Jork Viking Market

Last Saturday, Schatz and I went to visit the Viking Market in Jork.

No, not York in the UK but Jork. In Northern Germany, just opposite Hamburg on the other bank of the river Elbe.

The market didn't look that big and I don't think they actually had the 250 re-enactors their poster advertised but it was relaxed, spacious to cope with the visitors, and the weather was excellent - in contrast with the last two years. We were able to say hello to - and hug - many friends there, traders, artisans, camp dwellers, warriors. Some had come from as far as Belgium or Sweden.

We did enjoy the fight show - more about that later. One thing we didn't enjoy that much were the myriad of semi-authentically dressed people at the market. I mean, anyone (at least I do hope so) knows that Gothic does not equal Viking and neither do Pirates of the Caribbean or Elf-shaped Larp ears. But what about these two?

Mr. and Mrs. Wutwolf (with the big thingies in front)

Actually, they were quite happy to pose for me...

Guess this makes for a new section in the Ithrottir. Apart from "Heard in..." we should also have "Seen in...". Well, these two definitely are my first choice.

Books: Malfuria

Catalina Soleado is a teenager who can change the world with a flick of her wrist. Or rather, the ink from her pen, but that she doesn't know when she starts her apprenticeship with an old mapmaker in Gaudi's mythical Barcelona. One day, a flying ship brings shadows wearing harlequin masks into the singing city. Her friend El Cuento, the wind that breezes through the alleys and collects stories to tell her, helps her flee when things get tough. Together with Jordi Marí who inadvertently gets caught in the events, Catalina tries her best to cope. Initially with being hunted and accepting that she is a witch of sorts, and then with saving the world from Evil.

The Malfuria trilogy is simply enticing. It is fantasy away from 'normal' fantasy, not following standard paths but growing out of seemingly unbound imagination. Set in a semi-imaginary Spain, using real as well as fantasy Spanish and Catalan names, including a myriad of references to other characters of history or fiction yet without clearly linking to them.

Malfuria, by Christopher Marzi, is written in German and I am not aware of any translation yet but if you like fantasy in the widest sense of the word and read German, have a look at it!

The website, by the way, provides samples from each book.

Books

I have just realized that I am starting to organize things a bit like I did on my very first - and only - homepage. Only that one I modeled after a Federation Starship, with its various sections from Sickbay to the Holodeck, and from the Bridge to Ten Forward.

I guess the books would have been in the Ship's Computer, to be accessed through one's own PADD or by direct language communication with the Main Computer.

These day's, I have my PDA (close enough) which actually makes it possible to read books on an airplane wedged in between two overweight Scottish engineers, but I still prefer the printed kind, the one, as Kees puts it, you sit in an angulo to read...

Hence a section on books on the sidebar. Slightly out of the ordinary, and not just in English. Or simply what I have read recently and feel like raving about.

Ithrottir and Xyllomer - odd!

Admittedly, Xyllomer is odder than Ithrottir but both reflect significant parts of my life.

Ithrottir is the quarterly Viking Age magazine which Kees, Torsten, Rona and I publish. It is written for, and by, Early Medieval re-enactors, providing background information, news on archaeological finds and digs, an extensive agenda of Early Medieval markets and exhibitions, reports on shows and markets, museums, books, as well as how-to's, i.e. instructions ranging from the making of fine files to needlebinding your own socks.

Xyllomer is an English language text-based Multi User Dungeon where for the past 18 years or so, people from around the world have gathered to play a net-based adventure game. Various races populate the world, professional and religious guilds strive for dominance, and sometimes the gods do what they do best - create havoc.
The MUD is programmed by volunteers, playing is free-of-charge. So if you read books rather than watch tv, if you like to interact rather than slay, if you are willing to invest time to get to know the system and are not afraid of a rather small playerbase at present, this is the place to be.
I used to play extensively from 1996 to about 2001, then took a break. Only to return with a vengeance in late 2006. At least when I'm not too busy with RL (real life) but even then, being a hero and adventurer can soothe your mind in the face of life's adversities, and it sure beats playing some game on your own!

Links

Organising this blog already seems much like organising mylife - an ongoing process based on curiosity, always trying to see what else is possible.

The Odd Links
... are pointing toward what keeps me still crazy after all these years, which makes me odd in some people's eyes.

The Even Links
... are pointing toward websites of a more general nature, of interest possibly also for the more even-natured folks.

Why me

or rather: why of all people should I write a blog too? Do I have anything pertinent to say?

Not really. But it might be a great way to let friends and family share in my life instead of trying to bring everyone up-to-date via phone calls or emails. Something I never manage anyway, at least not on a regular basis.

Anyway, once again, it is really Kees' fault. He got me onto the internet when only geeks knew about its existence, he talked me into going a-Vikinging over a decade ago, and now his own blog gave me the idea to try my hand at this, too.

Right now, I am still trying to work out all the neat layout stuff.

Hmmh...

Kees in one of his last postings quoted some scientists on that blogging is good for the soul. So maybe I should try it, too...

... tomorrow!