Magical Days in Odense: Boat Trip Thursday Night

As usual, we attended the now 'not' Harry Potter Festival in Odense, and this year I had purchased tickets for the 'Zoolomagical Boat Trip in the Dark' for Anna and Lea.

For some reason, this year the check-in for the ride had been moved to the bank opposite of the quai, which caused some confusion, but eventually all the participants found their way over there.

 

Anna and Lea, too. The next couple of photos were taken from the far side of Odense Creek with zoom on my new Canon Ixus - I am somewhat impressed!

 

Luckily, the girls were placed on the same boat.

It still took a while before they departed, as the other boat had to go first, and it seems the skippers want to maintain a safe distance between the boats as they navigate up the creek to Odense Zoo.

I used the waiting time for snapping some pictures, and you can see the best results below.

After the boats left, I had to kill three hours, so I went to the Old Irish Pub in 'Elf Alley' Odense, to wait for my Wife and have a few beers.

Attic Attack 2018 - Cancelled

The rehab of Anna's knees (she had surgery on both) has taken too much of my time the last six months, and I do not feel up to preparing the attic for a gathering this summer, as it would mean a lot of work just after returning from our summer vacation.

Hopefully, next year will be less stressful, and I can get the attic (and the garage) set up for a weekend of fun and games...

As always, it is still possible to arrange games in the attic with me whenever I am home.

New Window for the Garage Attic

Aboujt a week ago, last Sunday, Kevin and his brother gave me a hand with the new window for the garage attic.

I purchased the window two years ago, but the family landspeeder then needed some serious repairs, and I could not find the money for hiring a carpenter to do the job (and I dared not make an attempt on my own).

But when Kevin and I played Black Powder a month or so ago, and it was very hot, I mentioned that I already had a window to replace the old, not very functional, one, and as it turned out, he and his brother had just changed the windows in Kevin's home.

About 1½ hour well spent, and Argonor's Attic can now get vented whenever needed!

This will be a big help the next time I arrange Attic Attack, as the attic has a tendency to get very hot when the sun is shining outside, and it has been hard to breathe up there at more than one occasion.

Attic Attack 2017 - Cancelled

For various reasons, I cannot see myself preparing and hosting an event in the garage attic this year.

This DOES NOT mean that it will not be possible for peeps living within a reasonable distance from me (or, for some reason or the other, visiting Funen) to drop by for a game - it just means that I am not going to set a date for a gathering this year.

As always, I have plenty of tables and minis ready up there, so, don't hesitate to contact me for a gaming appointment!

I expect Attic Attack to return in 2018, so stay tuned for further announcements!

Harry Potter Festival 2016: Zoomagical Boat Ride

The day after the Hogwarts Express ride, the girls went on the evening Zoomagical Boat Trip on Odense Å from Munke Mose to Odense Zoo, where some scary and wondrous stuff awaited them.

I still do not know how to manually set my camera for less than optimal lighting conditions, so the photos are not all that great, but I think you will get the overall mood.

Off they go!

The previous tour returns to Munke Mose

The late tour was somewhat delayed, and I walked up the river to look out for the returning boats.

At a bridge, I noticed this:

The return of the late tour. The kids had a great time, and if you ever visit Odense with kids during week 42, I can heartily recommend the festival.

Harry Potter Festival 2016: The Hogwarts Express

Odense Central Library each year organizes a Harry Potter Festival in the weekend of week 42 (Autumn School Break week here in Denmark).

This year I managed to get hold of 2 tickets for the Hogwarts Express (vintage train from Odense Railway Museum) trip, which marks the beginning of the festival on Thursday evening, and is one of the most popular events.

I took a bunch of photos from Byens Bro (the City Bridge) which traverses the railroad station area and tracks, and I apologize in advance for the many almost identical pics.

The pupils start entering the train.

The Express has taken off.

The following photos are from when the train returned to Odense.

The kids retrieved by my Wife - and Lea has spotted me! A certain professor is supervising the disembarkation.

The mandatory photo in front of the engine:

Goblets and Cane

As mentioned in the post about Egeskov Market, I made a couple of purchases that day,

First, I fell in love with this walking cane, well suited for using with a waistcoat and a top hat.

The handle can be replaced (if the replacement fits the thread in the cane), but I think something would have to go completely wrong for me to want to do that.

And, no, it has no concealed blade, and as that would be against Danish law, it is probably just as well.

Late in the afternoon I stumbled on these goblets at a booth that was closing down - and I was given an offer I really could not refuse, as I like stuff like this a lot. If only there was six of the larger ones as well, but, well, you just cannot have it all.

Egeskov Market 2016

First purchase of ride tickets.

As always, we attended the annual Egeskov Market on the 3rd Wednesday of September (as of next year, on the weekend before the 3rd Wednesday of September!). And as always, the fun fair was the biggest attraction for the kids.

The fun fair has a ticket system where you have to go to a central booth to buy tickets that are valid for all the rides. Guess it has something to do with the management wanting to know how much cash flows in...

I did make a couple of purchases, a black cane with a wolf head handle, and a set of pewter wine and port goblets, but more about those in a later post.

The fun fair is not that impressive in full sunlight

Ferris Wheel

Getting ready for a ride

Another ride - nobody gets me into one of those!

Bumper cars - more fun than last year

After supper, we went to the fair once more

This time, we went up on the Ferris wheel in the dark

Anna can look a little spooky at times

Some of Lea's classmates joined the fun

The 'Body Rock' omce more

There is something about a fun fair at night

The girls contemplating their next move

That was all from this year's market - although I may post some pics of my market finds one of the next days...