Huntly Halloween

[toosuto]

We weren't sure what we were going to do for Halloween since, at least in our neighborhood, it seems to be a non-event. We thought we'd go to this hippy Saimhain event in Aboyne but after bus fare, tickets to get in food and such we looking at £50 minimum just to wander around by ourselves in a bit of an entertainment gamble. One of Sara's classmates invited us up to Huntly for the villages annual Halloween celebration.

It all stated with the neep Liz sent home with Sara for me to hollow out and carve:



Not bad if I do say so myself. Afterwards there was much rejoicing and sleep.

The train ride was almost everything a good train ride should be, and the scenery seemed almost familiar despite it all being new.



Liz met us at the station and we went back home with her to pick up Lochlan, her son, and Billy, her boyfriend.



Every Halloween Huntly has an international market allowing for nice food porn.



And Rona made new friends.



We took in local architecture.

Rona took in a Punch and Judy show but as the room was packed to the gills we adults had to wait outside, peeking the camera in briefly to catch a shot. Rona was entranced and didn't move during the whole performance. Afterwards when quizzed on what she'd just seen she informed us she saw "a green guy, and Mister PUNCH!" She was also pretty excited about the free hot dog.

We picked up some roast pork (with stuffing!) and paella from the market along with a couple of almond and apple tarts for dinner and retired to Liz's house to eat and give the kids a chance to recover. After dinner we made our way back to the village square for the parade with a number of interesting costumes,



and a pipe band that played for the Grim Reaper.



There was more going on that night but it was getting late (it was all of 7:15) and we had an hour long train ride ahead of us so Liz, Billy and Lochlan dropped us off backat the station.



Not bad for our first excursion out of town!

Comments

[toosuto.livejournal.com]

It was brilliant. I can't wait to go back and get a closer look at those ruins too.

[belladonnalin.livejournal.com]

That looks fabulous! I'm glad that you had such a good holiday!

Do they do Guy Fawkes Day in Scotland? I loved the Guy Fawkes Day bonfires in November.

[thedragonweaver.livejournal.com]

"Remember, remember, the fifth of November,
Gunpowder, treason, and snot"

They will, after all, have a little one along.

[toosuto.livejournal.com]

Are you insinuating that our child is snotty? Good day sir!!

[toosuto.livejournal.com]

Well they are selling fireworks and all the little boys are way too excited to be setting them off (every night for at least the last week already), does that count?

[ybunny.livejournal.com]

I would count it, but I'm telling you it's only going to get worse.

[toosuto.livejournal.com]

The fireworks? I don't really mind, it's just not fireworks sesson in my head so I couldn't figure out why I was hearing explosions. Took me a week to put two and two together.

I was more annoyed at the destroyed CRT monitor strung across our block, I secretly hope that the charge it retains taught someone a lesson about the dangers of electronics but somehow I doubt it.

[ybunny.livejournal.com]

I don't mind the fireworks either, I just keep thinking about my parents dog. She's really quite terrified of fireworks and she'll have a horrible time for nearly a month.

[belladonnalin.livejournal.com]

Heh. Very well might, though Guy Fawkes Day is on November 5th - you'll hear about bonfires if they do it in Scotland, though it might well be an England-only thing.

Of course, if you have a significant Muslim population near you, it's also just now the end of Ramadan, which was always cause for fireworks in my neighborhood.

[gin314.livejournal.com]

Sigh...makes me miss Scotland. It sounds like you guys had a fantastic time!