Renaissance Faire Photos

Here's a handful of pictures from our trip to the Renaissance Faire.

Am I a wench, or what?  Son #2 shows off his costume too.

The boys get ready to watch the human chess match, after enjoying the rankout session prior to that (fans from different sections hurl insults at one another, aided by coaching of Faire employees).

The pickle vendor sets up shop before the event, and hawks his wares.  "Wouldst thou like a large spicy one, m'lady?" "My pickle's larger than yours, squire!"  "This young lass has excellent taste in pickles!"  etc.  You get the idea.

The chess match pits Robin Hood's band of merry men (and ladies) against the Sheriff of Nottingham and his crew.  When one piece threatens another with capture, hand to hand combat results to see who will actually win the square.  

Staffs, knives, swords, shields, verbal daggers, and other weapons are used.  No gender discrimination here:  women and men do fight each other.  Plenty of acrobatic skill goes into these demonstrations.

Naturally, one builds up an appetite after seeing such sport.  There is an extensive foo

d court including turkey legs, mead, boar, stake on a stake, dragon wing chips, an

d some of the usual fast food kind of nonsense that one must have in modern times when traveling with small and/or fussy children.  One of the food huts was of particular interest this year...spicey thighs?!?

Who could survive all that eating and drinking without a visit to the privy?  Many secluded places to create one's own privy in the forest, but we luckily didn't need to use that option.  Many locations in the Shire had port-a-privies, but some actually had real flushing privies!   How exciting!  A wondrous day by all accounts.