Elf fantasy fair 2009
Saturday 25th april
Finally it was the elf weekend. Especially saturday started with glorious sunshine. I was going by public transport with the train letting me down a little by being late so it was already 9.50 when I came to Breukelen station to get the shuttlebus. Huge crowds there, in luck to get sitting room in one of the 3 busses, but it took forever for them to leave. Coming to the castle gate was another shock, the queu even for people with tickets started on the public road and it was another half hour before I was through the gates and only at eleven was I on the grounds! Glad I will be going by car the second day. First stop were booksignings. Robyn
Young who writes about the templars and Adam Greenwood, who writes about Robin Hood and faeries. Him I had already 'met' on facebook and he is a really, really nice guy. Also Raven Dane, who writes novels about vampires. I decided against buying her book already as they are really heavy Trade paperbacks, but we chatted and she is great as well. Her vampire novels are very different, not romantic but much darker but a very good read. I had some time to look around met some good friends briefly and then it was time for the first lecture from Raven. Unfortunately they had sceduled her opposite James Marsters, who plays Spike in Buffy. That is really good planning.... not. There were only about 6 people there and the talk was very interresting abo
ut what draws us to bad boys in literature and movies. Aftewards a little more time to look around. The terrain is huge and just a little strole around can take over an hour there were more then 10.000 people there and still evey bit of the field was crowded, really amazing. I ran into my friend Marjon and together we went to the chapel to have good seats for Prof. Rotherham's lecture. He is the highlight of the fair and by now a good friend. I have been following his lectures since the first fair in 2001 only missing one fair in 2006 due to holiday. I had not been to the morning lecture and I must admit it feels good
to be greeted by him and hugged in a full chapel. :) Afterwards he took Marjon and me for a cup of tea. That is turning into a tradition as well and one that I greatly cherish. a little more time to look around and then the open house with Roly at 16.45. We could ask him questions. I could see he was pretty tired so did not ask any questions myself but it was great fun. Went back to buy a Raven Dane book and had her last copy!! She sold out after just one day. Around six I headed back home, a journey a bit smoother only missing my train and having to wait half an hour in Breukelen. Had some food at home, shower and then to bed to prepare for the next day.
Sunday 26th april
This morning the journey was a little easier, Derk picked me up around 9. The only worry was that it was not exactly dry. But at the fair we decided to get into costume afterall. We could always get back and change into civvies. Started with a little walk around and then Roly's morning lecture. Some more friends we
re there this morning but I did not see too much of them unfortunately. We left before Roly was finished but had told him beforehand as we really wanted to hear James Marsters talk. He had always been my favorite in Buffy. Spike is such a great character and I like his other work, especially in torchwood. Walked to the stage he passed just in front of me. Nice looking guy, but small!!!! I really liked the Q&A as he was very nice to his fan and giving a good anwser to every questio
n. When we came outside again the rain had stopped. Yeah! All the way across the grounds to the field of honor for the best costume parade. There really were some great ones there! This was the winning costume very deserved. At the end I again had to run as I wanted to see Adam Greenwood's lecture at 14.25. Bloody hell it was busy now, took me almost half an hour to get back and I just only made it. His lecture was a little bit on Robin Hood but mostly on fairies, very interresting. More and more people are returning to the old ways and are more in tune with nature. I like and respect that but not sure if I am that way. Never have seen fairies so my guess is, no. Afterwards I could not battle temptation any longer and had to get a James Marsters signed autograph. I was lucky there was hardly anybody there at that moment, must have been the end of a signing session. That meant that he had time to chat. He noticed my civil war costume and it turned out that he was interrested in civil war history. James told me that he had named his son Sullivan, after Sullivan Ballou one of the first Union officers to die in the
war. he left behind a moving letter to his wife. And we talked a little about the continueing influence of the war in American society. So a smart guy as well! Afterwards I ran into Derk again and we did another tour of the field. I bought a waterbottle without any plastic on it! Good for on the field with reenactments. Last stop was the open house with Roly again. It was not very crowded and the feel there was very good. Asked a question what his views are on Richard III and I should have known that he would agree with me. Outside we said goodbye to him. I will be very glad to see him next time, he is facing an operation later this week and I am so keeping my fingers crossed and lighting a candle. Home again, it was a very great weekend with lots of fun. Such a pitty it is over already again.
Finally it was the elf weekend. Especially saturday started with glorious sunshine. I was going by public transport with the train letting me down a little by being late so it was already 9.50 when I came to Breukelen station to get the shuttlebus. Huge crowds there, in luck to get sitting room in one of the 3 busses, but it took forever for them to leave. Coming to the castle gate was another shock, the queu even for people with tickets started on the public road and it was another half hour before I was through the gates and only at eleven was I on the grounds! Glad I will be going by car the second day. First stop were booksignings. Robyn
Young who writes about the templars and Adam Greenwood, who writes about Robin Hood and faeries. Him I had already 'met' on facebook and he is a really, really nice guy. Also Raven Dane, who writes novels about vampires. I decided against buying her book already as they are really heavy Trade paperbacks, but we chatted and she is great as well. Her vampire novels are very different, not romantic but much darker but a very good read. I had some time to look around met some good friends briefly and then it was time for the first lecture from Raven. Unfortunately they had sceduled her opposite James Marsters, who plays Spike in Buffy. That is really good planning.... not. There were only about 6 people there and the talk was very interresting about what draws us to bad boys in literature and movies. Aftewards a little more time to look around. The terrain is huge and just a little strole around can take over an hour there were more then 10.000 people there and still evey bit of the field was crowded, really amazing. I ran into my friend Marjon and together we went to the chapel to have good seats for Prof. Rotherham's lecture. He is the highlight of the fair and by now a good friend. I have been following his lectures since the first fair in 2001 only missing one fair in 2006 due to holiday. I had not been to the morning lecture and I must admit it feels good to be greeted by him and hugged in a full chapel. :) Afterwards he took Marjon and me for a cup of tea. That is turning into a tradition as well and one that I greatly cherish. a little more time to look around and then the open house with Roly at 16.45. We could ask him questions. I could see he was pretty tired so did not ask any questions myself but it was great fun. Went back to buy a Raven Dane book and had her last copy!! She sold out after just one day. Around six I headed back home, a journey a bit smoother only missing my train and having to wait half an hour in Breukelen. Had some food at home, shower and then to bed to prepare for the next day.Sunday 26th april
This morning the journey was a little easier, Derk picked me up around 9. The only worry was that it was not exactly dry. But at the fair we decided to get into costume afterall. We could always get back and change into civvies. Started with a little walk around and then Roly's morning lecture. Some more friends we
re there this morning but I did not see too much of them unfortunately. We left before Roly was finished but had told him beforehand as we really wanted to hear James Marsters talk. He had always been my favorite in Buffy. Spike is such a great character and I like his other work, especially in torchwood. Walked to the stage he passed just in front of me. Nice looking guy, but small!!!! I really liked the Q&A as he was very nice to his fan and giving a good anwser to every question. When we came outside again the rain had stopped. Yeah! All the way across the grounds to the field of honor for the best costume parade. There really were some great ones there! This was the winning costume very deserved. At the end I again had to run as I wanted to see Adam Greenwood's lecture at 14.25. Bloody hell it was busy now, took me almost half an hour to get back and I just only made it. His lecture was a little bit on Robin Hood but mostly on fairies, very interresting. More and more people are returning to the old ways and are more in tune with nature. I like and respect that but not sure if I am that way. Never have seen fairies so my guess is, no. Afterwards I could not battle temptation any longer and had to get a James Marsters signed autograph. I was lucky there was hardly anybody there at that moment, must have been the end of a signing session. That meant that he had time to chat. He noticed my civil war costume and it turned out that he was interrested in civil war history. James told me that he had named his son Sullivan, after Sullivan Ballou one of the first Union officers to die in the war. he left behind a moving letter to his wife. And we talked a little about the continueing influence of the war in American society. So a smart guy as well! Afterwards I ran into Derk again and we did another tour of the field. I bought a waterbottle without any plastic on it! Good for on the field with reenactments. Last stop was the open house with Roly again. It was not very crowded and the feel there was very good. Asked a question what his views are on Richard III and I should have known that he would agree with me. Outside we said goodbye to him. I will be very glad to see him next time, he is facing an operation later this week and I am so keeping my fingers crossed and lighting a candle. Home again, it was a very great weekend with lots of fun. Such a pitty it is over already again.
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