Steve n Jen's UK adventures

UK and European adventures. Read on my pretties, and discover what two stray Aussies can get up to on their travels.......

28 June 2009

Jun 2009 b

Mon 15 Jun 2009
The weather in London has been truly glorious of late! This is a big deal, because mostly, there's been nothing but grey skies and drizzle for months and months on end! Winter seems to last about 10 months of the year here.

We've commissioned our friend Dan to create some tokens for friends in Australia.... and what a lovely job he's done of it too!


Tue 16 Jun 2009
As it turns out, there was some confusion over the timing for Steve to be visiting and helping Kiriel with cooking for her friends' wedding feast. It's in July not June, and since Steve is already booked to cook for someone else during the weekend in question, it's just not possible after all. *Sigh*

Wed 17 Jun 2009
Jen has been doing some last minute embroidery to complete her experimental "viking" style dress in time for the weekend.

Thu 18 Jun 2009
Jen has finished the dress, and gives it a test run:


Fri 19 Jun 2009
Jen gets dropped off at the local tube station, kisses Steve bye, meets with Jenny (Edith) at Heathrow, and we fly off to Stockholm in Sweden. We're then picked up at the airport and taken north to site - a Viking style re-enactor site / open air museum.
Here's the first "sign" on-site


Above: the site entrance.
Below: the main feast hall.

In the evening, the laurelling of Helwig was a touching and well planned ceremony.


Sat 20 Jun 2009
Hurrah, here's Kiriel and she's wearing butterfly brooches, as one would expect!

Today, somehow Jenny (Edith) ended up a candle-bearer and almost at the front of the royal procession! Jen helped carry Judith's robe with Fiona, and robed Judith as part of the crowning ceremony. (thanks to Erik for posting these 2 lovely photos)



Above: the royal couple plus herald (Thomas Flamanc)
Below: a shot of the markets


In the evening at Feast, we encountered some strange Swedish customs for celebrating Midsummer, such as drinking, drinking and more drinking of what they called "warm", and loudly challenging the neighbouring tables of fellow partiers to some kind of boisterous sing-off.

Above: Elffin playing up at feast.
Below: Jen playing along.


More Coronation photos: tinyurl.com/lbzpvg

Above: Carefree ladies (newly single) Edith and Jahanara.
Later in the evening, after dessert was but a memory, the aforementioned carefree ladies headed to the sauna, and Jen had to see this to believe it. Let's just say the sauna was boisterous with singing and drinking, and the lake was frickin cold!


Sun 21 Jun 2009
Journey back home and unpack. Steve very happy to have his Jen home again.
With no Jen to hassle him all weekend, Steve played computer games until his eyes bled or passed out on the keyboard. ;-)


Mon 22 Jun 2009
The new camera has arrived - hurrah! It looks like this but in silver.

..and the first photo taken... has come out quite yellow actually!


Wed 24 Jun 2009
Just spent an absolute fortune on flights for a USA summer holiday (visiting Slippery Rock and Washington).

Thu 25 Jun 2009


The roses have been going berserk! Here's a posy put together and there's still as many blooms left on the plant.

Fri 26 Jun 2009
Tonight we had Berengar stay (traveller from Sydney). Soph cooked a very tasty dinner of roast chicken, potatoes and salad. Pictured below is dessert of vanilla ice-cream, hot chocolate sauce and fresh strawberries. Nice one Soph!


Sat 27 Jun 2009
Today was really balmy. Jen spent half the day finishing off the brick stabilising in the loft. Steve went to work today (poor bugger) and came home quite tired. So we didn't end up going to Julia's birthday party after all. Tonight's just like a tropical thunderstorm, but here in London?

Tomorrow we're doing a walking tour in London city. More on this next blog entry, so stay tuned....

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