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valis2Thursday
So I got up early and went on a cemetery tour of St Louis Cemetery #1, which is a pretty famous cemetery. I went with![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
harli_ratte, tathren, frayer, and morganmuffle. However, morganmuffle wasn't feeling well and ended up going back to the hotel, as did frayer. We went on a Magic Tour, and our guide was Randy, and he was a terrific, entertaining guide. I enjoyed the tour very much. I took lots of pics, believe me. The above-ground tombs are fascinating. Basically, they inter a body for a minimum of a year and a day in one of the chambers, and then when a new body is ready, they remove the coffin (a simple pine box) and take the bones, seal them in a vinyl bag (they've started doing this because of DNA), and push the bag to the back of the tomb, where a slot opens up into a vault underneath. Each tomb can hold about thirty-fifty bodies. Leaving the body in the upper chambers acts as a flenser, basically. Totally fascinating, and I have lots of pics.
Sad, though, that the cemetery gatekeeper during the fifties and sixties did such lasting damage; he claimed that if you broke off a bit of someone's tomb, scratched three crosses into Marie Laveaux's tomb with it, and then threw it over your shoulder and cracked stucco on another tomb, and left an offering of money, your wish would be granted. Apparently he made it all up, but of course he would go at night and gather the pennies and have his nickel beer at the bar, so it was worth it to him. However, the damage cannot be undone, and people still deface the tombs. In fact, they are now confused about which tomb it is, so other tombs are being defaced.
Okay, enough cemetery 101.
Julian and I ate at the Chartres House, where I had my first po'boy, which was fairly tasty. It's light French bread, with fried things, mayo, etc.
On the way back we saw a very dark, greasy, mangy pigeon that we immediately identifed as Snape's animagus form.
We were also waylaid by delicious chocolate (my treat) and daiquiris (Julian's treat). If we hang out together much more we'll both weigh 400 lbs and be drunk all the time.
So then I attended the Opening Feast, which was buffet style. I was part of the Lumien house, which was headed by a pirate, and his speech was the best, because he kept drinking during it. Before the feast I took snaps of the Black sisters, who were three fabulous cosplayers who had incredible outfits all weekend, and an older man took their picture...and then asked who they were. I laughed like an idiot. I sat next toharli_katte at the feast and also sat next to a girl from MI, which was a nice coincidence.
After the feast, Julian and I went to the![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
snapecast meetup at the Monteleone bar. And, just like the Snarry meetup last year, there was a guy playing music. He even played "Piano Man," though thankfully it was actually on the piano this time. So damned loud, though, and I have such hearing trouble! I couldn't tell what half of the people were saying. I met up with blackeyedlily and Aurora Grayeyes from TPMM, and I saw ziasudra_fic, but couldn't get close enough to say hi. I talked to Becca and Rachel from Snapecast, and they're so much fun.
Amazingly enough, I also found a fangirl!ham_n_egger actually had read tLS and thought it was a good story, so I nearly wet myself, of course.
But she also brought up something I'd never noticed before, and it was really fascinating and I kept thinking about it all weekend. There's this scene in SS/PS where Snape referees a Quidditch match, and afterward, Dumbledore goes up and congratulates Harry, and Snape bitterly spits on the ground. Egger said that this was where she knew Snape couldn't be high-born, because she just couldn't imagine Lucius doing that, and it's such a strong bit of characterization...I just can't stop thinking about it, and wondering what it foreshadows.
So I went back and went to bed, because I was tired. Julian went out in search of daiquiris, and returned at 2:30 am. We laughed about some stuff, and then we both fell asleep, and I was awakened at 3 am by the sound of someone being very very sick. Not only will Julian never drink a hurricane daiquiri again, but I have a feeling that housekeeping will never forget us.
So I got up early and went on a cemetery tour of St Louis Cemetery #1, which is a pretty famous cemetery. I went with
harli_ratte, tathren, frayer, and morganmuffle. However, morganmuffle wasn't feeling well and ended up going back to the hotel, as did frayer. We went on a Magic Tour, and our guide was Randy, and he was a terrific, entertaining guide. I enjoyed the tour very much. I took lots of pics, believe me. The above-ground tombs are fascinating. Basically, they inter a body for a minimum of a year and a day in one of the chambers, and then when a new body is ready, they remove the coffin (a simple pine box) and take the bones, seal them in a vinyl bag (they've started doing this because of DNA), and push the bag to the back of the tomb, where a slot opens up into a vault underneath. Each tomb can hold about thirty-fifty bodies. Leaving the body in the upper chambers acts as a flenser, basically. Totally fascinating, and I have lots of pics.Sad, though, that the cemetery gatekeeper during the fifties and sixties did such lasting damage; he claimed that if you broke off a bit of someone's tomb, scratched three crosses into Marie Laveaux's tomb with it, and then threw it over your shoulder and cracked stucco on another tomb, and left an offering of money, your wish would be granted. Apparently he made it all up, but of course he would go at night and gather the pennies and have his nickel beer at the bar, so it was worth it to him. However, the damage cannot be undone, and people still deface the tombs. In fact, they are now confused about which tomb it is, so other tombs are being defaced.
Okay, enough cemetery 101.
Julian and I ate at the Chartres House, where I had my first po'boy, which was fairly tasty. It's light French bread, with fried things, mayo, etc.
On the way back we saw a very dark, greasy, mangy pigeon that we immediately identifed as Snape's animagus form.
We were also waylaid by delicious chocolate (my treat) and daiquiris (Julian's treat). If we hang out together much more we'll both weigh 400 lbs and be drunk all the time.
So then I attended the Opening Feast, which was buffet style. I was part of the Lumien house, which was headed by a pirate, and his speech was the best, because he kept drinking during it. Before the feast I took snaps of the Black sisters, who were three fabulous cosplayers who had incredible outfits all weekend, and an older man took their picture...and then asked who they were. I laughed like an idiot. I sat next to
harli_katte at the feast and also sat next to a girl from MI, which was a nice coincidence.After the feast, Julian and I went to the
snapecast meetup at the Monteleone bar. And, just like the Snarry meetup last year, there was a guy playing music. He even played "Piano Man," though thankfully it was actually on the piano this time. So damned loud, though, and I have such hearing trouble! I couldn't tell what half of the people were saying. I met up with blackeyedlily and Aurora Grayeyes from TPMM, and I saw ziasudra_fic, but couldn't get close enough to say hi. I talked to Becca and Rachel from Snapecast, and they're so much fun.Amazingly enough, I also found a fangirl!
ham_n_egger actually had read tLS and thought it was a good story, so I nearly wet myself, of course.But she also brought up something I'd never noticed before, and it was really fascinating and I kept thinking about it all weekend. There's this scene in SS/PS where Snape referees a Quidditch match, and afterward, Dumbledore goes up and congratulates Harry, and Snape bitterly spits on the ground. Egger said that this was where she knew Snape couldn't be high-born, because she just couldn't imagine Lucius doing that, and it's such a strong bit of characterization...I just can't stop thinking about it, and wondering what it foreshadows.
So I went back and went to bed, because I was tired. Julian went out in search of daiquiris, and returned at 2:30 am. We laughed about some stuff, and then we both fell asleep, and I was awakened at 3 am by the sound of someone being very very sick. Not only will Julian never drink a hurricane daiquiri again, but I have a feeling that housekeeping will never forget us.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2007-05-26 10:54 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-05-27 01:35 am (UTC)On the other hand, Dumbledore might have also been told everything & wanted to discourage Harry from thinking down irrelevant & potentially dangerous tracks re' Snape's relationship with the malfoys.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-05-27 02:34 am (UTC)[Albus]"Of course that is what he would tell you, Draco, but--"
See, this is really what makes me wonder. Albus making it sound like Snape was leading Draco on, but in actuality, Snape did make the promise. I'm not sure how I missed this bit of dialogue, but it chills my blood. And then when I reread the bit Hagrid overhears in the Forbidden Forest...I really am starting to wonder.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-05-27 03:00 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-05-27 03:01 pm (UTC)It makes an interesting sort of plotline. Snape's love for Narcissa/Draco forcing him to go against the headmaster and sacrifice his place in the Order...makes me wonder.