Sir Denis Thatcher, Goa and the CHOGM meeting Sir Denis Thatcher died today. The Guardian quotes his view of Goa, at the 1983 Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting: "This place is just too high on the buggeration factor."
The Independent has a fuller version: When, in Goa, the electricity failed as he was trying to shave himself in a chalet, Denis emerged into the open, soap-suds still adorning his face, and surprised fellow Commonwealth leaders in adjoining chalets by bellowing out: "The buggeration factor is high and growing in this part of the world..." The version I head many years ago had him dressing for dinner and adjusting his bow tie when the lights went out. He proceeded to the balcony of his villa (in the Aguada Hermitage) and boomed out in his stentorian voice for all to hear, "This place is just too high on the buggeration factor." No doubt we shall soon hear other versions of the apocryphal story. I am more inclined to believe the bow tie story as it was in an account by his daughter but also because he would, more likely, be shaving in the morning when the effect of the power cut would not be that catastrophic. There are many other quotations attributed to him - here are two: In a village outside Delhi, the natives adorned him with a vast pink turban. As he walked away, this headgear wobbling perilously, like a huge jelly, he observed under his breath to those who could hear: "These blighters are trying to make me look like a bloody fool." On Canada: "What is Canada full of? Canada, dear boys, is full of f-all." Eddie Fernandes ########################################################################## # Send submissions for Goanet to [EMAIL PROTECTED] # # PLEASE remember to stay on-topic (related to Goa), and avoid top-posts # # More details on Goanet at http://joingoanet.shorturl.com/ # # Please keep your discussion/tone polite, to reflect respect to others # ##########################################################################
