Alot has changed in the few weeks i was gone. The big one is my boss is gone. He had been here from the start of this mission and was planning to finish here had left. Resign out of the blue, turns out there was a bit of a scandal here and details are but rumours. Any one who reads my blog will know that there is no truth here just rumours. Its change the dynamics of the office a bit.
I was told when i left that soon after my return they have a new contract ready for me. Turns out that’s not true the military has not given the project a confirmed end date and with the election that may not happen any time soon. It means to me is I have no idea when I will see home again.
When I first got back there is only one other fencer and he is leaving in two weeks so the fencing looks to end with him. There seems to have been a reprieve from this fate, there is a bunch of new US units rotating in and so we picked up two SCA people one of which is a barron from Midrealm, and a small army of people just interested to try out the fencing. It means now i have to switch gears to teaching mode. I always feel a bit fake at this as i have very little experience and no authorizations in fencing, but its like all things here you do the best with what we have.
Any way I'm a little melancholy with not knowing what my summer is going to be like or were but not much can be done at this point other then put my focus on the work and get it done. I'll have lots to do as i have enough linen to make two more shirts and more on the way. My current pet project of using a slave computer back at my apartment seems to be working we will see how that turns out in the long run. I will keep myself busy.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
London Log Day 2 (April 3rd)
Day Two was spent just at Hampton court. This time i had all day and so i started by walking the gardens. The Gardens are all now Georgian design with its own little maze... I got lucky and found my way threw it on my first try. The thought came to me if i ever get my own house with a lawn that i will have to make up a maze...
The Palace is a classic of early 16th century brick contraction with Gothic decorative elements. Turns out that they had a showing of paintings from Henry VIII period including the field of cloth of gold. As imagine I took a lot of photos. Its hard to take photo of these pictures as the paintings have four hundred year old layer of glossy varnish. It drove the automatic optics in my camera nuts trying to make sense of the lighting. I Got to take a close look at the camps kitchens and it looks that they had purpose built tents with a buffet style serving as there is little sign of chairs around the serving tables.
Again i spent most of the day in the kitchen picking the brains of the reactors a number of which are professional historians and archaeologist. I got to sit and chat and was informed the table in front of me was put in the early 17th century. It mad how close the history is.
Once the tourists had gone i was invited to the the back office and parts of the castle not normally open to the public. They showed how the castle had been expanded and that there was a window in there office that had bin closed off since Elizabeth the first time. It how makes a lovely Gothic style book shelf. Even offered to help out then next time I'm there if i can get the right garb.
The castle had been expanded threw the seventeenth and early Georgian periods but what makes it different is that very little was removed in the process. The courts stands on a very large peace of real estate so they just added another peace. I was shown that one of the long buildings that now houses the offices and gift stores is the oldest garrison barracks in England but nothing is mentioned in the number of pamphlets given out. Turns out there is a number of examples of this threw out the castle.
Oh before i forgot when i got there the main court yards were full of BBC props. They were using them for the background for some upcoming fantasy TV show. It was interesting to walk around the made up castle market and giggle at some the incorrect items but all so how they have mastered the ten foot rule. The Market looks great when you first step in but once you are walking among the fake stalls and well placed peaces of fake wood it becomes very plastic like a flock of pink plastic flamingos. The only thing that seems to save it is the 30 feet of real castle looming over you on all four sides.
Oh on a side notes on every castle movie and tv show they put two great long banners on each side of the main gate of the caste. They are hide the assortment of modern signs and modern hardware that enviable gets mounted on ether side of the gate for modern security. A place name plaque, the little this way to the washrooms or that way to the gift shops. All washed away with to long stretches of broad cloth and some paint.
A couple of the reactors played name that prop. Ohh that’s from the new Merlin show or from robin hood or harry potter. It scary how well they could spot the origin of the different objects. I gather from a few comments that they been approached a few times about helping out as with the popularity of HD the old 10 foot rule is not working as well.
Hampton court is stands as my favourite castle from the week and will stand for a while, its not the fanciest or biggest but you can tell its the most lived in. It feels more alive then any of the other castles.
The Palace is a classic of early 16th century brick contraction with Gothic decorative elements. Turns out that they had a showing of paintings from Henry VIII period including the field of cloth of gold. As imagine I took a lot of photos. Its hard to take photo of these pictures as the paintings have four hundred year old layer of glossy varnish. It drove the automatic optics in my camera nuts trying to make sense of the lighting. I Got to take a close look at the camps kitchens and it looks that they had purpose built tents with a buffet style serving as there is little sign of chairs around the serving tables.
Again i spent most of the day in the kitchen picking the brains of the reactors a number of which are professional historians and archaeologist. I got to sit and chat and was informed the table in front of me was put in the early 17th century. It mad how close the history is.
Once the tourists had gone i was invited to the the back office and parts of the castle not normally open to the public. They showed how the castle had been expanded and that there was a window in there office that had bin closed off since Elizabeth the first time. It how makes a lovely Gothic style book shelf. Even offered to help out then next time I'm there if i can get the right garb.
The castle had been expanded threw the seventeenth and early Georgian periods but what makes it different is that very little was removed in the process. The courts stands on a very large peace of real estate so they just added another peace. I was shown that one of the long buildings that now houses the offices and gift stores is the oldest garrison barracks in England but nothing is mentioned in the number of pamphlets given out. Turns out there is a number of examples of this threw out the castle.
Oh before i forgot when i got there the main court yards were full of BBC props. They were using them for the background for some upcoming fantasy TV show. It was interesting to walk around the made up castle market and giggle at some the incorrect items but all so how they have mastered the ten foot rule. The Market looks great when you first step in but once you are walking among the fake stalls and well placed peaces of fake wood it becomes very plastic like a flock of pink plastic flamingos. The only thing that seems to save it is the 30 feet of real castle looming over you on all four sides.
Oh on a side notes on every castle movie and tv show they put two great long banners on each side of the main gate of the caste. They are hide the assortment of modern signs and modern hardware that enviable gets mounted on ether side of the gate for modern security. A place name plaque, the little this way to the washrooms or that way to the gift shops. All washed away with to long stretches of broad cloth and some paint.
A couple of the reactors played name that prop. Ohh that’s from the new Merlin show or from robin hood or harry potter. It scary how well they could spot the origin of the different objects. I gather from a few comments that they been approached a few times about helping out as with the popularity of HD the old 10 foot rule is not working as well.
Hampton court is stands as my favourite castle from the week and will stand for a while, its not the fanciest or biggest but you can tell its the most lived in. It feels more alive then any of the other castles.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
London Day 1
OK I have been back in KAF for a week and not posted a thing... I have my exscuses that could make a very long post onto them selves as a few supprises were waiting for me when i got here, but then i miss talking about England... I am still mentally digesting my time there, as it was a blur of some of my most favourite things, Castles, Cathedrals, and Museums. My brain was left in a happy state of mush. Some part of me still has ideas of leaving in England other then I have little way to make a living.
Day One in England
Arrived at Heathrow about half past six in the morning, after fun with security cached the subway to Chelsea to see if there was any chance i could check in early, it was eight when i walked in. After my last hotel in London being tiny I was worried on what I would get. This hotel was under a bit of renovations so that was not a good sign. My room was not ready so it will have to wait till later.
Dropped my luggage and went walked to Westminster, One thing i have to say about my hotel it was well located. Once in Westminster after i had finished staring at the clock tower and heard Big Ben chime I found the river cruse and was enjoying the trip up the river ... I watch the assortment of architecture that have sprung up along the Thames, the centuries of architects attempts to get as many river facing flats out of a given peace of real estate. I eventually had to catch a bit of sleep as i was fighting off 5 hours of jet lag and quite a bit of motion sickness residue from the flight. The trip took most of the day and i made it to Hampton Court around three in the afternoon.
Hampton court was all i had hoped and more. I had made it a point to come down when they were doing a cooking demo. The reanactors spotted my hat right off. I was able to chat it up a bit and compare notes. They were impress i could quote a few of the cook books they were using. It was the end of the day and headed back to my hotel by train. I would be back tomorrow, I'll save people from a rant how I love English rail systems.
My Hotel room was much larger then the last and i had not to worry. The double bead still took up most of the main room but there was a small table and shelves. The kitchen was no more then 4 foot square bit it had a little fridge, sink and a double hot plate. It also had a little apartment size washer/dryer unit. It felt pleasant and this time in London I’m not getting the claustrophobic feeling I that plagued me last time I was here.
More London to follow
Day One in England
Arrived at Heathrow about half past six in the morning, after fun with security cached the subway to Chelsea to see if there was any chance i could check in early, it was eight when i walked in. After my last hotel in London being tiny I was worried on what I would get. This hotel was under a bit of renovations so that was not a good sign. My room was not ready so it will have to wait till later.
Dropped my luggage and went walked to Westminster, One thing i have to say about my hotel it was well located. Once in Westminster after i had finished staring at the clock tower and heard Big Ben chime I found the river cruse and was enjoying the trip up the river ... I watch the assortment of architecture that have sprung up along the Thames, the centuries of architects attempts to get as many river facing flats out of a given peace of real estate. I eventually had to catch a bit of sleep as i was fighting off 5 hours of jet lag and quite a bit of motion sickness residue from the flight. The trip took most of the day and i made it to Hampton Court around three in the afternoon.
Hampton court was all i had hoped and more. I had made it a point to come down when they were doing a cooking demo. The reanactors spotted my hat right off. I was able to chat it up a bit and compare notes. They were impress i could quote a few of the cook books they were using. It was the end of the day and headed back to my hotel by train. I would be back tomorrow, I'll save people from a rant how I love English rail systems.
My Hotel room was much larger then the last and i had not to worry. The double bead still took up most of the main room but there was a small table and shelves. The kitchen was no more then 4 foot square bit it had a little fridge, sink and a double hot plate. It also had a little apartment size washer/dryer unit. It felt pleasant and this time in London I’m not getting the claustrophobic feeling I that plagued me last time I was here.
More London to follow
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