"Pirate wench? Well, there is a tax for excessive booty..."
So, weekend trip to Bristol Renaissance Faire with skylark913 and Liz. Excitin' times.
I packed most of my stuff late Thursday night, then got up and finished packing shortly before the girls came to get me in Jan's car at around eleven. Bundled into car, got on road, no sweat.
Liz and Jan took turns driving while I stayed in the backseat. We listened to various Gaelic, Faire, and Celtic inspired folksy tunes on Jan's iPod most of the way...and part of Half Blood Prince on audio book (which means I finally understand where the heck everyone knew Jim Dale from before he was Pushing Daisies narrator guy - he was the one that read all the Harry Potter audio books).
I also read an entire volume of Gossip Girl on the trip up. Well, it's a quick read. Obviously.
We checked into our motel, had Chinese for dinner, I forgot my pajamas so I borrowed Liz's shorts, and despite feeling tired I could not for the life of me fall asleep. I mean, I did eventually, I assume, but it sure took awhile.
Also at about two in the morning the couple in the room next to us started having really noisy sex. I actually found this pretty hysterical.
Then in the morning, we got up and went to our first day at the Faire.
We made it there in plenty of time for the opening (I'm glad we were close, because some of the performers, possibly because it was the first day, weren't projecting all that well).
Bristol Faire is way, way bigger than O Renn. It's...kind of exhausting to walk around. Especially when it's hot (and you're in full pirate wench regalia). Especially when it's crowded.
The three of us stayed together the entire day. We caught some of the shows (Courtly dancing and presentation of the nobles, the Barely Balanced Acrobats, this one juggler who was pretty entertaining, country dances and the pub sing - Fire Whips and some of the musical acts on Sunday) and admired a lot of the cast's garb. Their nobles are all out. They also had a couple of people running around dressed like faeries too (who didn't speak, and mainly interacted with children), and a pair of witch sisters who I thought were pretty entertaining. (A sign that reads "Dead Witch: Will Live For Food" that can be flipped over to "Live Witch: Will Die For Food", for example.) There was also this peasant who tried to catch me in rope trap on Saturday, but let me go because I was too big ("I will have you know, plenty of men think I am just the right size!").
Sadly, Liz and Jan didn't think the cast was all that good for playing - I guess they weren't very approachable, or at least didn't feel it. There was this fellow dressed as the tax collecter who was a lot of fun, though (he talked to us several times over both days, in and out of character, and he was good for banter). On the second day there was also this flirty guy named Armando who did this bit of being an escort for the ladies.
None of the nobles were very cute, except for the guy playing Sir Philip Howard (who Liz looked up on Wikipedia Saturday night, and immediately felt like a stalker, never mind she was looking up his character, not the guy). When they were doing the courtly dancing he did some "flirty touching" with his dance partner, which the three of us found very amusing. When we ran into him the second day, early in the morning, sitting on a bench with two other cast members, I yelled as I walked past in my best Mabel voice:
"Sir Philip! Want to help me find me booty??"
To which he responded: "It...it's Sabbath. Go pray!"
Liz and Jan giggled.
(I didn't quite hear his response at first and we were moving off anyway, otherwise there probably would've been an answering comment, then, about him already wanting me on my knees.)
Also on Sunday I crossed paths with the Sheriff (whose character, frankly, reminded me a lot of Lady Sidra - uptight and angry) and accosted him, telling him I'd been a bad, bad girl and wanted to be locked up.
"Shut up. Speak to me again, and I will kill you."
Again, Liz and Jan giggled, and Jan dragged me off, saying something about how he was just angry he couldn't find Robin Hood.
If we'd been there another day yet, I might've sent him a rose. Just to be cheeky. (I almost sent one to Sir Philip.)
...Did I mention this was the first Faire I've been to yet wearing my offical Wench pin? ;)
Overall, the cast was huge and stratified. The Queen and her court do their thing, there are confrontations all day with Robin Hood and his men and the Sheriff and his, and a bunch of unaffiliated peasants who kind of just wander around on their own. They put on a good show though.
Jan made a new friend with a Son of Sandler shopkeep who helped her buy boots. Liz was going to get a hat but ended up not.
On Saturday I bought a raccoon tail, a frozen banana, a leather flog (which is so going to be part of Mabel's garb now on), and some strawberry ice - we brought our own lunch in a cooler and ate it outside in the parking lot both days, so we didn't have to put up with five dollar mushroom sandwiches and steak-on-a-stakes. On Sunday I got a necklace, a chocolate cheesecake on a stick, and a fan. I almost bought a pewter flask, but decided against it. And I was contemplating a ride on the elephants (yes - they had elephants. They also had the "Queen's Petting Farm") but ended up not doing that either.
Liz and Jan got candied nuts both days, too. I was mostly content with the free samples we got every time we walked by.
Also would be entirely remiss if I didn't mention the couple that approached us as we were eating lunch on Sunday - the guy (trying to be funny, but sort of coming off as rude) asked if he could have a bite. The lady with him chastised him, saying that's not "how you're supposed to do it".
Then she turns to us and goes "How do you say 'hello' in your Medieval language?"
(The answer to this is "Uh...'good day'?" Or, after the weird people walk away, a mutter of "Or, you know, 'hello'.")
...Right. Okay then. Some people really, really haven't got a clue.
Over all, a very good time was had. About halfway through the day we packed up and got back into the car on Sunday, and drove home again.
We listened to more Harry Potter audio-book, made fun of muzak on the radio, stopped for dinner at Wendy's, and I finished another cheesy book, Blood is the New Black.
I think it was close to midnight when we got home again. And then of course I had to get up and go to work, but at least it wasn't too early.
Whew. Good trip. Funs was had by all.
I packed most of my stuff late Thursday night, then got up and finished packing shortly before the girls came to get me in Jan's car at around eleven. Bundled into car, got on road, no sweat.
Liz and Jan took turns driving while I stayed in the backseat. We listened to various Gaelic, Faire, and Celtic inspired folksy tunes on Jan's iPod most of the way...and part of Half Blood Prince on audio book (which means I finally understand where the heck everyone knew Jim Dale from before he was Pushing Daisies narrator guy - he was the one that read all the Harry Potter audio books).
I also read an entire volume of Gossip Girl on the trip up. Well, it's a quick read. Obviously.
We checked into our motel, had Chinese for dinner, I forgot my pajamas so I borrowed Liz's shorts, and despite feeling tired I could not for the life of me fall asleep. I mean, I did eventually, I assume, but it sure took awhile.
Also at about two in the morning the couple in the room next to us started having really noisy sex. I actually found this pretty hysterical.
Then in the morning, we got up and went to our first day at the Faire.
We made it there in plenty of time for the opening (I'm glad we were close, because some of the performers, possibly because it was the first day, weren't projecting all that well).
Bristol Faire is way, way bigger than O Renn. It's...kind of exhausting to walk around. Especially when it's hot (and you're in full pirate wench regalia). Especially when it's crowded.
The three of us stayed together the entire day. We caught some of the shows (Courtly dancing and presentation of the nobles, the Barely Balanced Acrobats, this one juggler who was pretty entertaining, country dances and the pub sing - Fire Whips and some of the musical acts on Sunday) and admired a lot of the cast's garb. Their nobles are all out. They also had a couple of people running around dressed like faeries too (who didn't speak, and mainly interacted with children), and a pair of witch sisters who I thought were pretty entertaining. (A sign that reads "Dead Witch: Will Live For Food" that can be flipped over to "Live Witch: Will Die For Food", for example.) There was also this peasant who tried to catch me in rope trap on Saturday, but let me go because I was too big ("I will have you know, plenty of men think I am just the right size!").
Sadly, Liz and Jan didn't think the cast was all that good for playing - I guess they weren't very approachable, or at least didn't feel it. There was this fellow dressed as the tax collecter who was a lot of fun, though (he talked to us several times over both days, in and out of character, and he was good for banter). On the second day there was also this flirty guy named Armando who did this bit of being an escort for the ladies.
None of the nobles were very cute, except for the guy playing Sir Philip Howard (who Liz looked up on Wikipedia Saturday night, and immediately felt like a stalker, never mind she was looking up his character, not the guy). When they were doing the courtly dancing he did some "flirty touching" with his dance partner, which the three of us found very amusing. When we ran into him the second day, early in the morning, sitting on a bench with two other cast members, I yelled as I walked past in my best Mabel voice:
"Sir Philip! Want to help me find me booty??"
To which he responded: "It...it's Sabbath. Go pray!"
Liz and Jan giggled.
(I didn't quite hear his response at first and we were moving off anyway, otherwise there probably would've been an answering comment, then, about him already wanting me on my knees.)
Also on Sunday I crossed paths with the Sheriff (whose character, frankly, reminded me a lot of Lady Sidra - uptight and angry) and accosted him, telling him I'd been a bad, bad girl and wanted to be locked up.
"Shut up. Speak to me again, and I will kill you."
Again, Liz and Jan giggled, and Jan dragged me off, saying something about how he was just angry he couldn't find Robin Hood.
If we'd been there another day yet, I might've sent him a rose. Just to be cheeky. (I almost sent one to Sir Philip.)
...Did I mention this was the first Faire I've been to yet wearing my offical Wench pin? ;)
Overall, the cast was huge and stratified. The Queen and her court do their thing, there are confrontations all day with Robin Hood and his men and the Sheriff and his, and a bunch of unaffiliated peasants who kind of just wander around on their own. They put on a good show though.
Jan made a new friend with a Son of Sandler shopkeep who helped her buy boots. Liz was going to get a hat but ended up not.
On Saturday I bought a raccoon tail, a frozen banana, a leather flog (which is so going to be part of Mabel's garb now on), and some strawberry ice - we brought our own lunch in a cooler and ate it outside in the parking lot both days, so we didn't have to put up with five dollar mushroom sandwiches and steak-on-a-stakes. On Sunday I got a necklace, a chocolate cheesecake on a stick, and a fan. I almost bought a pewter flask, but decided against it. And I was contemplating a ride on the elephants (yes - they had elephants. They also had the "Queen's Petting Farm") but ended up not doing that either.
Liz and Jan got candied nuts both days, too. I was mostly content with the free samples we got every time we walked by.
Also would be entirely remiss if I didn't mention the couple that approached us as we were eating lunch on Sunday - the guy (trying to be funny, but sort of coming off as rude) asked if he could have a bite. The lady with him chastised him, saying that's not "how you're supposed to do it".
Then she turns to us and goes "How do you say 'hello' in your Medieval language?"
(The answer to this is "Uh...'good day'?" Or, after the weird people walk away, a mutter of "Or, you know, 'hello'.")
...Right. Okay then. Some people really, really haven't got a clue.
Over all, a very good time was had. About halfway through the day we packed up and got back into the car on Sunday, and drove home again.
We listened to more Harry Potter audio-book, made fun of muzak on the radio, stopped for dinner at Wendy's, and I finished another cheesy book, Blood is the New Black.
I think it was close to midnight when we got home again. And then of course I had to get up and go to work, but at least it wasn't too early.
Whew. Good trip. Funs was had by all.