We took the kids to the renaissance festival today. Given the weather of late (more like late September than late August), and the fact that we knew Samson would get a kick out of seeing the jousting, we thought it would be a fun way to spend a Saturday.
Jane, unfortunately, did not sleep on the way there and so only wanted to be held by Vicki. Which was OK for me, but really hard on Vicki, especially as the day warmed up and we attempted to do, well, anything that necessitated Vicki not holding 21 lbs. of cranky, screaming child.
Even so, it was fun. The joust in particular was pretty impressive. I mean, I'm sure the knights have some padding under their armor, but they were hitting each other with lances while speeding on horseback. And I'm pretty sure the horses weren't faking the whole galloping thing.
Of course the thing that makes the renaissance festival so entertaining is the people. And not usually the ones being paid to provide entertainment.
Now, I am not a scholar of the time period, but apparently the renaissance was a time of leather bustiers, affected guys with wispy goatees, and clove cigarettes. I only wish I'd had the presence of mind to surreptitiously record some of the more egregious examples of inappropriate/anachronistic/just plain godawful costumes.
Similar to those folks I see all painted up at sporting events, I've often wished I could see these people pre-game. Like the guy in the soda line dressed, in meticulous detail, like Captain Jack Sparrow. Who is he? Where does he live? Is he sad at the end of the day as he takes off his make-up and transforms back from Captain Jack into Dwayne from the Help Desk?
2 comments:
I guess taking a picture of Vicki holding a p/o'd Jane probably wouldn't have been the best idea, huh? That said, I would have loved to see it. If for no other reason than visual proof that these sort of things don't just happen to me. I mean, I hear stories just like this, but how can I know for sure? I've been burned one too many times by Sasquatch stories to just blindly believe. ;) Would have also loved to see some of the loose interpretation of authentic renaissance garb.
I wish I could have, but something about snapping a photo of a large woman in "wench" gear with a cigarette lighter tucked into her decolletage seemed like a bad idea. Ditto the guy in the kilt and Raiders worthy plate-mail armor.
As for Jane, I think she would have gone all Sean Penn on me if I'd tried to take her picture...
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