Saltvik Vikingmarket
I'm alive (though some people would disagree with me, or at least insist I go see a damned doctor). Been at Saltvik viking market. We arrived on Wednesday evening and got our tent up. Thursday was wonderful. Not too sunny and hot, just a rather pleasant temperature to be outside in.
Then it happened. Woke up very early on Friday morning from the rain beating on our tent. It wasn't an ordinary tap-tap-tap either, oh no. It was a roar. If I heard correctly, it poured down about 65 millimeters of water in just three hours. When we finally dragged our tired selves outside, we all had a minor shock. Half the market area was under water, and was later declared to be a disaster area. A lot of people lost goods or had them damaged, and a bunch had to be evacuated to sleep and dry up elsewhere. So the market was called off during Friday. We in our camp were relatively lucky, though. We just got slightly damp. It stopped raining around noon or so, which was perfect because one of the warriors in Balders Hird got married that day
We were back at it on Saturday - some more hungover after the wedding than others - since the water had been successfully drained away. And it didn't start to rain again until Sunday morning when we were packing up and taking down our tent.
Summing up: friendly people, fairly good sales, good and free food, jesters, music, fire-shows, Inger dancing and increasing her number of fans, insane warriors running with a trail of burning toilet paper tied to their dicks, rain, more rain, battles, a wedding, more battles, mead, beer, wine, pretty people, not so pretty people, ticks (I'm still blessedly spared from them), injuries, coughing like mad, fever, gambling, annoying children... One hell of a good time.
Of the three markets I've been on this summer, this was definitely the best. Mainly because of the group we camped with, I think. Leksand and Stallarholmen we were with Tattarklanen, but the more I hear about them the less I like them. This time around we were with Balders Hird and Huskarlarna, and they really made us feel welcome. Hell, I didn't even mind having to wash up all the pots twice a day with this gang.
I have much more to write, but I'm completely drained after this market (and the fact that my damned cold/influenza/fucking swine flu or whatever has decided to start all over again for the third time) so I'm going to bed. Pictures when I get them. Maybe.
Then it happened. Woke up very early on Friday morning from the rain beating on our tent. It wasn't an ordinary tap-tap-tap either, oh no. It was a roar. If I heard correctly, it poured down about 65 millimeters of water in just three hours. When we finally dragged our tired selves outside, we all had a minor shock. Half the market area was under water, and was later declared to be a disaster area. A lot of people lost goods or had them damaged, and a bunch had to be evacuated to sleep and dry up elsewhere. So the market was called off during Friday. We in our camp were relatively lucky, though. We just got slightly damp. It stopped raining around noon or so, which was perfect because one of the warriors in Balders Hird got married that day
We were back at it on Saturday - some more hungover after the wedding than others - since the water had been successfully drained away. And it didn't start to rain again until Sunday morning when we were packing up and taking down our tent.
Summing up: friendly people, fairly good sales, good and free food, jesters, music, fire-shows, Inger dancing and increasing her number of fans, insane warriors running with a trail of burning toilet paper tied to their dicks, rain, more rain, battles, a wedding, more battles, mead, beer, wine, pretty people, not so pretty people, ticks (I'm still blessedly spared from them), injuries, coughing like mad, fever, gambling, annoying children... One hell of a good time.
Of the three markets I've been on this summer, this was definitely the best. Mainly because of the group we camped with, I think. Leksand and Stallarholmen we were with Tattarklanen, but the more I hear about them the less I like them. This time around we were with Balders Hird and Huskarlarna, and they really made us feel welcome. Hell, I didn't even mind having to wash up all the pots twice a day with this gang.
I have much more to write, but I'm completely drained after this market (and the fact that my damned cold/influenza/fucking swine flu or whatever has decided to start all over again for the third time) so I'm going to bed. Pictures when I get them. Maybe.