#WhatADay! I have been to appointments, bought a #Bike, -#Cycled, Checked out #Recycling facilities and travelled on 5 #Buses. I feel that I have earned this #pint of #coorslight. Enjoying a cool #Summer #Night @HessleRd #Hull #HullLife #Beer #Lager #NightOut #NotQuite #JustAQuickPint #Bus home in ten minutes 👌 https://www.instagram.com/p/B0g_ehXn7NQ/?igshid=1hiblu2di344
#hulllife #hull #nantasketbeach #gay #gaylifestyle #gotohull GO TO HULL (MA)! (at Nantasket Beach, Massachusetts) https://www.instagram.com/p/CB4TXo-pkl-/?igshid=1m76rxb7f6tq
Is it a true honour (and a total shock) to be selected for a Lord Mayor’s Civic Crown award for my services to Hull. Feels amazing to be acknowledged. Thank You! #Hull #Hulllife #buzzing https://www.instagram.com/p/B7Vkq79HI85/?igshid=1egko7bb8uct8
It’s all very serious stuff on the weekly #news roundup today on @bbcradiohumberside. Tune in to 95.9 FM DAB 721 where we’ll be discussing hot topics from recent events. You may think I’m trying to pose with a meaningful deportment here, but really, I just need coffee... #Hull #Radio #Broadcasting #Hulllife https://www.instagram.com/p/B4HfTIanmAu/?igshid=1i2cvhv1kk9x8
This weekend was The Lord Mayor of Hull’s Medieval Hanse celebrations.
Mayor Wilson is one of my previous colleagues, and the first openly gay Lord Mayor of our fine city. I know Steve to be a sound man of heart and mind and I was thrilled to hear of his and his consort Karl’s appointments. I knew I had to get involved and show my support for such an awesome guy.
So I decided to go all-out and present myself to the day in Medieval garb to match the event.
After all the full town was turned out and ready for celebration....
My first stop was the Tourist Info’ point in Paragon Station; I wanted a couple of souvenir maps so that I might frame them back to back. I was then encouraged by the lovely City of Culture volunteers to take a whole bunch and hand them out on their behalf as I ventured through the Medieval streets of Hull... Of course I agreed and off I went.
The problem I encountered was that it seemed nobody wanted to be approached by some fat woman dressed for the 14th Century. . .
“Can I interest you in a Lord Mayor’s. . . . .” was almost immediately greeted with “NO!” or “Not interested. . . “ as the pedestrian shoppers were probably so hardened against having to fork out for various charities and vendors wanting cash from anyone who would listen.
“Let’s do this right!” I thought. “The first word I use should be ‘Free’“. I also decided to exert my natural exhibitionist nature and adopt Medieval Cornish to best promote the event.
“Free Novelty Souvenir Map for Tha Lord Murr’s Day?” I began to beam at the passer’s by in my thick stereotypical peasant accent. This worked a treat and within ten minutes I had just two maps left which I then popped into my bag to hoard away at home.
Now, on with the celebrations!
First up, and to my sheer joy, was this chap - a Bard playing one of my favourite Medieval instruments: The Hurdy Gurdy!
In fact, the first real-life Hurdy Gurdy I’ve ever seen!!! (Readers who followed my old career as a Sims 3 modder will understand the heartache I had at trying to recreate one of these from a guitar and the eventual rapture I felt at seeing my Sim play one in the 15th Century unique game I had previously created.)
Had a little chat with this emerald-robed musician about his HG and how he’d acquired it, but there was so much to do and see, and I knew I had a schedule to keep if I wanted to make the parade for 12.30.
(A Medieval ‘Thrower’ who was very knowledgeable about his craft, I listened to his speech all about the history of pottery, serfdom and how the word ‘Factory’ came about because of a tax-evasion system built to shroud manual labour behind the veil of producing ‘facts’. Who knew?!)
The effort put in to create realism was a little overwhelming, and I soon felt wholly inadequate in my e-bay-cheap-one-size-fits-all fancy dress outfit which I’d previously felt chuffed with, having sniffed it out from a charity shop for just £3.
(Andrew Marvell admiring the passers by)
Regardless, I was ready to enjoy the day and headed off to ‘Bean’ for a soda before making my way to the Albermarle Music Centre to see my friend Nic who had a stall running inside to sell his Gothic wares. There was lots happening inside the music hall and I was immediately interested in a singing group that were taking centre stage.
I do love singing (despite being constantly told as a child ‘Shut up - you’re tone deaf!”) and began joining in myself with the instructor’s directions. I was quickly invited into the circle and became a temporary ‘Saturday Singer’. We then performed folk songs from the continent of Africa as well as an unplanned version of Bohemian Rhapsody. I then said my farewells and made my promise to attend future classes before heading back out through the music centre en-route for the parade, but there was so much going on; so much to get involved with!
I wasn’t too keen on ‘Beatboxing’ but I knew I wanted a go on one of those steel drums and joined the band for a quick lesson.
With the typical British weather now displaying its usual enthusiasm for the Yorkshire Rain Gods, I thanked the Steel Drum Band teacher and hurried off to join the parade - it was now almost 12.15!
I joined the Mayor’s ensemble and was lucky enough to find myself accidentally situated next to a musical troupe. How perfect that I’d brought along my trusty tambourine!? The procession thus established, I now became the backing singer and dancer for these fine musicians and hopped and skipped my way along to their groovy modern-day parade beats.
The tour ended in Queen Victoria’s Square and finally I had a chance to catch up with my old buddy and Lord Mayor, or as I now greeted him with a bow, as ‘Your Excellency’.
We had a little chat, and then as I was stood around thinking ‘what now?’, I heard my name being called out.
“Oh wow! Hi!” I exclaimed, as I saw to my amazement my old English teacher, Mr Leronimo!
“What are you dressed as?” I asked.
“A Hull City Council member. . . . .” was his roundabout reply. Again, who knew?
And that was the end of my eventful day.
I sat on the City Hall steps eating my packed lunch and watched the stilt-walkers ignore their tired feet before eventually hobbling home myself.
What a fantastic trip back in time that whole day seemed (in a Medieval romanticised type way). Let’s hope we have another one next year. I will certainly be planning a more authentic costume should any such event be likewise themed!
Enjoying #Hull today inbetween various appointments. 8 points of Weightwatchers local food for lunch. £1.60 #PattieAndMushyPeas #WithOnionAndMint #BobCarvers #HullLife (at Kingston upon Hull) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bxr-SivnKiV/?igshid=okbnjcpa4exg
