10

Our boy turned ten on our trip. Can you believe it? Double digits. 

We started with a meaty breakfast and the few presents we brought on the plane.

The we spent the day in the pools.  These pools deserve a post of their own, they were so amazing.

 

For his birthday dinner, we went to a castle (complete with satellite dish).  This was the night of the conference gala, where everyone at the conference gathers for a big feast that represents the country we're visiting.  We started with drinks at the top of the turret and moved on to the entertainment.

A Renaissance weapons exhibition.

What a perfect thing for a newly-ten year old boy. 

There were dancing girls, and bows and arrows, and javelins, and falcons, and hatchets.  It was exhilarating.

 

He was exhilarated.

Torches lit our way down the hill to dinner.

Callum was given robes to wear, and we were given wine to drink and meat to eat (also a delicious soup and the best braised cabbage I've ever tasted).

All of the sudden the entire room went dark as robed men brought this to our table.  A musician played the lute while the sparkler fizzled and everyone cheered.  On the walk back to the bus that would return us to the hotel, Callum said, "I loved this day."