2nd House Tour (W/ Host Brother Cameo)

You ask, I deliver! I know a lot of people have been wanting to know what my new host family is like so I got out a brief video looking in on my living situation. Hope you like it!

-Callum

Kronborg Slot (August 24th 2017)

It's November 11th.

A day of remembrance in Canada.

So I'm going to recall all the things you blog readers have missed out on while I've been busy. For starters, I visited not one, but two castles!

As might be evident from my expression above, I was quite delighted that my host mom Lani graciously offered to take me to visit a CASTLE!

This is Kronborg Castle, most famously known as the residence of Hamlet (Yes, that Hamlet.) It was really quite something, especially since I got the opportunity to be a part of an interactive showing of the Shakespearean oeuvre itself! I traded verbal repartees with the King, and also got to have front row seats to the death of all the characters. I can't bring myself to tag that with spoilers, considering the play was written over a hundred years ago.

This video shows the approach and subsequent entrance of the castle. It gives you a sense of how this was a castle first, and an estate second. There are many layers of defence, and while I get the feeling that some of these were rolled back upon the castle being renovated for the modern era, I feel quite confident that the murder holes and arrow slits that would reasonably be expected to be found inside the gatehouses were probably filled in for one reason or another.

This video highlights the view of the coast of Sweden, as well as demonstrating how thick the walls were in properly fortified castles. It also demonstrates what a giddy goofball I become when it comes to medieval exploration. It should also be noted that any castle worth its machicolations will have multiple layers of defence. You might not be able to spot it in the video, but in the above pictures, specifically the one giving a view of the central building, you can see that it is sheltered on a hill behind thick walls. Those walls, are further hidden behind two moats and the wall you see me run through a tunnel under to find shelter from "those damned Swedes" who could theoretically make landfall on the exposed coastline. There truly is a wealth of history and education to be found when visiting any of these beautiful and majestic locales, and I hope to visit at least a few more castles before my exchange is finished.

These two videos give you an idea of what to expect should you opt to visit Kronborg Slot on any given day. The castle hosts interactive plays, including Hamlet, and one can if one is punctual in fact view the full (abridged) performance. It involves running from location to location in the castle's exterior and interior, as different locations provide the staging for each new scene. And I must say, that even if it is not exactly how Shakespeare intended the play to be performed and watched, it was certainly a unique experience, and a blast to explore the castle alongside the colourful characters whose story is inspired by real-world history that took place in the very castle itself.

These are just a few of the moments I captured on film. The actors were quite talented. They deftly showcased the humour, tragedy, drama, and suspense of the play. It was yet another grand example of why plays cannot truly be understood through merely reading them. They MUST be performed, and thus captured, in memory living and vivid. Of course, that's the dramaturge in me, but there you have it. And of course it wouldn't be a collection of moments from Hamlet without his iconic monologue. I am afraid I might have missed out on the oft-quoted bit, but then again, you know how it goes. Because of the uniquely interactive nature of the play, I also got to take some selfies with the actors before or after their scenes. 

I also had quite the cool improvised sequence with the King while I was busy taking pictures of the Scribes' area. Of course, because of that I wasn't able to record the exchange. It went something like this;

King; What are you doing?

Me; I'm err, copying these records, my lord.

King (turns to Ophelia's Father); Is he a spy?

Me; Oh, I'm not a spy my lord. I'm a humble apprentice scribe, who has travelled here to learn from the best, the Danish, my lord. Yours is the finest castle in the land!

King; Hmm, you're quite the obsequious one, aren't you?

Me; To be obsequious, my lord, is to serve you as best as one such as I can.

END SCENE

Weeeeeeell, that's how I'd do it if I'd had another go. My actual interaction was a bit choppier on my part, but can you blame me? No, you can't! And it was freaking hilarious! I would absolutely love to see one of these types of performances again. They're awesome.

Overall, I highly recommend visiting Kronborg Slot, especially if you're a medieval/drama nerd like me. It's really impressive, and well worth your time.

-Callum