LOTR 30 Day Challenge -Question #12: Favorite Location

My favorite location is Rohan

Edoras  

I especially love the scene when the Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli and Gandalf approach the city and that wide expanse of land with the snow capped mountains in the background. I have to control myself from bursting out into song: "The Hills Are Alive with the Sound of Music". 

The very helpful http://lotr.wikia.com/wiki/Edoras tells us it was filmed in "Mount Sunday in the upper reaches of the Rangitata Valley, near Erewhon" in lovely New Zealand.

In this video by jediking12 we can look at Rohan while listening to the Rohan Fanfare, by the amazing Howard Shore, from the Two Towers.

Millions of Women Reported Heading For....

 This Island Nation

International security and transportation agencies are on the alert as millions and millions of women around the world have commandeered air and amphibian transportation vehicles and are reported headed for what is believed to be  New...or rather "Middle-earth".

Sources report that all the women seem to be carrying a copy of this map:

What is the cause of this worldwide travel phenomenon?  Authorities trace the mass female (and some male as well) unprecedented mass "migration" to this video:

Authorities in Middle-earth have called in reinforcements from the Hobbit Security Services headed by these three warriors:

This has not been an uncontroversial decision, as several prominent residents of Middle-earth have protested that the leader of the Hobbit Security Services, T. Oakenshield, is the one responsible for millions of women leaving their own lands to travel to New...I mean Middle-earth, resulting in disruption of their own (the complainants) important lives, and have launched a lawsuit against the security service (Complaining M-e residents pictured below):

In an interesting development, the son of one of the complainants against the Hobbit Security Services claims the mass female Middle-earth migration is due to him, though there is no recent evidence to support his claim:

Hobbit Security Services leader, T. Oakenshield, denies he is in any way the reason for this worldwide phenomenon. 

Alleged photo of T.Oakenshield

Instead, Oakenshield insists he is 100% certain the women are not seeking him, but the wisdom of this ancient text:

International authorities confirm that some of the intrepid travelers have copies of the ancient text in their possession, but evidence that incriminates T. Oakenshield has also been found:

 (Photo of button worn by many of the women traveling to M-e)

This mysterious photo has also been found among the M-e bound travelers. Reports suggest this photo is connected to property once owned by the heirs of Durin. T. Oakenshield, head of the Durin family, once again denies any involvement or any knowledge of his plans to dislodge a squatter in the property  (pictured below).

When questioned, the rest of the Hobbit Security Services warriors insist they have no knowledge of their leader's possible involvement in this unprecedented interest in their land and are ready to do their job to safeguard all visitors to New...I mean Middle-earth:

As the investigation continues, international security agencies have called in outside help from a private investigative firm:

We will report further developments as the investigation continues.

Breaking News - Sources close to the investigation are now looking at this man as a "person of interest":

(Sources of pics and vids: YouTube, Google Images, Fanpop, The One Ring Net, DeviantArt, United Agents, and many more)

Almost Heaven: Boromir and Thorin Together in The Hobbit

Thanks to Hobbit Video Blog #6 my dream almost came true.

In the latest wonderful Hobbit behind-the-scenes Video Blog from Peter Jackson we get a glimpse of both Sean Bean as Boromir and Richard Armitage as Thorin.  Almost Heaven...

If you haven't seen the new video blog, go immediately to the link below:

 https://www.facebook.com/PeterJacksonNZ

Watching the lovely glimpses of Richard Armitage at work as Thorin (well, the rest of the cast too) I was very taken by a particular scene with RA and his new horse.  

I hope that Richard's horse in Robin Hood, Ritchie, 

isn't jealous when he sees this scene (see video clip) of how well Thorin (Armitage) and his new horse have perfected the joint hair toss. 

Oh, and for my fellow Being Human fans, there's also a lovely glimpse of  Kili (AidanTurner) in the clip.

So glad that Peter Jackson included a clip of the filming of Lord of the Rings in his new video blog, bringing the new and the old cast together. 

Sean Bean (Boromir) was recently interviewed on the Jonathan Ross Show and he talked about Lord of the Rings, living and filming in New Zealand for a year, and helicopters. Ties in perfectly with the new vidblog.  See vidlet below for a clip of the interview.

I do have one request for Peter Jackson for the next video blog.  Please ask Richard Armitage at least one question so we can hear his beautiful voice.

I'm off to watch Hobbit Video Blog #6 again - I still haven't seen every little glimpse of Thorin.  

What did you all think of the new video blog? 

Addendum:  Having watched VidBlog #6 now a few times, did PJ say we wouldn't see Laketown until 2013? Hint about where in story movie #1 will end?  

That Special New Zealand Air

I was grocery shopping on Friday night to get some essential supplies in case I  lost power during Hurricane Irene here in the US. As I'm going through the store I go down the row to get some cleaning supplies and I spot an air freshener. It just comes into my line of vision unexpectedly - PoP - Wow-Zowie - NEW ZEALAND  AIR*! 


Suddenly the following image pops into in my mind:

Ah, those lovely New Zealand vistas!
There's a thin, green, can of air freshener starring back at me, with some artsy designs, and a photo of a  beautiful New Zealand waterfall. But as I stare at it my mind is conjuring up images that aren't there! I shake my head, and try to clear my vision, and blink several times, and look again at the air freshener, and I see:

I tear myself away from the shelf.  I hurriedly push my cart away, and start going around the store in circles.  The air freshner calls to me...New Zealand Air*...New Zealand Air*...New Zealand Air*...

I'm too weak, my willpower is going, I try to think of all that I really need to buy.  Batteries, water,  milk, bread, toilet paper...but my mind keeps going back to that alluring green can. I picture myself in my living room spraying New Zealand Air* and being transported across the sea. Again, my mind conjures up images of what it would be like to be transported to Middle-Earth by that special New Zealand Air* scent:

I turn my cart around and hurry to the Air Freshener aisle.  There in front of me is the air freshener with the waterfall.  My hand reaches out and I grab it like the Arkenstone. I put it in my cart and go happily to the checkout. Mission Accomplished! 

Today at home I'm enjoying the wonderfully fresh scent of New Zealand Air* and wondering if the makers of the air freshener know what an attractive product they could have if  only they would replace the photo of the waterfall with this one:

(*There really is a NZ air freshener, but with a slightly different name.)

Disclaimer: This post is all meant in fun and I hope it is taken that way by all who read it. New Zealand is a lovely country and maybe one day I'll be lucky to visit.  To Richard Armitage and  Aidan Turner all my affection and respect. I know they both have a sense of humor. Oh, in case you're wondering, I did buy the air freshener.