)

Thought it was all just great.

But did you all see the cars that she stiched together.... naughty girl.


----------



## Sweetpea (May 6, 2006)

BrixiSteve said:
			
		

> Thought it was all just great.
> 
> But did you all see the cars that she stiched together.... naughty girl.


Oooh, I cycled all around and never saw any of this  Where was it?


----------



## trashpony (May 6, 2006)

Sweetpea said:
			
		

> Oooh, I cycled all around and never saw any of this  Where was it?




Sleeping in horseguards parade 

She needs lots of sleep


----------



## BrixiSteve (May 6, 2006)

Thats the thing, I can't remember.   It was strange because it was in one of the streets that linked to two of the main elephant routes meaning that many people would have missed it (unless taking the same shortcut).

I'll try and retrace my route on a map.


----------



## Sweetpea (May 6, 2006)

trashpony said:
			
		

> Sleeping in horseguards parade
> 
> She needs lots of sleep


Oh I saw her and the elephant but I missed the ancillary stuff. I'd been expecting to see cars sewn to the road and letters stuck to letterboxes.


----------



## trashpony (May 7, 2006)

Sweetpea said:
			
		

> Oh I saw her and the elephant but I missed the ancillary stuff. I'd been expecting to see cars sewn to the road and letters stuck to letterboxes.



I didn't see the cars either. And the big hole in waterloo place doesn't have a smoking rockety thing in it anymore. Just looks like a council cock up now


----------



## Sweetpea (May 7, 2006)

BrixiSteve said:
			
		

> Thats the thing, I can't remember.   It was strange because it was in one of the streets that linked to two of the main elephant routes meaning that many people would have missed it (unless taking the same shortcut).
> 
> I'll try and retrace my route on a map.


Ta, I'd seen the elephant  walk the Mall in the glorious sunshine on Friday. I made a particular effort to get into town on the bike today to look for "a series of clues as to her wherabouts. The giant loved sewing - she liked to stitch cars to the tarmac, boats to quaysides, trains to railway tracks and sometimes even envelopes to letterboxes." http://www.thesultanselephant.com/thestory/thestory.php


----------



## Sweetpea (May 7, 2006)

trashpony said:
			
		

> I didn't see the cars either. And the big hole in waterloo place doesn't have a smoking rockety thing in it anymore. Just looks like a council cock up now


I quite liked that. It had turned into a crater where the nose of the rocket had been excavated and moved to Horseguards Parade.


----------



## trashpony (May 7, 2006)

Sweetpea said:
			
		

> I quite liked that. It had turned into a crater where the nose of the rocket had been excavated and moved to Horseguards Parade.



My sister was really shocked that they'd dug up the road like that


----------



## fudgefactorfive (May 7, 2006)

BrixiSteve said:
			
		

> Thats the thing, I can't remember.   It was strange because it was in one of the streets that linked to two of the main elephant routes meaning that many people would have missed it (unless taking the same shortcut).
> 
> I'll try and retrace my route on a map.



Pall Mall


----------



## BrixiSteve (May 7, 2006)

vampire_pirate said:
			
		

> Pall Mall




Damn.... I was stone cold sober too.  My mind must be melting not to remember that.  It just seemed too quiet to be such a main street.  Thanks though....for making me feel sutpid


----------



## Sweetpea (May 7, 2006)

I looked along Pall Mall, saw a couple of bales of hay and a Volvo on skates but no stitched up cars


----------



## fudgefactorfive (May 7, 2006)

Asleep in Trafalgar Square 1

Asleep in Trafalgar Square 2

Little girl riding

Spraying

Stitched Up


----------



## fudgefactorfive (May 7, 2006)

BrixiSteve said:
			
		

> Damn.... I was stone cold sober too.  My mind must be melting not to remember that.  It just seemed too quiet to be such a main street.  Thanks though....for making me feel sutpid



Heh sorry  

Everything was weird, and I was stone cold sober too ... sometimes all the buildings seemed to be the wrong size ... then people were too small ... when we were really close to it my brain kept flipping between the elephant being a robot and it being alive ...


----------



## GarfieldLeChat (May 7, 2006)

shots from today from the morning through to the walkabout


----------



## dogmatique (May 7, 2006)

fantastic photo's garf!

I advise peeps to look at them all:






M'lady waits for her stage call...


----------



## Treacle Toes (May 7, 2006)

Great pics everyone......It truly is a wonderful thing isn't it?
Anyone who has not seen this yet, make the effort to go today, seeing is believing. Happy Sunday!


----------



## madamv (May 7, 2006)

Loved your first set of pics Garf.... how amazing.  I specially loved the one of the relaxed girly with her giant shoes sat right next to her!


----------



## waverunner (May 7, 2006)

vampire_pirate said:
			
		

> Asleep in Trafalgar Square 1
> 
> Asleep in Trafalgar Square 2
> 
> ...


Don;t understand what happened in the 'stitched up' photo v_p


----------



## gaijingirl (May 7, 2006)

waverunner said:
			
		

> Don;t understand what happened in the 'stitched up' photo v_p



In the story it tells of how the little girl liked sewing!!

"The giant loved sewing - she liked to stitch cars to the tarmac, boats to quaysides, trains to railway tracks and sometimes even envelopes to letterboxes. "


----------



## trashpony (May 7, 2006)

Brilliant pics Garf 

I got there too late to see much but it rocked


----------



## GarfieldLeChat (May 7, 2006)

gaijingirl said:
			
		

> In the story it tells of how the little girl liked sewing!!
> 
> "The giant loved sewing - she liked to stitch cars to the tarmac, boats to quaysides, trains to railway tracks and sometimes even envelopes to letterboxes. "


like this


----------



## gaijingirl (May 7, 2006)

GarfieldLeChat said:
			
		

> like this



She's in the U75 craft club doncha know!


----------



## GarfieldLeChat (May 7, 2006)

madamv said:
			
		

> Loved your first set of pics Garf.... how amazing.  I specially loved the one of the relaxed girly with her giant shoes sat right next to her!


sadly by the end of the day and some 5 hours of pointing the camera upwards the water had gotten into and all over the lens... creating the misty look on some of the shots, it was bound to happen considering the amount of rain really...


----------



## trashpony (May 7, 2006)

gaijingirl said:
			
		

> She's in the U75 craft club doncha know!



 

You lot are so hardcore


----------



## GarfieldLeChat (May 7, 2006)

trashpony said:
			
		

> You lot are so hardcore


wish they'd knit me a water proof camera cover !!

i quite like this one 






ello ello ello what's going on here then


----------



## jæd (May 7, 2006)

Did anyone notice that when the Elephant was walking through Piccadilly, some of the harem were topless...?


----------



## trashpony (May 7, 2006)

GarfieldLeChat said:
			
		

> wish they'd knit me a water proof camera cover !!
> 
> i quite like this one
> 
> ...





I think you could do with one for you too - you were bloody soaked yesterday!


----------



## GarfieldLeChat (May 7, 2006)

trashpony said:
			
		

> I think you could do with one for you too - you were bloody soaked yesterday!


buti had dry feet ... well that was right up until i walking into a large puddle after leaving you lot and soaked one shoe with the back splash after


----------



## Maggot (May 7, 2006)

Yesterday was great fun, the weather, and even the appearance of TP and Firky didn't dampen my spirits!

The girl was giving children rides on her arms in the morning - that was so cute!




			
				jæd said:
			
		

> Did anyone notice that when the Elephant was walking through Piccadilly, some of the harem were topless...?


I saw one of the women taking a shower on top of the elephant.   The story says she  showered under squid ink because she wanted to be black.


----------



## tendril (May 7, 2006)

abee said:
			
		

> Tendril - while the rest of you stop cringing / laughing, tell me more on how to do this, PM me if needs be.
> I'm happy to share being exposed to the elephant with you all.
> Go and see it!



easy peasy guide

step 1. download this free bit of software:

http://www.snapfiles.com/get/vphotoresize.html

install. use software to batch resize the photos [read the instructions in the application's help section]

step 2. zip up the images using a compression program.. say http://members.ozemail.com.au/~nulifetv/freezip/freezip.exe

and then pm me and I'll give you an email address to send it to. I'll take it from there.

Alternatively, use an online gallery such as http://photobucket.com/


----------



## Crispy (May 7, 2006)

tendril said:
			
		

> Alternatively, use an online gallery such as http://photobucket.com/



This would probably be easier


----------



## Mation (May 7, 2006)

Iemanja said:
			
		

> Bestest surreal wet day ever!!!!  Humongous wooden mechanical elephants are


Yes they are! That was fantastic. I thought I'd enjoy it but not stupid-grin-plastered-all-over-my-face-for-ages-afterwards much.


----------



## Stig (May 7, 2006)

Anyone up for this today? I wasn't up for going anywhere yesterday.  

I'm off up to Piccadilly in a minute, looks like they'll be there until 3:30 then down the park for a bit until 5:30.

Better weather for it today too


----------



## Tank Girl (May 7, 2006)

I think I've left it too late, I'm gonna miss the elephant


----------



## zenie (May 7, 2006)

Tank Girl said:
			
		

> I think I've left it too late, I'm gonna miss the elephant



Go now you must you must 

Went last night and it was simply magical


----------



## Stig (May 7, 2006)

Tank Girl said:
			
		

> I think I've left it too late, I'm gonna miss the elephant


You're not!! you've got till 5:30. I'm going now, do you want to meet up? Do you have my mobile number?


----------



## Tank Girl (May 7, 2006)

I'm visiting a friend this afternoon, and had thought I might have time to go after, but I think it'll have gone when i'm done.


----------



## Tank Girl (May 7, 2006)

ok, I'm gonna see if I can make it, I don't have your number stig, but will be texting PieEye when I get there 

if I get there 

cheers lovelies


----------



## Stig (May 7, 2006)

Arse, I don't have pieface's number. Is dub going? I've got his.


----------



## gaijingirl (May 7, 2006)

I'm going to be waiting at (probably outside with a cup of tea or a can of cider!) Inn the Park at 3pm for it to turn up from Picadilly.  I have a feeling that Picadilly will be a bit crowded for my liking, so I'm waiting to see its arrival and little turn around the park.

I'll be leaving here in about 1 hour on my bicycle to cycle up there.

I'll pm my mobile to anyone who might be interested in meeting up.


----------



## Stig (May 7, 2006)

Cheers for the number

See you there!


----------



## Ms Ordinary (May 7, 2006)

trashpony said:
			
		

> I didn't see the cars either. And the big hole in waterloo place doesn't have a smoking rockety thing in it anymore. Just looks like a council cock up now



We didn't find any stitched up cars either  .

But I quite the way they've been moving stuff around - keeps people talking about it cos their experiences don't match up.

We followed the little girl round in the morning - at one point she stopped walking, went back a few steps and round a corner, then very carefully sat down in the road and did a giant wee


----------



## zenie (May 7, 2006)

The cars are on Pall Mall, they are very cool


----------



## laptop (May 7, 2006)

zenie said:
			
		

> The cars are on Pall Mall, they are very cool



And I found a couple more round the corner on Regent Street (by the corner with Pall Mall).

But I forgot to look at letterboxes.


----------



## aurora green (May 7, 2006)

Wow! Just got back from the Mall where we saw first the girl riding her bike ,  then the elephant in full splendour complete with somone swinging on top on a swing. Absolutely awesome, joyful, and just brilliant.


----------



## hiccup (May 7, 2006)

Went yesterday. The elephant was amazing. So, so cool.


----------



## vipper (May 7, 2006)

Went and I have to say that is one of the  most beautiful man made things I have ever seen. A triumph of engineering.  

Gaigingirl, you were right, Picadilly was absolutely f'ing heaving - we all stood in the gate of a church that backs on to Jermyn St.

The little Vipper was on my shoulders and we both caught the full trunk load - she was not impressed.  

And my camera battery went after the first photo.


----------



## moon (May 7, 2006)

What a wonderful day out...the best thing to happen in London ever...the image below will stay with me for a long long time..

Right off the edit the video i shot..


----------



## trashpony (May 7, 2006)

moon said:
			
		

> What a wonderful day out...the best thing to happen in London ever...the image below will stay with me for a long long time..
> 
> Right off the edit the video i shot..



That's a fucking brilliant photo


----------



## zora (May 7, 2006)

Wasn't it the bestest bestest thing? It's the kind of event I tend to miss and only hear about it from my mum when she's read about it in the german papers...But luckily the Elephant went right past my work and then I got to chase him during my breaks... 

One woman said to me later she didn't find this elephant thing all that, certainly not 'worth closing the roads for all day'  Poor poor woman - to so completely be missing the point . 

Luckily she was the only one - everyone else seemed enchanted in every sense of the word. BIG BIG smiles all around.


----------



## marty21 (May 7, 2006)

moon said:
			
		

> What a wonderful day out...the best thing to happen in London ever...the image below will stay with me for a long long time..
> 
> Right off the edit the video i shot..



lovely picture

in a way i'm glad we went on friday evening, it wasn't too packed around pall mall then, but it looks more of a performance there, massive crowds


----------



## Biddlybee (May 7, 2006)

Tis a great photo moon - glad you made it up there


----------



## Stig (May 7, 2006)

That was brilliant! really really glad I went.

Photos

Only a few, as I wanted to watch, not take photos!

(they're in reverse order for some reason, the elephant started in piccadilly at the bottom, then the girl woke up in the park, met up with the elephant and then they got her into the rocket for blast-off at the top.)


----------



## Stig (May 7, 2006)

Much as I loved the elephant, I thought the girl was really amazing!:


----------



## Mation (May 7, 2006)

Stig said:
			
		

> (they're in reverse order for some reason, the elephant started in piccadilly at the bottom, then the girl woke up in the park, met up with the elephant and then they got her into the rocket for blast-off at the top.)


Ooh! What happened at blast off?


----------



## ddraig (May 7, 2006)

stig, your pics are amazing  
thanks
loads of stuff on the bbc site
http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/features/sultans_elephant/


----------



## Mation (May 7, 2006)

ddraig said:
			
		

> stig, your pics are amazing


Yes they are


----------



## Stig (May 7, 2006)

Mation said:
			
		

> Ooh! What happened at blast off?



The girl got into the rocket, the elephant nuzzled her a bit, then they put the lid on and set fire to it. After the big blast off (lots of dry ice and smoke, you couldn't see much) they took the lid back off and... da da daaaa.. she'd gone!


----------



## Tank Girl (May 7, 2006)

fantastic pics stig  look even better now they're out of your camera 

bugger to not getting a very good vantage spot, but it was amazing, I just wished I'd been more enthusiastic to go elephant chasing all weekend


----------



## gaijingirl (May 7, 2006)

That was just bloody incredible!

Vipper.. you should've said you were going - we'd have met you!

I nearly cried  at one point.. it was so so good!  I'm so glad I went!


----------



## gaijingirl (May 7, 2006)

Fab pictures Stig!!


----------



## laptop (May 7, 2006)

Stig said:
			
		

> The girl got into the rocket, the elephant nuzzled her a bit, then they put the lid on and set fire to it.



Just caught myself thinking "wasn't that dangerous for the girl  "


----------



## gaijingirl (May 7, 2006)

laptop said:
			
		

> Just caught myself thinking "wasn't that dangerous for the girl  "



Well when they took the lid off the rocket she had disappeared!!


----------



## Mation (May 7, 2006)

Stig said:
			
		

> The girl got into the rocket, the elephant nuzzled her a bit, then they put the lid on and set fire to it. After the big blast off (lots of dry ice and smoke, you couldn't see much) they took the lid back off and... da da daaaa.. she'd gone!


  

Wow! 

I wish I'd gone again


----------



## Treacle Toes (May 7, 2006)

Fantastic pics Stig.


----------



## mrsfran (May 7, 2006)

We went yesterday. Bloody brilliant! Never seen anything like it.


----------



## Dubversion (May 7, 2006)

we ended up in the pub and realised most of the other drinkers were French crew. We started clapping and cheering, they just stared at us 

absolutely beautiful event, plus a whole day of just running into tons and tons of friends from all over


----------



## guardian angel (May 7, 2006)

I spent a couple of hours today following the girl and the elephant.
Its this kind of thing that makes me happy that I live in London.
It was beautiful.


----------



## lostexpectation (May 8, 2006)

*video*



youtube rocks


----------



## aurora green (May 8, 2006)

Dubversion said:
			
		

> ...
> absolutely beautiful event, plus a whole day of just running into tons and tons of friends from all over



Yeah, this made the whole thing extra special.

Also, like  many others have said, it just made me so pleased that I lived in London. Spectacular.


----------



## zoltan (May 8, 2006)

Fantastic.

I wasnt on Psycadelics, but If I was, the procession down the mall with the Hawkwind/ ELP Tarkus - ish  ( ) background music would have blown me away properly....


----------



## Treacle Toes (May 8, 2006)

zoltan69 said:
			
		

> Fantastic.
> 
> I wasnt on Psycadelics, but If I was, the procession down the mall with the Hawkwind/ ELP Tarkus - ish  ( ) background music would have blown me away properly....



There were moments that I felt like I was tripping.........Amazing.


----------



## Belushi (May 8, 2006)

I saw it on Friday and like everyone else I was astonished by it, what a wonderful piece of street theatre, I wish I'd gone to see the finale now.


----------



## Louloubelle (May 8, 2006)

I went on Saturday.

Got there at 2.30pm, nothing happened until about 4.30.  

There were massive crowds of people, many quite agressive, and I had a spectacular view of hundreds of umbrellas.  

I managed to get to the front, just to take some photos of the stationary elephant, much to the annoyance of a group of French tourists who didn't want anyone to get in front of them. Anyway, got a few very average shots (it was pouring with rain and I didn't want to mash up my camera) and then left the French people to it.

I decided to find a good spot and to just wait. I got chatting to a few people and lots of them were upset as they had brought their kids and had been standing in the rain for 2 1/2 hours and the kids were bored and they were cold and nothing was happeneing. 

When the elephant did eventually start to move it was an incredible sight and I felt moved to see such a beautiful thing.  It was worth the wait.  The children, who had been complaining and making a fuss seemed to really enjoy it. 

I just picked the wrong time and day to go.  I would have liked to have seen some of the actual theatre.  What I saw was the elephant walking through the street with the little girl astride his trunk.  Still awe inspiring though.


----------



## dogmatique (May 8, 2006)

Check out this typically condescending curmudgeon from the Guardian.

http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/culturevulture/archives/2006/05/08/elephantine_inf.html#more


----------



## fudgefactorfive (May 8, 2006)

dogmatique said:
			
		

> Check out this typically condescending curmudgeon from the Guardian.
> 
> http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/culturevulture/archives/2006/05/08/elephantine_inf.html#more



What a miserable old sod.


----------



## zenie (May 8, 2006)

Has it gone away now?


----------



## Belushi (May 8, 2006)

dogmatique said:
			
		

> Check out this typically condescending curmudgeon from the Guardian.
> 
> http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/culturevulture/archives/2006/05/08/elephantine_inf.html#more



Aye, thousands of ordinary people loved it, so it must be shit


----------



## rennie (May 8, 2006)

I saw the elephant in full swing by St Jame's park on Friday. beuatiful! and great weather too! everyone was smiling... makes me appreciate living in London.


----------



## GarfieldLeChat (May 8, 2006)

zenie said:
			
		

> Has it gone away now?


yup


----------



## zenie (May 8, 2006)

GarfieldLeChat said:
			
		

> yup


Not even at Horseguards?

*wonders if they have taken it back to Battersea*


----------



## jæd (May 8, 2006)

Guardian said:
			
		

> Whatever happened to adult scepticism and rationality? For me The Sultan's Elephant is simply a spectacular irrelevance to the real business of theatre.



So theatre is rational and adult....?  Let me guess, this guy gets wound up by panto...


----------



## Firky (May 8, 2006)

Even more photos here:

http://www.oxygenkiosk.net/php-cgi/v/shite/elephant/

















(just uploaded about 20)


----------



## liberty (May 8, 2006)

Stig said:
			
		

> That was brilliant! really really glad I went.
> 
> Photos
> 
> ...



Brilliant pictures wish I could have seen it


----------



## girasol (May 8, 2006)

Been meaning to post this all day, flikr has a huge pool with some great photos

The Sultan's Elephant in London flickr Pool

my photos


----------



## crustychick (May 8, 2006)

That was amazing 

Never seen anything as cool ever!


----------



## Mation (May 8, 2006)

zenie said:
			
		

> Has it gone away now?


said little zenie from behind the sofa  

Top pics, Iemanja


----------



## girasol (May 8, 2006)

Mation said:
			
		

> said little zenie from behind the sofa
> 
> Top pics, Iemanja



thanks, I sent a pm yesterday to you all who were there on Saturday with the url for the photos, hope everyone got it, but just in case you didn't, I thought I'd post them again here... 

This must have been one of the most photographed events in London, a bit like the carnival in Notting Hill...


----------



## Dubversion (May 8, 2006)

crustychick said:
			
		

> That was amazing
> 
> Never seen anything as cool ever!




eek! saw you as well, didn't i? sorry i didn't chat - i was already the middle venn diagram bit of three different social gatherings and in danger of losing them all. 

bloody lovely, wasn't it?


----------



## Maggot (May 8, 2006)

gaijingirl said:
			
		

> I nearly cried  at one point.. it was so so good!  I'm so glad I went!


Same here, when the girl got into the rocket and waved farewell I found it incredibly moving.  

I went every day and was so glad that I did. Been trying to explain to people today how amazing it was, but words failed me.

One of the things which made it so great was the complete lack of corporate sponsorship. If this was the Nokia Sultan's Elephant it wouldn't have been so special - well done to the Arts Council and Artichoke!


I have now forgiven the French for all their past cultural crimes. The slate is clean!


----------



## Nina (May 8, 2006)

shit, I can't believe I missed it. I didn't go cos it was raining. What a rubbish excuse  

Anyone would think I was made of sugar


----------



## crustychick (May 8, 2006)

Dubversion said:
			
		

> eek! saw you as well, didn't i? sorry i didn't chat - i was already the middle venn diagram bit of three different social gatherings and in danger of losing them all.
> 
> bloody lovely, wasn't it?



yeah, no worries, i was in pretty much the same situation!!!


----------



## Stig (May 8, 2006)

Maggot said:
			
		

> Same here, when the girl got into the rocket and waved farewell I found it incredibly moving.


Wish you'd of said you was there!


----------



## Dan U (May 8, 2006)

got some pics on here -

http://indy.unmake.net/~ninefootsix/index.php/Sultans%20Elephant%2007.05.06/archives/

cant work out how to get em smaller on here.

what a great day and an amazing spectacle - to top it off i saw Rolf Harris in the crowd


----------



## girasol (May 8, 2006)

Nina said:
			
		

> shit, I can't believe I missed it. I didn't go cos it was raining. What a rubbish excuse
> 
> Anyone would think I was made of sugar



I don't think I've ever been so wet in all my life (well, I have but I was swimming)...

Next time, hey?


----------



## moon (May 8, 2006)

I've got some video here


----------



## girasol (May 8, 2006)

Dan U said:
			
		

> got some pics on here -
> 
> http://indy.unmake.net/~ninefootsix/index.php/Sultans%20Elephant%2007.05.06/archives/
> 
> ...



Nice pics, and you got the finale!

It did look a lot busier on Sunday!!!


----------



## Mation (May 8, 2006)

Dan U said:
			
		

> what a great day and an amazing spectacle - to top it off i saw Rolf Harris in the crowd


"Ca..."
"Yes. It's an elephant, Rolf."


----------



## moon (May 8, 2006)

I remember being more transfixed by this man than the elephant


----------



## laptop (May 8, 2006)

*Reposting one that went with the wobble...*




			
				dogmatique said:
			
		

> Check out this typically condescending curmudgeon from the Guardian.
> 
> http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/culturevulture/archives/2006/05/08/elephantine_inf.html#more



That' just an internal Guardian office row aired in public. A silly side-effect of their setting up blogs.

Lyn Gardner did an ecstatic rant about the elephant that appeared on the front page of the _Elephant Echo_ freebie - and another in the _Guardian_.

From the first:



> ...on the whole, in [the UK] theatre is funded to take place in purpose-build building in the dark and is far too well-mannered and nicely behaved to spill out into the streets



Michael Billington, by contrast, sees himelf as the, er, guardian of the tradition of the darkened room. Simple


----------



## laptop (May 8, 2006)

'Nother quote from Lyn Gardner:



> an artistic occupation of the streets, an invasion that brings the traffic to a standstill, disrupts the spectacle of everyday life, and puts culture right at the very heart of our capital city.



Not in fact a steal from http://rts.gn.apc.org but it means I'm not the only one who's noticed a certain diffuse cultural lineage... free tabloid, cars stitched to streets, moments like the _jannequin pis_ snuck in, even some semblance to this:



​


----------



## Firky (May 8, 2006)

Maggot said:
			
		

> Yesterday was great fun, the weather, and even the appearance of TP and Firky didn't dampen my spirits!



You never noticed foamy?


----------



## Firky (May 8, 2006)

moon said:
			
		

> I remember being more transfixed by this man than the elephant



I was more interested in people's reactions to it than the elephant! Kids standing open mouthed, rozzers twiddling thumbs, and the odd drunk homeless guy dancing.


----------



## aurora green (May 9, 2006)

laptop said:
			
		

> 'Nother quote from Lyn Gardner:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




I _thought_ I saw a free newspaper! Although I totally missed the cars...

I did come over all familiar when the elephant first appeared on the street, the huge swathes of crowd surging this way and that, sent tingles down my spine...the total transformation of the space...suddenly the streets were for people...

I think you're dead right Laptop. Too many references to be co-incidental, yet essentially situationist  in its' linaeage, just as with RTS.


----------



## William of Walworth (May 9, 2006)

I was really sorry to miss this!  But I was on a train back from Oxford at the time 

All the pics are excellent


----------



## han (May 9, 2006)

I loved the elephant - it was out of this world...the music was beautiful too wasn't it....loved it when the elephant met the little girl on the mall and then they walked together back to the rocket.

And when the elephant kissed her goodbye with his trunk I nearly cried!

The whole thing was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. The way everyone followed it around, and the beautiful bagpipe music, and the people controlling all the mecanicy bits, kind of medieval madmax.....and the elephant's wood carving was beautiful and its' leather ears....ahhh

Yep it's wonderful being able to take over the streets completely and have no traffic isn't it. We should do this kind of thing more often in London!


----------



## Buds and Spawn (May 9, 2006)

aurora green said:
			
		

> I _thought_ I saw a free newspaper! Although I totally missed the cars...
> 
> I did come over all familiar when the elephant first appeared on the street, the huge swathes of crowd surging this way and that, sent tingles down my spine...the total transformation of the space...suddenly the streets were for people...
> 
> I think you're dead right Laptop. Too many references to be co-incidental, yet essentially situationist  in its' linaeage, just as with RTS.


I had a chuckle about all this too - although felt a little miffed that RTS didn't get a mention in the Guardian article (I think there was a bit which went on about how things like this never happen etc..).

Well good proper good sound system too. 

And just think what we could do with a few of those elephants (harder to hide than a tripod though)...


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (May 9, 2006)

aurora green said:
			
		

> I _thought_ I saw a free newspaper! Although I totally missed the cars...





You did.  It was the Elephant Echo


----------



## girasol (May 9, 2006)

I missed the cars too...

But I've saved this thread for posterity!


----------



## Treacle Toes (May 9, 2006)

I think this thread should be archived....Who seconds that motion?


----------



## Orang Utan (May 9, 2006)

I wish i could share everyone's excitement - I think my excitement gland is hardened over and broken.
I saw a big elephant that looked cool, but five minutes of gawping at it was enough and I went home and forgot all about it til I saw this thread.
I wish I'd reacted in the way other people did, but as I said something in me must be broken


----------



## Pieface (May 9, 2006)

You have a cold, black heart, Orang Utan


----------



## Orang Utan (May 9, 2006)

PieEye said:
			
		

> You have a cold, black heart, Orang Utan


I did like it!
I just wasn't as overwhelmed about it as I should have been.
Funny that, I was overwhelmed with tears by watching Minnie Riperton's widower talking about her early death on the telly on Sunday, but I couldn't muster up much enthusiasm for a giant robot elephant roaming the streets of London.


----------



## Treacle Toes (May 9, 2006)

Orang Utan said:
			
		

> I wish i could share everyone's excitement - I think my excitement gland is hardened over and broken.
> I saw a big elephant that looked cool, but five minutes of gawping at it was enough and I went home and forgot all about it til I saw this thread.
> I wish I'd reacted in the way other people did, but as I said something in me must be broken



You need a visit from Peter PAN, YOU HAVE LOST YOUR SENSE OF WONDERMENT...


----------



## Treacle Toes (May 9, 2006)

Orang Utan said:
			
		

> I did like it!
> I just wasn't as overwhelmed about it as I should have been.
> Funny that, I was overwhelmed with tears by watching Minnie Riperton's widower talking about her early death on the telly on Sunday, but I couldn't muster up much enthusiasm for a giant robot elephant roaming the streets of London.


Loving youuuuuuuuuuu
Is easy cos your beautiful....


----------



## Treacle Toes (May 9, 2006)

Rutita1 said:
			
		

> I think this thread should be archived....Who seconds that motion?



Come on!


----------



## Dubversion (May 9, 2006)

Orang Utan said:
			
		

> I did like it!
> I just wasn't as overwhelmed about it as I should have been.
> Funny that, I was overwhelmed with tears by watching Minnie Riperton's widower talking about her early death on the telly on Sunday, but I couldn't muster up much enthusiasm for a giant robot elephant roaming the streets of London.




wasn't a robot, you numpty.


----------



## Orang Utan (May 9, 2006)

Dubversion said:
			
		

> wasn't a robot, you numpty.


Pedantist


----------



## Orang Utan (May 9, 2006)

Rutita1 said:
			
		

> Loving youuuuuuuuuuu
> Is easy cos your beautiful....


WAAAAAHHHH!!!


----------



## Treacle Toes (May 9, 2006)

Orang Utan said:
			
		

> WAAAAAHHHH!!!



And everyday of my life is filled with loving youuuuuuuuuuuuu


----------



## StuPC (May 9, 2006)

dogmatique said:
			
		

> Check out this typically condescending curmudgeon from the Guardian.
> 
> http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/culturevulture/archives/2006/05/08/elephantine_inf.html#more



"The Sultan's Elephant is simply a spectacular irrelevance to the real business of theatre."

Does anybody know what the "real business of theatre" actually is??


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (May 9, 2006)

Oh, there's my old office overlooking Downing Street


----------



## Treacle Toes (May 9, 2006)

*Wonders exactly how many urbanites have her on ignore and why*


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (May 9, 2006)

Rutita1 said:
			
		

> *Wonders exactly how many urbanites have her on ignore and why*




Good


----------



## Treacle Toes (May 9, 2006)

Minnie_the_Minx said:
			
		

> Good



Meowwwwwwwwwww!  
Care to elaborate?


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (May 9, 2006)

Rutita1 said:
			
		

> Meowwwwwwwwwww!
> Care to elaborate?




I'm not getting into fights with you for making comments about me.  I can't be arsed.  It's time for a coffee break with Her Majesty


----------



## Treacle Toes (May 9, 2006)

Minnie_the_Minx said:
			
		

> I'm not getting into fights with you for making comments about me.  I can't be arsed.  It's time for a coffee break with Her Majesty



Ummmmmmm fights? Comments about you?..... 

I was asking a innocent question based on your reply to my post 'Wonders how many people have me on ignore and why'.... Misunderstanding maybe,or were you just taking the piss when you posted 'Good'?....I thought that perhaps I was missing something and asked you to 'elaborate'.....was a chance you knew more than me.  

Defo wasn't looking for a fight and I think you'll find it's not really my style to go around the boards making 'comments' about people willy-nilly.


----------



## Crispy (May 9, 2006)

There's obviously some sort of elephant in the room


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (May 9, 2006)

Rutita1 said:
			
		

> Ummmmmmm fights? Comments about you?.....
> 
> I was asking a innocent question based on your reply to my post 'Wonders how many people have me on ignore and why'.... Misunderstanding maybe,or were you just taking the piss when you posted 'Good'?....I thought that perhaps I was missing something and asked you to 'elaborate'.....was a chance you knew more than me.
> 
> Defo wasn't looking for a fight and I think you'll find it's not really my style to go around the boards making 'comments' about people willy-nilly.




you wrote



> *Wonders exactly how many urbanites have *her *on ignore and why*



thought you were talking about me  

My apologies.  As you were


----------



## Treacle Toes (May 9, 2006)

Crispy said:
			
		

> There's obviously some sort of elephant in the room



Hopefully a white one cos I have absolutely no clue wtf is going on here....serves me right for asking an innocent question and leaving myself open to ridicule.

*thinks about how much she really cares*

not that much....


----------



## Treacle Toes (May 9, 2006)

Minnie_the_Minx said:
			
		

> you wrote
> 
> 
> 
> ...



glad we sorted that one out...was talking about myself.


----------



## Minnie_the_Minx (May 9, 2006)

Rutita1 said:
			
		

> glad we sorted that one out...was talking about myself.





Me too.  Was started to worry about bumping into you one dark night


----------



## Treacle Toes (May 9, 2006)

Minnie_the_Minx said:
			
		

> Me too.  Was started to worry about bumping into you one dark night



LOL  

*fills trunk with water and sprays Minnie the minx*


----------



## Wolfie (May 9, 2006)

for those of us that missed it ...


> After Nantes and Amiens, The history of the sultan of the Indies on his "elephant to travel in time" will be told in London at the beginning of May,* in Antwerten at the beginning of July, Calais at the end of September, Le Havre at the end of October.*


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## Dubversion (May 9, 2006)

hmm.. day trip to Calais seems tempting  (and it's not often i've had cause to say that )


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## Maggot (May 9, 2006)

riot sky said:
			
		

> You never noticed foamy?


 Yes, but I like her.


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## gaijingirl (May 9, 2006)

Dubversion said:
			
		

> hmm.. day trip to Calais seems tempting  (and it's not often i've had cause to say that )




ooh yes.. Urban Elephant trip (culture), a baguette or two with some fromaaaaage (cuisine) with combined buying of cheap booze (erm.....)....


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## moon (May 9, 2006)

Yay!


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## foamy (May 9, 2006)

Maggot said:
			
		

> Yes, but I like her.


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## marco mark (May 9, 2006)

Rutita1 said:
			
		

> I think this thread should be archived....Who seconds that motion?




Yep, this deffo a candidate for the archive, ohhh sometimes i miss living in London so much


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## Treacle Toes (May 9, 2006)

marco mark said:
			
		

> Yep, this deffo a candidate for the archive, ohhh sometimes i miss living in London so much



THANK YOU MARK.....AT LEAST ONE PERSON AGREES WITH ME!


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## marco mark (May 9, 2006)

maybe a PM to the Ed.


----------



## Maggot (May 9, 2006)

I think it should be archived because I have never seen a thread about something cultural without any criticism before (Orang utan's grouchiness doesn't count).


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## laptop (May 9, 2006)

Rutita1 said:
			
		

> THANK YOU MARK.....AT LEAST ONE PERSON AGREES WITH ME!



* Blinks *

Uh, yes. 

Definitely.

* Snores *


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## Treacle Toes (May 9, 2006)

laptop said:
			
		

> * Blinks *
> 
> Uh, yes.
> 
> ...


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## Mation (May 9, 2006)

gaijingirl said:
			
		

> ooh yes.. Urban Elephant trip (culture), a baguette or two with some fromaaaaage (cuisine) with combined buying of cheap booze (erm.....)....


oooooh!  

Dub - you've come up trumps!

It's too warm for a coat. I'll just leave.


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## dogmatique (May 9, 2006)

Another couple of hundred pics... 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cadigan/sets/72057594128435843/

Prepare for take-off!


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## gaijingirl (May 9, 2006)

Mation said:
			
		

> oooooh!
> 
> Dub - you've come up trumps!
> 
> It's too warm for a coat. I'll just leave.



 

coat? trumps? eh?  Don't get the pun..


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## beeboo (May 9, 2006)

Wolfie said:
			
		

> for those of us that missed it ...



Hurrah!  I'm sooooo disappointed I missed this (and for no good reason, went to the flippin supermarket instead   ).

I'll stop kicking myself now and start planning a trip across the channel!


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## sherriff rosco (May 9, 2006)

riot sky said:
			
		

> I was more interested in people's reactions to it than the elephant! Kids standing open mouthed, rozzers twiddling thumbs, and the odd drunk homeless guy dancing.



This is what it did to our kids......






My littl`un was in tears when I tried to explain that the little girl was gone back to her home. She was transfixed by her, just staring for ages open mouthed.. We told her she`d gone back to France ( well it`s nearly outer space acroos the Channel , it is another language!) and that we`d go see her later ...!

So all you lot of sceptics....it made a lot of peoples lives brighter for a few days...

.p.


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## Louloubelle (May 9, 2006)

Some great photos  

Lovely kids Rosco  

Unfortunately for me, what would have been the best pics I took of the elephant came out pink / purple as the elephant squirted water all over my camera and now my camera seems to be completely broken *cries*


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## dogmatique (May 9, 2006)

Beautiful pic roscoe.  So glad we borrowed a couple of kids for the day!

Mind you, I think I was more dumbstruck with childlike wonder than they were.


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## Mation (May 9, 2006)

gaijingirl said:
			
		

> coat? trumps? eh?  Don't get the pun..


Oh dear.. so weak it wasn't worth posting (though that never seems to stop me! ). A Nellie the elephant thing. It's all very confuddled here in my head you know...


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## William of Walworth (May 9, 2006)

*Having missed it this time ...*

I'd be up for a Calais trip in late September


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## moon (May 9, 2006)

that gives us enough time to develop our own u75 street theatre performance...we could perform it whilst the elephant was having one of its naps...


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## fudgefactorfive (May 9, 2006)

moon said:
			
		

> u75 street theatre


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## laptop (May 9, 2006)

moon said:
			
		

> u75 street theatre performance









E2A: Oh gawd, what have I done?


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## moon (May 10, 2006)

vampire_pirate said:
			
		

>



I thought we could all act out our user names and tag lines....it would be hillarious...although a bit disturbing too


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## rich! (May 10, 2006)

moon said:
			
		

> that gives us enough time to develop our own u75 street theatre performance...we could perform it whilst the elephant was having one of its naps...



build a lightweight large insect to chase it with, maybe?

or a mouse. mice always good around elephants...


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## moon (May 10, 2006)

yay a mouse..that would be fantastic...rich u make robots dont you?  

but going off on a tangent..i found some video of a cockroach controlling a robot here 

maybe we can have a flea controlled mouse or soemething


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## rich! (May 10, 2006)

moon said:
			
		

> yay a mouse..that would be fantastic...rich u make robots dont you?



yes, tho' this would be more  a giant puppet... hmm... (goes off and wonders who he can get a grant from)



> but going off on a tangent..i found some video of a cockroach controlling a robot here
> 
> maybe we can have a flea controlled mouse or soemething




I was going to suggest using conspiraloons to power it; their telepathic emissions should be sufficient to provide both power and control.

Mind you, it would then become Another Lizard...


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## Treacle Toes (May 10, 2006)

*elephant! *


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## Treacle Toes (May 11, 2006)

Archived Elephants...I insist!


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## Dan U (May 11, 2006)

Iemanja said:
			
		

> Nice pics, and you got the finale!
> 
> It did look a lot busier on Sunday!!!



cheers!

thanks go to the Papua New Guinea embassy for providing me with a big wall to watch the Elephants drink stop from!

did u spot Rolf Harris's head?


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## Dubversion (May 11, 2006)

Dan U said:
			
		

> did u spot Rolf Harris's head?



my mate grabbed his arse and blamed it on his g/f


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## Dan U (May 11, 2006)

Dubversion said:
			
		

> my mate grabbed his arse and blamed it on his g/f



respeck!


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## kyser_soze (May 11, 2006)

Where the fuck is Antwerten? It HAS to be better than Calais, which makes even Dover look like a lovely, inviting town *has school trip flashbacks to hypermarket related porn purchasing*


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## laptop (May 11, 2006)

kyser_soze said:
			
		

> Where the fuck is Antwerten?



I _assume_ it's in Typonia, the land of all possible misspelled places 

Antwerpen. 

Antwerp, for the English; in Belgium.

I spent a bizarre evening there listening to klezmer outside the (then?) Vlaams Blok (far right) controlled Town Hall...


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## kyser_soze (May 11, 2006)

laptop said:
			
		

> I _assume_ it's in Typonia, the land of all possible misspelled places
> 
> Antwerpen.
> 
> ...



Y'see that's what I thought, but since it was from a c'n'p I figured it was a proper place and all...

Antwerp would be FAR better to visit than Calais. Honest. Hell, if the Elephant got boring we could find some fascists to beat up or something...


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## laptop (May 11, 2006)

kyser_soze said:
			
		

> Y'see that's what I thought, but since it was from a c'n'p I figured it was a proper place and all...



But it's originally a c&p from a _French_ site 

Google knoweth not a place called "antwerten" - it appears to feature as a word in German dialect studies 
(cf Hochdeutsch _„antworten"_).

</trivia>


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## Maggot (May 14, 2006)

some more pics (as if there hasn't been enough!)

http://www.pbase.com/maggot/sultans_elephant_0506


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## ddraig (May 14, 2006)

Maggot said:
			
		

> some more pics (as if there hasn't been enough!)
> 
> http://www.pbase.com/maggot/sultans_elephant_0506



really really good pics maggot


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## Maggot (May 15, 2006)

Thanks ddraig!

there's a documentary about the Sultan's Elephant on BBC4 this thursday.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/listings/programme.shtml?day=thursday&filename=20060518/20060518_1910_4544_5985_50


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## citydreams (May 18, 2006)

bumped


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## William of Walworth (May 18, 2006)

Maggot said:
			
		

> Thanks ddraig!
> 
> there's a documentary about the Sultan's Elephant on BBC4 this thursday.
> 
> http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/listings/programme.shtml?day=thursday&filename=20060518/20060518_1910_4544_5985_50




Dammit! We're away this evening (off to Scotland tomorrow) so will miss this.

If anyone hears of the programme being repeated, please post information here ...


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## fudgefactorfive (May 18, 2006)

William of Walworth said:
			
		

> Dammit! We're away this evening (off to Scotland tomorrow) so will miss this.
> 
> If anyone hears of the programme being repeated, please post information here ...



I'll tape it for you if I remember ... BBC site also says BBC Four, Sat 20 May, 01:00-01:50.


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## Biddlybee (May 18, 2006)

I'm out tonight and Saturday... if anyone could tape it, and loan it I'd love them forever


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## Maggot (May 18, 2006)

BiddlyBee said:
			
		

> I'm out tonight and Saturday... if anyone could tape it, and loan it I'd love them forever


 Can't you use your timer?  

I'll try and record it (but only cos I want to be loved).


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## trashpony (May 18, 2006)

Trip to Antwerp is in order I reckon - it's a great city


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## Louloubelle (May 18, 2006)

Just to remind you all the documentary is on in a few minutes on BBC4


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## gaijingirl (May 18, 2006)

I'm crying again!  What's wrong with me?  It makes me feel all emotional!   I'm seriously thinking I'd like to go to Calais/Antwerp to see this again...


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## Sunspots (May 18, 2006)

Aww, that programme was the first footage I've seen of it all this.

Amazing.   

This cynical world needs more magical wonder.


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## marty21 (May 18, 2006)

really enjoyed that documentary, made me realise i should have gone back to see it more, we saw it in the friday night and then didn't go back again


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## Reno (May 18, 2006)

What a wasted opportunity this film was. About ten minutes of badly shot footage from a four day event in a 45 minutes film and most of it was taken up with the director telling us what to feel and think long before we have seen anything of the Elephant and the same 6 people telling us this was the most amazing thing they have ever seen over and over. Many people on here have posted photos which conveyed much more adequately who great this was.

I'd really love to see a good documentary on the creation of this.


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## marty21 (May 18, 2006)

trashpony said:
			
		

> Trip to Antwerp is in order I reckon - it's a great city



it is a great place, had a great little mini break there last year


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## girasol (May 18, 2006)

Documentary made me realise I should have gone on Sunday too...  Felt a little tearful towards the end!


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## Maggot (May 18, 2006)

Reno said:
			
		

> What a wasted opportunity this film was. About ten minutes of badly shot footage from a four day event in a 45 minutes film and most of it was taken up with the director telling us what to feel and think long before we have seen anything of the Elephant and the same 6 people telling us this was the most amazing thing they have ever seen over and over. Many people on here have posted photos which conveyed much more adequately who great this was.
> 
> I'd really love to see a good documentary on the creation of this.


It wasn't that bad!  I agree there should have been more Elephant and less vox pop, but I enjoyed it.


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## fudgefactorfive (May 18, 2006)

I quite liked the vox pop - but yeah, self-indulgent film-maker.

Comparisons with the 2012 Olympics and the death of Diana annoyed me. This was nothing like that. This was pure theatre, fantasy, abstraction, awe, creativity - not tied up with competitions or mourning.

The bit where they covered the speechmakers - I wasn't actually there then, arrived a couple of hours later, but a mate who was there said that both the MP and Ken stood up and did their blah blah blah London London London unite unite unite stuff, and after a while, the giant little girl stood up, yawned massively, and went to sleep right in the middle of the speeches. Class


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## gaijingirl (May 18, 2006)

fudgefactorfive said:
			
		

> both the MP and Ken stood up and did their blah blah blah London London London unite unite unite stuff, and after a while, the giant little girl stood up, yawned massively, and went to sleep right in the middle of the speeches. Class



  

Yes, I agree that it wasn't the best documentary ever - but it still made me want to see it all over again!


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## trashpony (May 18, 2006)

I think we should have an urban outing to Antwerpen - we can become international elephant chasers


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## gaijingirl (May 18, 2006)

trashpony said:
			
		

> I think we should have an urban outing to Antwerpen - we can become international elephant chasers



We could go by Eurostar!   According to this article: http://travel.guardian.co.uk/cities/story/0,,810305,00.html you can go from £85 return.

Although my summer is a bit crowded now.. I'd be even more tempted to do Le Havre:

"The Sultan’s Elephant can be seen in Antwerp (Belgium) from 6 – 9 July, and then in Calais at the end of September and Le Havre at the end of October. "

£38.00   
Route Depart Arrive/Duration 
Portsmouth to Le Havre Fri 27 Oct 06 23:00 07:30 7hr 30min 
Le Havre to Portsmouth Sun 29 Oct 06 17:00 21:30 5hr 30min


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## Biddlybee (May 19, 2006)

Maggot said:
			
		

> Can't you use your timer?


My video only plays, doesn't record. fiddled  with the leads, but in the last three years I haven't been able to figutre it out.,


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## sherriff rosco (May 19, 2006)

A couple of weeks on and my daughter is still asking 

" Why did the little girl have to go ?"...."When will she be coming back ?"

So looks like a day trip to Calais in late Sept will def` be on the cards , so one little girl can meet another again! I`ve told her that she`s going to land in France sometime soon but we`ll have to keep an eye on the news for her arrival.

I wonder if it`ll be in the press over here? Seeing as it has caused quite a stir in London and it made the national news briefly.

.p.


----------



## Maggot (May 19, 2006)

BiddlyBee said:
			
		

> My video only plays, doesn't record. fiddled  with the leads, but in the last three years I haven't been able to figutre it out.,


 I've recorded it.


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## dogmatique (May 19, 2006)

As a limited one time only offer, I'm willing to send a DVD of this flawed docu to the first three people who shout.


----------



## Maggot (May 19, 2006)

Are you trying to get Biddlybee's love?


----------



## foamy (May 19, 2006)

i'd be interested to see it (and then i could forward said DVD to someone else)

i got all my photos developed and they are  but never scan well so they are for my eyes only


----------



## dogmatique (May 19, 2006)

Maggot said:
			
		

> Are you trying to get Biddlybee's love?



Got all the love I can handle thanks  Just trying to spread a little happiness...


----------



## dogmatique (May 19, 2006)

foamy said:
			
		

> i'd be interested to see it (and then i could forward said DVD to someone else)
> 
> i got all my photos developed and they are  but never scan well so they are for my eyes only



One down...


----------



## Maggot (May 19, 2006)

foamy said:
			
		

> i got all my photos developed and they are  but never scan well so they are for my eyes only


 Why don't you get them on a disc when you get them developed?


----------



## foamy (May 19, 2006)

cos i'm too old skool i guess


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## Biddlybee (May 19, 2006)

*shouts*




edit: I can just borrow it after foamy


----------



## foamy (May 19, 2006)

sure thing, i'll pass it on to you next miss half dinner


----------



## Biddlybee (May 19, 2006)

I tried my hardest  
Will try harder next time miss


----------



## laptop (May 20, 2006)

Watched the docco a while ago. 

What a pile of sub-student shite.

I don't want to hear what your pals have to say, matey. I want *not* to hear them drawing morals for the olympics [<- malapropism of the month].

I wanted someone to find a cameraperson who can make beautiful pictures - not someone failing their training for London Tonight.

Hello? This is art. You know...? Obviously not.

Then I wanted them then to sit back, shut up, and edit - to let the art tell its own story.


----------



## Louloubelle (May 20, 2006)

The documentary was dismal

I think that the idea of filming people's reactions was completely valid, but why one earth feature mostly one woman (the filmmakers' girlfriend?) going on an on about how amazing it is? 

What a wasted opportunity.  I missed loads of the actual theatre because of the rain and I wanted to see what happened, not watch some daft bint running around going "it's amazing, it's really amazing!" over and over again.


----------



## Tank Girl (May 20, 2006)

I saw the documentary last night, and while it wasn't fantastic, I was just so happy to see the elephant and the girl - I was crying 

I've just ordered the music and am planning a trip to calais  milesy says we can only go for a day though, but I want to go for the whole thing!


----------



## ska invita (Aug 10, 2016)

BUMP! 
10 years ago now...was reminiscing about this...
still amazingly powerful///moving///magical just watching the video


----------



## marty21 (Aug 10, 2016)

ska invita said:


> BUMP!
> 10 years ago now...was reminiscing about this...
> still amazingly powerful///moving///magical just watching the video



10 years , I was young and care free then  it was an amazing sight


----------



## Treacle Toes (Aug 10, 2016)

I loved it. Royale De luxe are amazing.


----------



## Reno (Aug 10, 2016)

Is it ten years already ? 

One of the best days in London ever !


----------



## ska invita (Aug 10, 2016)

Reno said:


> Is it ten years already ?
> 
> One of the best days in London ever !


It really cast a spell over London... Seemed to effect everyone... Powerful Art.

Something about the starchild look of knowing wonder in the girls eyes, looking afresh on our bizarre city/lives...very moving. 

And then there's the elephant


----------



## Maggot (Aug 10, 2016)

Best street art ever.


----------



## Tankus (Aug 10, 2016)

police getting hosed down ......and they were laughing themselves ......lots of smiley people  ..got to be good


----------



## Treacle Toes (Aug 10, 2016)

ska invita said:


> And then there's the elephant



I liked the elephant most.


----------



## TikkiB (Aug 11, 2016)

It was such a wonderful thing, London became a gift to us all.  I loved every minute.


----------



## moon (Aug 11, 2016)

This is why art is so important in life, something the Tories have failed to understand and almost completely destroyed in favour of corporate sponsored bullshit.


----------



## Crispy (Aug 11, 2016)

One of the best things ever. Spectacular and awesome and transporting. So very glad I was there.

PS: Building things at Royal de Luxe is probably my dream job.


----------



## komodo (Aug 11, 2016)

Yes it was so brilliant and wonderful, still have a photo on my fridge. Thank you U75 - because if it wasn't for the enthusiasm of people on here at the time I might not have gone up to see it.


----------



## Mation (Aug 16, 2016)

It was brilliant, for sure. Really, really amazing. I have some very happy and some very sad memories and feelings linked to it, but I can't be sad about anything that happened on that day itself.


----------



## ddraig (Jan 3, 2017)

it's in a Steam Punk Wonderland! in France!


----------



## Maggot (Jan 4, 2017)

That's not the same elephant.

The Sultan's Elephant - Wikipedia


----------



## Artaxerxes (Jan 4, 2017)

ddraig said:


> it's in a Steam Punk Wonderland! in France!




The snake thing is fucking terrifying.


----------

