Day 7 - the Fields of Pelennor
Arise, Riders of Rohan!
Aussiepeach here with another update. So, Pelennor Fields was our first visit, and it is beeyootiful, with the mountains in the background, and the tussocks of grass rippling in the wind. It was chosen not just for its looks and lack of 20th century additions, but because it was close to the wee town of Twizel, which provided amenities for all the people.
It was also very cold when we visited, so we stayed in the van while our hostess Priscilla chatted to us. Priscilla's family owns the property, which sells the Finest Wool in the World. (True). She was an Orc extra! She described the great food, the care of the horses (plenty of vets), and the attention to detail - so many people showing up for the shoots, so many costumes to sort out. Her daughters became friends with Orli Bloom (they were only little at the time) and now get teased about it. He kindly showed them around the set.
She also had a lance/spear/thing that someone, amazingly, found on the field long after filming ended. So we were all photographed with it. Then Vic our driver showed us a pile of sticks for our swords/lances and Ladysunrope read out the Theoden speech. And we charged down the hill, yelling 'Death!' For a few steps, anyway. :)
After that we practised some swordplay with our deadly weapons, and Trianne decided to gallop down the hill. As you do. And re-enacted being a dead horse. Brilliant work.
We said goodbye to the fields and set off again. We dropped in on a salmon farm but the water was stirred up by rain, so no salmon to feed. Instead we ate the salmon. Well, tasted smoked bits. Yum.
After lunch at Wanaka - a pretty, very popular township set on a lake with mountains in the background, Raewyn our hostess and a few others decided to feed the ducks from the jetty. Some seagulls dropped in as well and dared to take some of the bread from feeders' hands. I opted out of this. Freaky bloody seagulls!
Next was Puzzle World and a crack at archery. For the latter, we managed to hit the straw and the targets occasionally. Many of us got sore fingers, blisters and bruises from using the heavy strings. Legolasses we aren't quite yet. I was up against our Swiss Elf, Ourdramaqueen, and I think she did pretty damn well!
Puzzle World has a maze and rooms full of trickery, like holograms and one entire room that alters your sense of balance. It made me feel woozy! Water running 'uphill' and things like that.
Our hotel was cute on the outside, if a bit basic on the inside compared to our usual possies. We saw a stack of classic Mustangs (left hand drives) roll up which promised a convention of some sort. Luckily they didn't disturb us too much. And so another spiffy day drew to a close...
Aussiepeach here with another update. So, Pelennor Fields was our first visit, and it is beeyootiful, with the mountains in the background, and the tussocks of grass rippling in the wind. It was chosen not just for its looks and lack of 20th century additions, but because it was close to the wee town of Twizel, which provided amenities for all the people.
It was also very cold when we visited, so we stayed in the van while our hostess Priscilla chatted to us. Priscilla's family owns the property, which sells the Finest Wool in the World. (True). She was an Orc extra! She described the great food, the care of the horses (plenty of vets), and the attention to detail - so many people showing up for the shoots, so many costumes to sort out. Her daughters became friends with Orli Bloom (they were only little at the time) and now get teased about it. He kindly showed them around the set.
She also had a lance/spear/thing that someone, amazingly, found on the field long after filming ended. So we were all photographed with it. Then Vic our driver showed us a pile of sticks for our swords/lances and Ladysunrope read out the Theoden speech. And we charged down the hill, yelling 'Death!' For a few steps, anyway. :)
After that we practised some swordplay with our deadly weapons, and Trianne decided to gallop down the hill. As you do. And re-enacted being a dead horse. Brilliant work.
We said goodbye to the fields and set off again. We dropped in on a salmon farm but the water was stirred up by rain, so no salmon to feed. Instead we ate the salmon. Well, tasted smoked bits. Yum.
After lunch at Wanaka - a pretty, very popular township set on a lake with mountains in the background, Raewyn our hostess and a few others decided to feed the ducks from the jetty. Some seagulls dropped in as well and dared to take some of the bread from feeders' hands. I opted out of this. Freaky bloody seagulls!
Next was Puzzle World and a crack at archery. For the latter, we managed to hit the straw and the targets occasionally. Many of us got sore fingers, blisters and bruises from using the heavy strings. Legolasses we aren't quite yet. I was up against our Swiss Elf, Ourdramaqueen, and I think she did pretty damn well!
Puzzle World has a maze and rooms full of trickery, like holograms and one entire room that alters your sense of balance. It made me feel woozy! Water running 'uphill' and things like that.
Our hotel was cute on the outside, if a bit basic on the inside compared to our usual possies. We saw a stack of classic Mustangs (left hand drives) roll up which promised a convention of some sort. Luckily they didn't disturb us too much. And so another spiffy day drew to a close...