The lunatics have taken over the Asylum!

We’re back from 2016’s Weekend at the Asylum in Lincoln.  It was our first time, and we had fun, met new friends, hooked up with people I only know from the internet, and were inspired by the astonishing creativity all around us.

Here are a few pics of us in our finery, plus a couple of some others…I won’t flood this page with images, but will include a couple of links further on which will lead you to loads!

 Day 1:  we arrived in our B&B, togged up, and caught a cab into Lincoln [we were staying about 8 miles outside the centre, which had its disadvantages!  We collected out wristbands and programmes, had a short walk round, then tried to get a cab back to change for the evening.  Ahem.  It seems you needed to book three hours ahead.  A fraught period ensued, trying to find our way to a bus station and find a bus to the B&B…very hot and stressful.  To my surprise and delight, I was recognised twice by my bustle, and again because of my lovely wife!  [Although she was rather nonplussed by people rushing up and saying ‘You’re the missus aren’t you?’]

A quick  shower and change, and we dashed back in a cab for Dinner with Her Majesty.  As it turned out, we needn’t have rushed, as we had to hang about in a queue for well over an hour before we were finally seated.  We did make new friends though, shout out to Ali and Andy!  Seating was crowded, the room airless, and thank gawd for fans!

Everyone looked splendid though, and Her Majesty was present throughout the proceedings, which included a murder mystery.  We snagged pics afterwards with Her Maj, and Mr Brown

Dawn was rather more respectful than me…

Taxi back just before we turned into pumpkins, and we hit the hay, absolutely shattered.

Day 2:  We slept in, and missed breakfast.  We then got all disorganised and out of sorts, and didn’t get our backsides into gear until rather late in the afternoon, thus missing most of the fun and games on Saturday.  Poor show!  Taxis were all booked ahead this time though, so it wasn’t as rushed.  We went in for some afternoon shenanigans, came back for a chill out and some time spent on glue-sticking my eyebrows into Ming-like splendour, and headed off for the evening’s Flash Gordon-themed entertainment.

Minge the Merciless

You can just see Dawn’s feathered shoulder pieces here, hoping for a better pic from a friend

Something gave Dawn the giggles

Our pal Chris, Ming-in-Pink, who rightly won the costume competition.

The evening included interpretative dance, and an audience participation screening of Flash Gordon.  [A dreadfully cheesey film from 1980, in case you didn’t know.]

Much crazy heckling ensued.  Unfortunately, it all over-ran by about an hour, so we had to leave to get our taxi way before the end.  Poop.

Day 3:  Sunday best.  We’d met some lovely ladies from Denmark [Dorte, Emma and Stine- excuse spelling ladies!] who were staying at out B&B, so we shared a cab in, and were bang on time to muster for the Queen’s Parade.  I was marching with the Steamstress Squadron [find them on Facebook], and we had some great sashes to identify us.  I wore my Armistice Blouse and skirt with red accessories, and felt very swish and cool.  Dawn was dapper in purple moleskin and tartan trews.  I purchased a red leather hipflask holder, Dawn had a custom made walking stick holster, made there on the spot.  Very impressive!

Posing by the poppies from ‘The Wave’, originally on display at the Tower of London.

The talented and funny ladies of the Steamstress Squadron.

We had a good roam round the market, had tea and cake, watched the steampunk Bellydancers [huge fun] and then we were shattered again.  We withdrew to the foodcourt and had crepes and icecream, then bumped into lovely Ali and Andy again.

We all went off to their hotel lounge, where all these talented singers and guitarists [including Dawn of course] took turns entertaining us.  Very cool!  Mind you, this meant we missed the Wacky Races, Nerf Gun Shoot Out, and several other things.  Sigh.  On the way to meet up with our Danish friends, I went down like a ton of bricks on the cobbles, and twisted my ankle.  Sigh.

I got as far as Zoot cafe, where I had a reviving light meal [corsets you know] and a glass of delicious Picpoul de Pinet, which did me the power of good!

I’m afraid that was pretty much the end of our shenanigans though, as my ankle got more and more painful, and we were so tired we couldn’t rouse ourselves to travel back for the burlesque show in the evening.  Dawn watched a programme about cats, and her hormones dictated that we return home immediately after breakfast on Monday, without returning to the Asylum festivities.  Double sigh.

We were home by lunchtime, eating fish and chips, which can’t be bad though, AND I’ve already bought tickets for our next major steampunk fun and games:  Steampunks in Space, at the National Space Centre in November!  Woohoo!

My Six Napoleon dress is still unworn, as it was intended for Sunday night.  Not to worry, it won’t lie unused for long!

Here’s a link to a Lincoln newspaper article about the Asylum, with some cool photographs.