Igor has been very busy because he had to pop over to Vancouver for the Olympics (the mayor of Vancouver rang last week and said something about how Igor's presence was of the utmost importance and desperately needed to boost morale at the Games, &tc., &tc. -- oh, the things Igor does for the good of the public), but he's returned to London, although he's been busy doing some traveling here, as well.

First, Igor went to Great Missenden, a little village (population: 10...000) some 30 km outside of London. Normally, such a place is below Igor's notice, but he was rather willing to get away from the hustle and bustle of London after having to sit through so much busyness in Vancouver (meeting with Olympians all day is far more tiring than one would suspect).

Anyway, Great Missenden (which is so small, and yet, still larger than nearby Little Missenden, population: 6,500) was quite quaint and Igor has determined that he shall annex it shortly.

In Great Missenden, Igor made a "friend." Please note how much more attractive Igor is than his "friend."

In the past, the late Roald Dahl lived in Great Missenden. Now, he's buried by the parish church, with the BFG's foot prints leading the way.

The BFG is so very large; Igor is not sure how he feels about that.

Aside from Igor's discomfort (note: Igor is not actually afraid of the BFG; he just believes such enormous height is unnatural and unnecessary), Igor enjoyed the weather greatly. In all, the trip to Great Missenden was a success.

Back in London, Igor went to the Imperial War Museum.

And then wandered around nighttime London as he got lost and tried to find his way back to the flat to soak in the local sights. It was perhaps a bit plebian of him, but one must blend with the locals from time to time to keep them satisfied.

Next, Igor went to Stongehenge, Stourhead Gardens, and Salisbury Cathedral so that he may pick up his next piece of real estate. The choice was easy.

Stonehenge was simply not large enough for Igor (and all his posse).

And there were sheep. And we all know how Igor feels about sheep.

Salisbury was too drafty and dim.

And Stourhead was just right.

Located in Wiltshire, it's a bit out of the way, but the manmade, well-manicured grounds are quite nice to look at, and the story of the gardens, which represent both a tamed Christian world and a more exotic pagan world, appeals to Igor.

Stourhead did have some ducks, but Igor finds that forgivable. In any case, he'll permit 24 hours for the ducks to evacuate elsewhere before he moves into Stourhead (as a summer home only, of course).

Plus, there are interesting temples and mysterious grottos and some rather appealing statues. In short, perfect for a turtle of such perfect taste as Igor.