Regardless, it was a smash at the wedding, and I'm thinking that we need more hats in various North American settings. Our next wedding is in August, and I am looking for etiquette advice on hat-wearing in Toronto synagogues... Arieh, I'm looking at you, here.
But back to the wedding in question! Our friends Alastair and Katie were the happy bride and groom:
Al knew Ian from their days at Appleby (Al as a 19-year-old faculty member on a gap year, Ian as an 18-year-old kid with an afro and a need for ID).
Ripley Castle was an amazing setting! The North Yorkshire estate has been the home of the Ingilby family for 700 years. Sir Thomas, the current owner, was very nearly killed by Katie the bride as she drove to the castle to do pre-wedding stuff in the weeks leading up to the big day. This was after Al and Katie had to move into the parish of the nearby church in order to get permission to marry there. A lot of hassle, but obviously big pay off! Did I mention there are deer frolicking in the adjacent meadows? Wedding deer???
Before the wedding, we did some touristing at the York Minster, the largest Gothic cathedral in northern Europe.
With our friends Ryan and Megan, we decided to climb the very high tower. Even the warnings that you must have a "high level of fitness" didn't put us off, as we assumed that that referred to the pint-swilling, fish-and-chip-eating level of fitness found in the English people. Here is the view from above, and the requisite Ian and Laura self-portrait to commemorate the achievement:
It was hotter than billy-be-damned up there. Notice that Swiss Miss is barely able to keep her eyes open for this photo, but she still refuses to cover her signature Heidi-tails with a hat. This was just prior to buying her wedding hat, at which point her whole hat philosophy changed forever...
Coming back to Switzerland was a bit of a let-down after all the Englishness. I confessed to Swiss Mister that hearing all the German on the train home made me resent this country just a little, and Swiss Mister admitted that he had been thinking the exact same thing...
God save the Queen! Pip pip and cheerio. (sigh)
I know the feeling. Without sounding radical, the German mind and thoughts that run through it are usually just too much for me. The "BLACK" Forest is aptly named.
ReplyDeleteGet it out now, Dad... When you get here, you have to remember that everybody speaks English and can understand your every cultural slight! ;)
ReplyDeleteThats a bonus. There's absolutely no point in insulting these square heads if they don't understand what your saying. Should I bring my trusty "attitude adjustment stick"? Just in case.
ReplyDeleteLOVE Raging Ray.