To start this last piece on this year’s Astrofest, mainly showing how much fun we had after the event, here’s a group picture of Galaxy Zoo friends, who started meeting up at the very same event a couple of years ago. From left to right and top to bottom you see: Jules, Tommy, Gemma, John, Jo, Geoff, Mr. Jo (Andrew), Christine, Annie, Graham, Els, Rona, Capella and Yours Truly. The picture was captured by Todd, who lost his camera on a train, but got it back a few days later!
Zooites outside the Golden Dragon, before it all started. © Todd Howard.
The hotel they had booked for me, was obviously very close to the venue and so was the pub. We had walked this triangle a couple of times, to drop off stuff and have lunch. Some of the ‘stuff’ I took to my room included the sweet (but seriously, you don’t need to do this!) presents, given to me. This included the tulip from ‘The Dutch Delegation’, a rose-in-glass from Paola, our dear friend from Rome, and half a loaf of the well-known Banana Bread, from Rona’s hubby a.k.a. Mr. Bananabread.
Prezzies (because my friends are the best). © Hanny van Arkel.
Tom had already made me curious by saying he had something for me too beforehand: “If I can find it, it’s somewhere behind a wall in my attic, it’s just a token really”. That’s how he dared to call an original copy of a Bohemian Rhapsody single from 1975! It lived in a jukebox at his school for years, so it comes a long way, and Tom thought – since we were both dancing on the table to this song on New Year’s Eve – it should move to me. While I was chatting to Brian anyway, Tom asked him to sign it for me first. Yes, I do realise I’m such a lucky girl with such nice people around me. Graham arranged the copy of the Queen book for me and I treated myself to Simon’s book on the Big Bang, which he signed for me, congratulating me with my find as well.
More goodies (thanks all!) © Hanny van Arkel.
I’m fond of the next two pictures, as I’m very fond of the people in it. So here are more of my friends; Annie and Jules in the audience still and Els, Todd (in a picture!) and Geoff, after the talks. When we headed out, it was ‘spring enough’ to not need a coat, or maybe that was just me. The next two pictures show Tommy in front of the Astrofest sign and Paola in the Sunshine, which is very fitting! When we arrived at the official tweet-up in the Devonshire Arms again, I spoke to even more familiar faces, including the lovely Lucy, Paul, Emily and Mandy and I’ve spoken to a lot of people I now finally met for the first time. Come to think of it, I actually broke the record of people I spoke to on one evening. There was also the surprise of meeting Ben, who turned out to be a friend of a friend; of Jason, who didn’t make it in the end. Small world.
Annie and Jules. © Graham Bowes.
Els, Todd and Geoff. © Graham Bowes.
Tommy. © Graham Bowes.
Paola. © Graham Bowes.
We left the ‘after-party’ for an ‘after after-party’ at ‘our’ Italian restaurant, Bella Vista, where we started singing for birthdays, where Tom and I called having ice cream our tradition again and where we pulled the tables aside after dessert to sit in a circle and sing some more songs, including American Pie, The Streets of London and More Than Words. The other guests had all left by then and the owners didn’t mind if we ordered one more bottle. I had a sudden urge to speak, but kept it short as I’d been in the spotlight so much already. I just had to thank everybody for making the weekend magical. When we walked homewards, we sang some more. We Are The Champions, arm in arm and on top of the world. Every time one of us had to take a turn away from the group, we took our time saying bye. And I said I once read in a book about a group of people doing drugs and having that feeling of deeply loving everybody and everything. We’re like that; but high on life.
At London City Airport the next day, I already suffered from a severe case of Post-Astrofest Blues. I really did have the time of my life. And Wonders of this World go on. THANK YOU!!
Yours Truly (at the pub) © The Dutch Delegation.
2 Comments
Nice photos, about the only time it was a bit quiet, was when I made a 30 seconds speech, in giving out the birthday cards!
By the way, Emily is moving to Holland shortly, as she has just got a job with ESA publications.
Oh I didn’t know you made a speech too, John. Not sure if you were around during mine, but there were friends teary-eyed… nothing wrong with being quiet; nothing wrong with not being quiet, methinks.