 |
23 September 2001 |
 |
Off to visit the past, Austin, Glenn, Elena, and Jordan
travel to Vacaville for the Renaissance Pleasure Faire where everyone
thinks it is the Middle Ages. |
 |
Perhaps not quite what you would expect, but we learned to
expect the unexpected.
These fairies seem to be checking if they have enough dust for the
day. |
 |
Elena quickly found herself a slave! I wonder
exactly what work she would want him to do around the house! |
 |
There were beauties of both sexes to appreciate. |
 |
There is nothing quite like building blocks to make
someone want to create a castle. Austin studies his design while
Elena works in the background. |
 |
Going for a traditional look, Glenn tops off a tower. |
 |
Suhaila Dance Company provided that mesmerizing beauty and
rhythmic skill of Middle Eastern dance. |
 |
Many vendors offered many delights. Here a young
wench has her hair braided into intricate designs. |
 |
Demonstrations of what life was like in the Middle Ages
included doing the laundry. More like doing it in. The women
stand around the cistern while pounding the clothes on the rocks.
In front, a youngster helps clean the straw. |
 |
What is the middle ages without a harpist? Quiet.
Many musicians with period instruments were playing and selling their
CDs. |
 |
Even in the past people wanted to know the future. A
Tarot card reader concentrates on the young woman's fate. |
 |
So that's where bowls come from! The potter was
throwing bowl after bowl. She said that she makes as many as 40 a
day. That is one about every twelve minutes. |
 |
I'm not sure if it was acting or real, but the fellow up
on the roof was doing his best to impress the lady in the hat down
below.
Some things never change. |
 |
Bold & Stupid Men bill themselves as itinerant
gentleman scholars who duel with wit and rapier. Dashing and at the same
time very foolish, they teach the audience how to woo a maiden fair and
how incredibly simple it is to get into a duel. |
 |
Good old constructive destruction. For only 100
pence you can smash a piece of crockery against a metal castle.
It is surprising how much fun it is to do something you are not
suppose to do! |
 |
The Middle Ages equivalent of a water ride. Austin
is about to throw the ball and if he hits a target somebody gets a
bucket of water dumped on them. With the temperature rising,
everyone liked this idea. |
 |
It is not easy to climb a ladder that is only secured by a
rope in the middle. Jordan came awfully close to reaching the end
and collecting a 1000 pence prize. |
 |
But even with six tries he couldn't quite get there. |
 |
Austin looked really good and was getting close so he
posed for a photo. |
 |
It's a good thing it only takes a fraction of a second for
a photograph because that is how long it took him to fall. |
 |
The height of the day was the demonstration by the New
Riders of the Golden Age. We were able to witness the bravery and
skill of handsome knights. |
 |
Our brave jousters pose for a moment before battle. |
 |
Before the joust officially starts the riders try to
intimidate each other with blatantly unfair (and fun) attacks. |
 |
There was a lot of fun in the show, but they demonstrate
the art of the Quintane and with truly dangerous, full contact armored
joust. |
 |
In the joust a real wood pole was shattered against the
opponent, knocking him off of his horse. |
 |
Not to be defeated, the battle continued on the ground
with swords. |
 |
Our handsome knight prevails and returns to his adoring
crowd to accept alms and roses.
In addition to the armor, the knights wear hockey padding and still
get bruised during the battle. It is not all for show. |
