Guinness World Record Attempt

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Are you Drunk Yet?

Back in March, I turned 35 years young. Because my birthday falls in March, right around St. Patrick’s day I wasn’t sure I would be celebrating much. That all changed, however, when I heard about Jason’s idea – He wanted to try to set the Guinness World Record for the largest number of people in a Pub at one time dressed as Leprechauns.

Strangely enough, that world record attempt fell ON my birthday.

It's not easy being green
Leprechaun girls in the courtyard

Figuring that it would be a hoot (what did you do on your 35th birthday? I helped to set a Guinness World Record) and something that only comes along once in a lifetime (as well as a great way to usher in officially being middle age), I went out and bought a Leprechaun hat with a beard, a green sweater, and recruited some friends to go with me to the pub.

Playing the Part
Tony, the Scottish Leprechaun

The event was held at a place called The Living Room, and we needed about 200 people dressed in costume to meet the World Record requirements. There was press coverage here in Ireland of our attempt, and let’s just say that it was a bit surreal – people walked in looking like regular individuals and walked out looking like…bizarro, drunken, leprechauns.

Leprechaun 31
Jacqui the English Leprechaun

There were two amusing things about the evening. 1) In the beginning, we were having alot of trouble getting people to be Leprechauns. After much convincing, we got one of the Judges to dress up:

We even got the Judge involved

2) Without even trying, I went up and signed the book, commenting to Jacqui how neat it would be if I were the 35th Leprechaun on my 35th birthday. We were split up in the jumble of people – and she was number 31. When I went up to sign the book, I wound up being number 35, purely by co-incidence. When I told the folks handing out the numbers, they thought it was pretty awesome too!

I was leprechaun 35, for my birthday!
Yes, I was really Leprechaun #35, as luck would have it! How cool is that?!?

In the end, this little Leprechaun did manage to participate and help Ireland to get the Guinness World Record which was temporarily held here in Ireland – for about 12 hours – with 210 leprechauns:

Pondering pondering
Pondering the state of Leprechaun Life

The problem, of course, is that as March 17 hit around the world, the record was broken – by Jay Leno on the Tonight Show in the USA – with only 224 people.

It was a good birthday anyhow -and, despite the record being now held by the USA (USA! USA!) instead of Ireland – I couldn’t have wished for a better time!

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Raspseed in Bloom

Worlitz Panorama 3

One of the most amazing parts of European travel is that Raspseed is grown here pretty extensively to be used in Canola oil and as an alternative fuel source. When you travel about Germany, Poland, and even parts of Ireland at the right time of year, you find fields of a lovely golden yellow inter spaced by fields of green wheat, corn, and native grasses. It smells delicious and makes for lovely scenery as you drive past. These pictures were taken in May of 2010, but I think they’re still eye catching even processing them a year later.

Raspseed

Raspseed in bloom with ridge behind

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Berg Falkenstein

Continuing with some posts of pictures that I’ve finally processed – and which are from 2010. The latest set is from Berg Falkenstein, Germany back in May of 2010.

Falkenstein

Falkenstein is a town in the Harz district, in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is situated on the northeastern edge of the Harz, approx. 10 km west of Aschersleben. The town was created in 2002 by merging the town Ermsleben with 6 other municipalities. It was named after nearby Falkenstein Castle, about 5 km to the southwest.

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The castle here is now abandoned and has been restored for tourist use only. The most basic castle here was built as a defensive fortification sometime around 1120. The present day castle was built between 1500 – 1700 but was designed to protect the majority of the medieval character of the original buildings. It was recently restored and contains a registrar’s office for weddings, a throne room, knight’s hall, a fully functional “old” kitchen, and a delightful underground chapel with a small cabinet organ that still works. Additionally, there is a proper falconry on the grounds which is actually still in use and tourists can see the birds between March and October.

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You can see more of the set on my flickr site here.

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