Close encounter with a living legend

Current Herräng time: Monday, July 3, 2006, 7:30PM.

Legend later, but first a few random thoughts...
- As I said before, it never gets really dark here. It's pretty cool to be walking around in shorts at two in the morning, with enough natural light to see fairly well.

- There are two maps in the hallway of the Folkets Hus, the main building: one of the world and one of Europe. You take a pin (blue for males, red for females) and stick it on the map(s) where you came from. I'll post a picture of them here. There's even a pin in the middle of the Bering Strait on a small island!! Her name is Elise and I believe she lives there doing research. (Click on the images to see them full-sized.)


- As far as I know, the Communication Centre is STILL not set up. So far, I've only gotten one email out (to Holly, and to my parents via Holly) thanks to Mandi (thanks!) and her BlackBerry. Grrrr. I want a phone and email!


Onto the legend! If you know anything about swing, and lindy hop in particular, you know about Mr. Lindy Hop himself, Frankie Manning. The man is in his 90s and is still going strong. This is his 19th year teaching in Herräng.

There are daily meetings here for information and entertainment, and Frankie has said a few words at each so far, so I've seen him in person a few times already... but today, he taught one of my classes! Sweet! He's got an amazing personality and energy that makes the class truly entertaining. It seems he's still got fire in his loins, as evidenced by the jokes and innuendo and the way he was 'hitting' on the ladies. Afterwards, I got a couple pictures with him to prove it was real.

So there's my all too brief encounter with a living legend (... so far). Proof below:

That is all.