Subject: Subject: Subject: Subject: Subject: Subject: Subject: Subject: Subject: Subject: Where was I? Date: Sun, 10 Jul 2005 00:54:54 GMT uk 20/07/2005 When this airport opened in 1938, it was little more than a field. Soon, it established a reputation for aircraft construction and design — particularly by a manufacturer that first set up in business in 1932. (Models included the Vega Gull.) Now things have changed a tad; let’s just say it’s a mite busier. Putting on my straw hat — most appropriate — I leave the hustle and bustle behind and make my way to the station for the short journey south-southeast. A 12-minute train ride later, I alight in the heart of a city whose notable luminaries include the country’s only pope (born locally) and a dramatist, whose works include The Bird in a Cage (he taught at a school there). However, its most famous citizen is a saint (feast day June 22), who was executed here. The cathedral stands on the traditional site of his martyrdom, prior to which it was a Roman shrine, a Saxon church and then an abbey. In 1877, the abbey assumed cathedral status — becoming one of the highest-sited in the country. It draws me like a magnet — the walk from the station passing the spot where once stood one of 12 countrywide memorials to a 13th-century queen. As I wander around the cathedral, I occasionally pause to contemplate the city’s history. How easy it is, in this seductive serenity, to overlook its violent past. First, a great warrior (married to Prasutagus) pillaged the city; much later, a king (son of Catherine) was defeated in battle. His queen subsequently tasted victory barely a mile northeast. A little later, I re-emerge into a furnace of an afternoon. It would be criminal to visit this place without checking out its Roman history, so I purchase an ice lolly and set off in search of Britain’s only municipium. As such, it had all the facilities of a thriving city: basilica, temple, theatre, forum . . . However, as I cross the river in search of my quarry, I become increasingly aware that my lolly is in an imminent state of collapse. As it is about to part company with the stick, I instinctively whip off my hat and smartly catch the pieces. “Well caught!” laughs a passing lady. It’s true: a funny thing happened on the way to the forum. The questions 1 What is the name of the airport? 2 Who was the great warrior? Suggested answers: 1) Luton 2) Boudica Steve Watson