http://tinyurl.com/noorsociety                 http://tinyurl.com/begumnoor
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         \\\\\___PRINCESS NOOR APPRECIATION SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL 1998___\"-._
         /////~~~               BEGUM NOOR CONNECTION                 ~~~/.-'
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                   THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF PROFESSOR VON BORGENGRUFT
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                                   UPDATE OCTOBER 2003
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      We rested awhile with the gracious Samoyed people of the Taimyr
      Penninsula; and after many more snow-bound adventures, we arrived at a 
      distant Siberian port in the province of Chukchi; where we gained 
      passage on a Swedish ice-breaker, crossed the Bering strait and sailed
      for Nome, Alaska.

      Upon arrival in Nome, we proceeded to make inquiries about hiring
      dog sled teams, to transport us across the vast Alaskan Tundra to the
      city of Palmer, where the Baron & Baroness of Falk reside. 
      The promise of Earl Gray tea and black current jam spurned us onward, 
      providing courage for the journey at hand.

      The native people in this region of the world are friendly and 
      easy-going; seldom wearing watches and not liking to be rushed.
      Consequently, we were obliged to spend extra time in Nome,
      before 'mushing on' to Palmer and the black current jam.

      We spent two days in houses that were built mainly under-ground.
      First, a little shanty is put up, under which a hole is dug; thence
      a branch like a sewer runs some yards, along which one must crawl
      on hands and knees to reach the proper dwelling, which is a square
      hole in the earth, over which is raised a low dome-shaped roof,
      with a hole in the top to let out the smoke of the fire, which
      is built directly underneath. When the fire gets low the smoke-hole
      is covered with a skin, which keeps in not only the heat but the
      manifold scents engendered by the crowded occupancy. The slight
      heat from below makes the roof a favorite trysting-place for the dogs,
      and every now and then one comes tumbling down through the smoke-hole
      upon the fire below, adding the odor of singed hair to those arising
      from stale fish, old skin garments, and other unnamable abominations.

      Winter fairly set in soon after our departure from Nome on the 
      2nd of November, the thermometer indicating the moderate temperature 
      of 2 degrees above zero. 

      It suddenly fell to 20 degrees below zero, and kept on
      steadily falling until the 5th of December, when it sank to 58 degrees 
      below zero, that is, ninety degrees below the freezing-point of water.
      It is to be noted that after a certain point the human system seems to take
      little note of the temperature as indicated by the thermometer.
      When the mercury froze, 72 degrees below the freezing point of water,
      it did not seem very cold, provided there was no wind.

      Sleeping accomodations on the two and a half month trip, were never
      a problem. Our Inuit friends would skillfully build a large
      igloo every night, which kept us as warm as toast. Our meals
      consisted primarily of dried fish, seal and caribou meat.

      After a comfortable journey, sitting atop well-cushioned dog-sleds;
      cozy, in our luxurious fur blankets, we arrived in Palmer, outside the
      gates of Schloss Falk.

      Incidentally, it should be mentioned, that for at least a mile, 
      before reaching our destination, we could hear the plaintive sounds of 
      Hank Williams Music, wafting scross the wind-swept, frozen tundra. 

      We plan to spend many happy days in Palmer, consuming gallons of
      Earl Grey Tea and Alaskan Black Current Jam.

      The Baron and Baroness of Falk kindly sent us a caricature of their 
      Falk Lake Estate, featuring the castle in the background and the
      venerable craft, 'USS Falkonian'. This image warmed our hearts,
      with dreams of the splendid Alaskan summer, as we travelled across the
      inhospitable winter landscape.

      You may access this image, by simply copying and pasting the following
      URL into your Browser's location box:
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      http://www.angelfire.com/ri/georgev/falk2.jpg

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       And, to view enlargement of the Falk Coat of Arms, featured on the
      first mentioned URL, simply copy and paste the following URL into your
      Browser's Location Box:
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      http://www.angelfire.com/ri/georgev/falk3.jpg

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      In addition, to view enlargement of Schloss Falk, pictured on the
      first mentioned URL, simply copy and paste the following URL into your
      Browser's Location Box:
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      http://www.angelfire.com/ri/georgev/schlossfalk.jpg

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      Until next time,

      Baron Klaus Anton von Borgengruft   http://tinyurl.com/borgengruft
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