Fortunate they weren't pansies.

26 May 1969 - The fastest speed attained by man.

The three crew of Apollo 10, Thomas Stafford. John Young and Eugene Cernan, were returning from their mission to the moon, the last before an actual moon landing, when on re-entry to the Earth's atmosphere they reached 24,791 mph.

27 May 1937 - The Golden Gate Bridge opened.

I didn't realize that it wasn't the only bridge in the city, a map shows me there are four more.

Anyone been over the Golden Gate? Looks superb.

28 May 1738 - Joseph Guillotin born.

Prominent French physician who in 1789 was elected to the Estates General as one of the representatives for Paris. He used his position to put forward the use of a beheading machine for criminals sentenced to death. He did not invent the guillotine as is popularly thought, but was the driving forced behind a commission in 1791 that adopted a device invented by another physician Antione Louis and first put into practice in April 1792. 

Despite being known at first as the Louisette after its inventor the contraption was soon referred to as the guillotine. He very nearly became one of its victims during the 1794 Reign of Terror but survived due to the fall of Robespierre in July that year. He died of natural causes aged 75 in 1814.

The French weren't the first to invent such a device. The Scots produced the Maiden (again a female name) in the 16th century, a device very similar to the guillotine. It was first used in 1565 and for the final time in 1716. 

One is on display in the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.

29 May 1953 - The first ascent of Mt Everest.

John Hunt the leader of the 1953 Mount Everest Expedition chose the New Zealander Edmund Hillary and the Nepalese Sherpa Tenzing Norgay to make the ascent to the summit three days after the first two chosen Tom Bourdillon and Charles Evans turned back at 300 ft short due to equipment failure.

Hillary and Norgay set off at 0630 29 May and reached the summit at 1130. News reached GB on the morning of the Queen's coronation on 2 June.

The queues up to the top and the sheer numbers make it look easy, I would have a go myself but the boots would pinch my bunions. 

30 May 1846 - Peter Carl Fabergé born.

Russian goldsmith and jeweller, son of Gustav Fabergé the founder of the family firm. Peter succeeded as head in 1872. Famous for the Fabergé eggs which he crafted for the Russian Imperial Family every Easter from 1885 to 1917. 

He fled Russia in 1918 and died in Switzerland two years later.

30 May 1846 - Peter Carl Fabergé born.

Russian goldsmith and jeweller, son of Gustav Fabergé the founder of the family firm. Peter succeeded as head in 1872. Famous for the Fabergé eggs which he crafted for the Russian Imperial Family every Easter from 1885 to 1917. 

He fled Russia in 1918 and died in Switzerland two years later.

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Any conspiracy theories re: his death? 

He was 74. No, it is said he just faded away in exile. 

Some of those will be really tiny, you must have good eyesight. 

31 May 1578 - Construction of the Pont Neuf in Paris began.

The oldest surviving bridge in Paris. It extends across the river Seine to the western edge of the Île de la Cité then across to the other side of the river, in total 761 ft long and 72 ft wide. The foundation stone was laid by King Henri III, but neither he nor the chief designer saw its completion, the French Wars of Religion held up construction for many years and it was not until 1604 that it was opened to traffic.  

It is still known by the name it was given 425 years ago - Pont Neuf or New Bridge. 

I love the Faberge eggs.  He was my inspiration for collecting eggs and decorating them.  Besides the chicken eggs, I've decorated two goose eggs, duck eggs, peacock eggs, a banty hen egg, quail eggs, robin eggs, lovebird eggs and tufted titmouse eggs.  

If you are caught with a wild bird egg collection over here you are looking for a huge fine or jail, depending on the numbers of them and the rarity of the species.

The same is probably true here; i.e., getting caught with an eagle egg for example, and rightly so.  Even the feathers of our national bird are illegal to collect or own.  All of the eggs I have collected were abandoned by the layers.  Peacocks on farms will drop eggs randomly as will robins (I found one in my garden many years ago). Lovebirds are like parakeets, or budgies?, and randomly lay eggs too. 

The tufted titmouse eggs are indeed tiny.  They came from an abandoned nest in my friend's outdoor grill.  It wasn't in use and I guess the little birds thought it was a good idea at the time.  Along came the summer sun and, suffice it to say by the time I got them, they were good and cooked and long abandoned.  As a thank-you to the owner I put a decorated one in a glass case and gave it to her for her birthday.  I managed to make it stand on four "pearls".  Magnified glasses were a must.

There were several bridges across the Seine by the time the Pont Neuf was built, but they have since been demolished and replaced. Pont Neuf is the oldest in that it dates back over 420 years, others may occupy the site of an older bridge but are more recent in construction.