The Republic of Heaven

I wonder if anyone has ever been to the Botanic Garden at midday on midsummers day. Just wondered if there were crowds there?

I for one will be there this year.

no...im not that much of a hdm addict to waste my parents petrol just to go to a seemingly ordinary bench and sit on it for an hour. (christ, some people are a bit sad)

if only...your post made me laugh so much.
What is sad is attacking other people's enjoyment for no apparent reason. Some people can make their own way in the world and do not have to rely on parents.
As to the

if only... wrote:seemingly ordinary bench

of course its value is purely symbolic, the HDM books were only seemingly ordinary bits of paper but it doesn't mean they don't have meaning for people.

I imagine midsummer at the Botanic Garden is a nice place to meet fellow enthusiasts ^^

Sweet story:

“Once, I saw something on one of the benches,” Pullman said. “It turned out to be a little wooden heart with ‘For Will and Lyra’ written on it. Isn’t that nice?”

different points of view, i guess. and if i were the owner of the car...nah, i wouldnt waste petrol. actually, i probably would...

unless i happened to live in oxford, in which case i'd probably visit on a regular basis. yet another reason i love google earth

ill change what i said previously from 'sad' to 'absolute and total obsession' which i know a lot about firsthand.

Oops - just seen the replies. I didn't actually say I was going - I asked if anyone had been and whether there were lots of people there!
I can't rule out going though, as I live near Oxford. I don't mind being associated with Lyra's incredibly adult and romantic idea, and I don't just mean sitting in that seat. I'm in my 50's, married with children BTW.

A good many sraffies have sat on the bench - I'm in Australia, so a little on the wrong side of the world, but when I do get to the UK that'll certainly be one place I'll visit.

I'd like to sit on the bench and read HDM until a girl sits down next to me, also pulls out HDM, and then we'll fall in love or something. It could happen!
[For the benefit of if only, the above is gently self-mocking humour, quite different to obsesssion.]

I read on it a couple of times when I was living in Oxford. You do get the odd tourist trying to figure out which bench it is, but it's pretty low key. It's a fun way to connect with strangers when you see that they want to have their photo taken on the bench and are hovering around trying to think of a way to politely ask you to move and you can tell them you've read it too.

I'd love to go there. I've never had the chance. It's definately something I plan to do in the future.

I've been there a couple of times, and no one else seemed remotely aware of the hdm connections. It does get scrawled on, however.

Anyone have any pictures of it?

If you Google on 'his dark materials Botanic Garden' you'll find quite a number of pics in the 'images' section.

i can get a rubbish picture off google earth. rubbish for the primary reason you cant actually see the damn thing.

ah well. they reckon they found atlantis on google earth now. honestly...

Have you guys ever seen the photograms page on the main site?

Wow, it looks so pretty there... I haven't seen it in Summer yet. I will make it my business to this summer.

But Autumn bench:

I'd like to go there. Just for fun and mabe read the books and watch people as they come past. mabe they'll sit by me and well have a nice chat about HDM make some friends.

Wll Surely Oxford is such a nice place to visit,and if sometimes i go visit it,my first destination will be Botanic Garden for sure

I will be there (once again) on week-end including May 2nd. Be sure I'll go and seat !
Third visit for me. They cut trees around the bench, it's not as hidden and romantic as it used to be, but, anyway, I will be glad to go there !