Welcome.....
To my world of the weird, the strange, the unexplained.........
no, I'm just kidding, this is a happy place......OK, maybe I am just a little weird.
The first time we attended a Renaissance Faire was at Hammond, LA, 5 years ago. So we are very fond of this particular festival, as it was what started us on this great adventure as time travelers. We love the Renaissance era because of it's colorful history, the great costumes and their way of life. It was a much freer time, free to be who you really were, a glorious, creative time in history.
So this is why we drove all day to get here, it is our special thing that we share with each other that we really love.
This fair is alot like the other one we attended last weekend, in that it has the joust, the numerous stage shows, the food, street minstrels, merchants, etc. However, this year they had a new queen, there has always been the same one for the last 5 years, a lovely spanish lady. The new queen was very beautiful and VERY pale. We were crossing the "Kissing Bridge" (invaded by the gypsies) and I saw a familiar face in the crowd. It was the "old" queen, who had mysteriously become a woodland nymph with ears and a tail. We always visited with her in the past and was great to see her again, she stopped and gave us a hug and a few laughs!
There is a "ferry" that travel across the lake that is in the center of the fair. It is just a wooden raft with park bench bolted onto it, and they just pull it with a rope from one side to the other, this always cracks me up!
A very good looking pirate guy try to kidnap me, I put on a brave smile while he held a gun to my head...and then Bill and I sat on a bench late in the afternoon and I was practicing my british accent, thanking everyone for attending our Rennfaire....Bill was laughing, but I just smiled at the people and kept thanking them, we were making a few remarks about some of them under our breath....what fun!
We stayed until close, at which time they had a sing along with all of the characters of the court! I hated to see it end, don't know if we will be able to come back again. It was kind of sad. Vacation is now officially over......waahhhhhh!
We were nearing Nashville, TN and were about to take Interstate 24 north to get home, when Bill asks me to check the map and see how far away we were from the Louisiana Renaissance Festival in Hammond, LA. We did some quick cipherin' and decided to head south instead of going home.... I made a call to the 800 Econolodge number and found a room in Vicksburg, MS, 3 hours from the Renn-faire, but we found out we were lucky to get that room, there was nothing south of us to stay in, just like had been reported. It took us the rest of the day and we were so tired, especially Bill, since he did all of the driving. My head hit the pillow and I was out like a light!
We left our beautiful beach retreat today and headed for home. We stayed in Newport, TN at a very nice Econo Lodge. Heading for home tomorrow, or so I thought!
Bill couldn’t decide which direction to drive, he didn’t put much thought into HIS part of the vacation planning. We decided to drive back to the beach areas of N.C. , along the coast. We stopped at a few places, but it wasn’t quite what we were looking for. We finally ended up in Oak Island, NC. It is a quaint little seaside town, with lots of condos to rent. The entire beach area was nothing but summer condos, amonst them all was a beautiful motel, we drove by it several times, because it looked very expensive. Finally we stopped at the Ocean Crest Motel and asked the prices of their rooms, they were 60% lower due to it being the off-season. Well, Bill really outdid himself this time, we rented a room on the second floor with a view of the Atlantic, how gorgeous! We even had our own private balcony with table and chairs, I was so happy! We walked along the beach until sunset, of which I got some wonderful pictures. A storm was brewing at sea and it started to rain softly on us, well, just how romantic is this? We drove to the next block and got a few things to eat in our room. So we had a picnic by the open glass door of our room, with the sound of the ocean and the full moon rising over the surf. I kept running outiside to watch the water, so beautiful! Bill, good start…!!!!!
I just had to post this picture separately, you can really see the gulls enjoying the cheetos!
Today we met up with Danie. We took our suitcases to her house and then headed for Carolina Beach. It was a beautiful day, perfect temperature and no rain. After a couple of hours we arrived. At first we just walked along the beach, running in the tide and picking up seashells, there was much laughing and silliness, as usual. We decided to have some lunch, so we went to the “Sea Witch”, cabana and tiki bar, at least that’s what the sign said. We had fresh shrimp, fries and beer, all of the main food groups! The shrimp was the best I have ever had. The Sea Witch was a really fun place and we enjoyed. Danie and Bill had several beers, me I had just one. We got the blanket out of the car and went back to the beach with a bag of cheetos. We fed the cheetos to the seagulls! The beautiful Atlantic surf was glistening in the sun and smashing loudly onto the beach, it was so relaxing we almost fell asleep. It was great to be with Danie again, so sweet and funny! It was getting dark so we headed for home. Watched some tv and then went to bed. Another wonderful day of our vacation. This concluded MY part of the vacation planning, now it’s Bill’s turn, I wonder what’s next?
Made our way to Fayetteville, NC to meet up with Preston and Amanda and kids. We went to Smokey Bones to eat. The food was delicious! We had a very nice time. Preston was very chatty and Amanda looked so cute, didn’t even look pregnant, ah the advantages of being tall and thin…lucky girl! The kids, Hanna and Austin were such a hoot! We enjoyed them so much. Preston and Amanda seem very happy and the kids, like I said, were great, can’t wait for the other one to get here. We stayed at their house until after 5:00 and then came to our room at the, again, Motel 6, in Fayetteville.
Austin took the second picture, he did a pretty good job,
Little Hanna took the last one, she was just a LITTLE short, but got a great picture of her brother....lol!
Renaissance festival (Concord/Huntersville, NC)
We arrived at the Renn-faire at 10:30 a.m. A crowd of people were waiting for the castle gates to open and much hilariousness was happening in the balcony with the King, Queen, nobles and such. Soon we were allowed to enter, and what a fantastic day was ahead of us! First we rented a costume for Bill, as I was already dressed and we started walking around. I don’t even know where to begin, there was so much so see. We saw a gazebo in the middle of the “town” square where some minstresls were playing. They were very good and very funny, they were singing “He’s in the dungeon now”, to the tune of “He’s in the jailhouse now” (O Brother where are thou soundtrack)…using mandolins , wooden flutes, guitars and a bass fiddle. One portly gentleman even did the yoddling part, what a hoot!
So we took the tour and talked to many of the “towns people”. We ran across two very funny sisters who did a bit about the history of undies, called “Naughty knickers”, very funny and soon they got into a water fight. Bill and I had our picture taken with them and then we were on our way.
Soon it was high noon and it was time for the jousting tournament!
Our champion was Sir Matthew and was quite the “hottie”, black curly hair and dimples! However, he lost to the ugly guy..ha ha.
We decided to have some lunch and on the way observed some belly dancers practicing in the street. For lunch we had baked chicken and smashed potatoes, and some pumpkin/wheat beer, which was yummy. We wandered around some more, watching some more of the stage shows, some jugglers, some magicians, some unusual routines. There were the usual game booths: throwing tomatoes at some guy in a stockade, throwing hatchets at a targer, flinging a frog from a catapolt to a target (no they weren’t real frogs!), smashing platters, etc.
Many of the costumes were amazingly detailed. Some animals were even dressed up like fairy dogs. There were fairies, grim reapers, gypsies, renaissance men and woman of all classes, just wonderful stuff.
It was time for dessert and we went to “Ye chocolate shoppe”, and got some wonderful chocolate candy, we sat in the town square an ate it while a beautiful dark haired girl play softly on a harp.
We walked around some more went to the petting zoo, watched people ride the camel and the elephant. Checked out all of the vendors selling crafts, jewelry, magic charms, perfume and other interesting items. In one booth you could make a wax figure of your hands. People would decide what position their hands would be in and then you would dip it on wax, get in line, dip it in cool water, then go back to the wax again and again. Until it was thick enough. I don’t know how they got it off of their hands in one piece , but then you could add colors, glitter or a rose and then you were done, it was creepy and interesting at the same time.
It was getting late, but people just kept coming into the faire, thousands of people, about 25% to 30% were in costume.
Now it was dark and the faire was closing. Close to the front gate was the “town cripple”, he just sat in the road and had a can for money. If you put money in his cup he would hit himself in the head with a skillet or blow a horn with his left nostril, it was hilarious! We just kept laughing, he was very animated and funny, what a gig!
It took us an hour to get out of the parking area. We were starving so we drove to Monroe, NC and got a room at Motel 6. We found a great family buffet and I didn’t even take time to change clothes, just went on in , in my renn. Garb. Naturally people were staring, but I didn’t care. Some lady came up and asked me if I had been in a play at church!...(not with my boobies exposed!!). I just explained about the Renn-faire and went on my way. We were pooped!...went to bed early!
11/11/05……….Driving…..stayed all night at Mooresville, NC Sleep Inn
11/10/05……….Driving…stayed all night at Caryville, TN, Budget Inn.
Sunday mom and I met Shelley at Tuscola at the "Amish Buffet". Shelley looked so cute with her little pregnant belly. Mom and I bought little girl party party favors for Shelley. Since she will be a mom in a few months, we decided she should have just one more "Little girl birthday party. Shelley wore the tierra, beads, and "Birthday girl" badge all day, even after lunch and while we were shopping. The Red Barn is an amish buffet and and entire village of crafts, foods and decorations. It is just beautiful and we have been there many times, it is always good for a girl's day out. We left the hubbys at home. We shopped all of the little craft stores which are all built like log cabins, but are all housed inside the main barn. In fact, it is always decorated for christmas year round. We laughed so much...Shelley was such a hoot and was telling us horror stories about their "new" house repairs. I told her it reminded me of that movie "money Pit"...it was funny then, I guess we'll see what happens as time goes on. I miss her so much not living very close anymore, but she is happy and the baby boy is growing by leaps and bounds.
We leave on vacation Thurs. and I am so ready. Can't wait to actually put something INTERESTING in my blog. Must call the kids and tell them when we are coming.
