'Little Britain' brings Union Jack to Rhineland
Nestled along a hiking trail in the forests above the river Rhine sits "Little Britain." Englishman Gary Blackburn started his quirky exhibition after the Brexit vote to foster good relations between Germans and Brits.
English whimsy in German countryside
"Little Britain" started to take shape about two years ago. Tree surgeon Gary Blackburn, who settled years ago in the Rhineland south of Bonn, wanted to create a place where Germans and Brits could come together.
Local attraction
Those neighbors who may not have picked up on "Little Britain" before couldn't miss it once Blackburn put up statues of sheep and cows and a British telephone booth on the road at the foot of his property in Kretzhaus this spring.
A family affair
Luke and Kevin Blackburn work with their father in the tree surgery business and help keep up "Little Britain." It was his crazy idea, but they all back him in it, they say. This includes spending two hours a day watering all the flowers when Gary and his wife, Monika, aren't around.
Remembering the fallen
Blackburn bought a 1953 Centurion tank and installed it as a "monument to peace and freedom." The tank was modified so it couldn't function as a weapon. The wreath commemorates the Battle of the Somme, fought between the British and French against the Germans during World War I. One of Blackburn's grand uncles was among the more than 1.1 million people killed in the fighting.
Last stop
This is one of two double-decker buses at "Little Britain." It's meant to be a cozy place to sit, inside or out. The other bus is outfitted with a children's playroom up top. The buses were too high to travel on German roads, so the roofs had to be lowered to drive them to Blackburn's property.
Merlin and the Queen
Blackburn's statues range from the political to the literary to the legendary. Here, King Arthur's magician pal Merlin stares into his crystal ball outside of "Robin Hood's Hut," where inside a likeness of Queen Elizabeth sits on a throne flanked by corgis.
Mr. Bean's Mini intact
In one episode of the televison show "Mr. Bean," the character's black and green Mini is crushed by a tank like the one Blackburn acquired for "Little Britain." There are no plans for the scene to be restaged.
Flowers, trees and Britannia
Weary hikers who have climbed up the Kasbach Valley can take a break at "Little Britain." Seniors from the home down the road sometimes also come here for a spell.