Hello my friends!
After being 20 degrees Celsius the other day, today it is snowing and very cold and I’m a real weenie about it. I feel bad for the poor kids who had to go out in the cold on Halloween, but it is usually chilly for Halloween.
I went over to a pal’s house for the holiday and we played Night Trap. We got so into it we nearly missed kids coming and knocking on the door for candy. It was a great time.
It’s Halloween in Dracula too so let’s go back a day.
October 31
Jonathan writes about his journey upriver with Arthur and talks about how cold it is.
Me too buddy.
They’ve passed a few boats but with no sign of boxes onboard. He notes that the people drop to their knees in prayer whenever they shine their lamp on them. I guess they did mention that flashlights are pretty novel so I guess he isn’t being racist.
Mina writes next about how she and Van Helsing arrived in Verești at noon. Apparently the good doctor hasn’t had much luck hypnotizing her.
The country is lovely, and most interesting; if only we were under different conditions, how delightful it would be to see it all. If Jonathan and I were driving through it alone what a pleasure it would be. To stop and see people, and learn something of their life, and to fill our minds and memories with all the colour and picturesqueness of the whole wild, beautiful country and the quaint people!
This is like going to a country for a weekend conference that is taking place in the hotel where you’re staying. How depressing. Who knows if Jonathan will ever be willing to go back to Romania?
Van Helsing secures the carriage, food, and fur coats and Mina sends us off praying for Jonathan to be okay.
In other news, I wonder if it’s deliberate that Jonathan arrives in Romania for the spooky evil day before a saint’s feast day, and is here again with his entourage in time for an Irish saint’s feast day predicated with the spooky evil day. These symbolic parallels are what I live for.
There’s also Walpurgisnacht, which is on April 30th followed by Walpurga’s feast day on May 1st. Apparently one of the stories I’d still like to read for this blog—”Dracula’s Guest”—takes place on this holiday. In Germany it’s considered (according to wikipedia) to be a day when witches are active, so I can see some overlap between witches and vampires.
So it appears Stoker is definitely doing a thing here and I love it.
November 1
No sign of Dracula by Team Boat, but Arthur and Jonathan started pretending that they’re cops because it’s convenient. Arthur wasn’t much better than a cop to begin with and, I guess as a lawyer, Jonathan isn’t far off. I’m both surprised and disappointed.
They do hear some talk of a fast boat, but for now Jonathan is very cold. And so am I. This apartment just has terrible insulation.
Meanwhile on Team Carriage:
It is a lovely country; full of beauties of all imaginable kinds, and the people are brave, and strong, and simple, and seem full of nice qualities.
Mina’s the best. This reminds me of the part where Jonathan was like “people are hot, unless they’re ugly.”
The women looked pretty, except when you got near them […]
Took that from post #1. Jonathan sucks and he’s sucked all along. Also maybe he just doesn’t like women. Mina, meanwhile, loves all that she surveys. A raging bisexual queen.
Mina mentions in passing that she can’t stand to eat garlic anymore and it’s the saddest thing I’ve ever heard. She also worries that Van Helsing has been going so tirelessly that she’ll drive when they get back on the carriage.
That’s all for today! I wonder if we’ll hear from Dr. Lobotomy tomorrow? Or maybe he and Quincey are too busy getting it on to write.
I’m cold and this entry made me feel colder, so I’m going to go make some hot chocolate.