Sometimes literature is reached through music. This is what happened to me with the song 'Wuthering Heights' by Kate Bush. The song got me so hooked that I couldn't stop singing it... I sang it all the time! And one of the things that fascinated me was the lyrics.... I wanted to find out what was behind those words, so full of passion and tragedy, so I bought the novel. I liked it so much that I read it once in Spanish and nine times in English! As an avowed fan of Emily Bronte, I could love nothing more than to move within the walls of her house, to step into the rooms where 'Wuthering Heights' was written, to see what the writer saw when she looked out of the window between pages and to immerse myself in all the magic that brought her so much inspiration. So when Bruce Mee, fully aware of my weakness for Emily Bronte, told me we were going to the Bronte house, I was delighted!
The journey to Haworth from Stockport gradually draws you into the novel... you are driving along roads that get more and more narrow, taking sharper and sharper bends... and on the sides, horses and sheep grazing in a landscape that can't leave anyone indifferent.
Haworth is a very small village with steeply sloping streets surrounded by little artisan shops where you can buy books, chocolate, vinyls and all sorts of goodies; the chocolate is really good, by the way. To complete the bucolic aspect of this small village, there are chickens running around as normal...I love them!
The cemetery next to the church is the most magical place in the world...one of those romantic cemeteries, full of lush vegetation and birds singing. It inspires peace. It is between the church and the garden of the Bronte family... as if the dead and the living shared the same space in complete harmony.
After an extraordinary lunch in Haworth we went to Stockport (very close to Manchester) so that I could finally sign the vinyls and posters that are there... and as I like to do things conscientiously and calmly, I spent the rest of the afternoon signing. I like to know that the records are for very special people who value things that have been done with care, love and dedication, and I can assure you that all the people involved in this record do things exactly like that. That's why every signature is important to me.
And then we had a great dinner and met Mandy, Bruce Mee's extraordinary and beautiful friend. An unforgettable evening and a lot of fun! If you are ever in Stockport I highly recommend the hotel I stayed at, the 'Miller & Carter Heaton Chapel'...simply perfect. Also the restaurant is unbeatable and everyone who works there is absolutely lovely and very professional.
I also took the opportunity to get to know Stockport a little bit, of course. A picture is worth a thousand words, so here are some pics. A charming city with a huge market of artisans
and bakers where you can find candles, cakes, silver jewellery, stones with magical powers, fruits, natural perfumes of wonderful essences and much more... a lot of fun! I've also been very lucky with the weather.... full sun and warmth! The temperature was infinitely better than during my first trip to Manchester...fortunately! Better in spring than in winter...nothing unusual.
On Saturday afternoon I spent a very pleasant time chatting with Khalil Turk (Escape Music) about music and much more in front of two huge cups of exotic and delicious tea. I usually order the same as him because we have very similar tastes... and I always get it right. Conversations with Khalil are always a pleasure because he has a lot to tell and he knows how to tell it well.
It has been a wonderful journey. I can't wait to come back.
