My Medieval Journey

I've spent the last weekend at a Medieval/Renaissance Faire in Santa Maria da Feira (Aveiro, Portugal). I had been expecting it for so long! Although I've known the Medieval Journey faire for five years now, I had never visited it at night time. And my boyfriend and I have waited for the opportunity to camp during the event for quite of a long time. This year, we finally grabbed it. :)

Tent, sleeping bags, a change of clothes and fresh water and fruit was practically all we needed to carry in our trip (a long one since we have no car) to Santa Maria - and consequently to the 12th and 13th centuries.

Nowadays, the Medieval Journey is one of the events that most trill me each passing year (thanks to my boufriend and his mother :p) and, although I'm not a big fan of History, medieval times and its mystical character have always fascinated me. To me, being in the middle of the Medieval Journey means being surrounded by things I love: handicrafts, natural soaps and candles, incense, tea, crystals... and, also, in a big party! There's always a lot of music, food and drink, games, performances and many other unexpected surprises right in the middle of the street. And there is also a lot of... handmade jewelry! Amazingly or not, I can always spend a long time observing other people's work... and that is all I need to trigger my own inspiration. In fact, that's the best "study" method! :)

I can't forget to mention that Wilwarin Designs itself was also born of this same fantasy concept, associated with old, mystic times. Unfortunately, Wilwarin is still a too young business to have its own stall, but I hope someday some year I can bring my work onto a fair of this size.

Here are some of my best memories of this weekend:

Dramatization at one of the various meal areas; a young peasant is cheated in a tabern and forced to pay what he consumed with his own clothes. Very funny! :)

King D. Sancho I's royal paladin.

Visiting the Medieval Journey faire without yielding to a few temptations is not the same thing! Like this  forest fruits pie. Fancy a bite? ;D

Musical performance (artists unknown).

Birds of prey, always conquering everyone's hearts...

Nocture jousting show. Very entertaining!

The blacksmith and his forge, near the military camp.

Our tent right in the corner of the camping field. If only we didn't have to deal with the noise at night, the lack of a mattress (damn, my poor back), nor the slope which made us slide and "climb" the floor of the tent every 30 minutes of sleep! :)

Now I'm back to the 21st century, but having spent two entire days surrounded by so many things I love, I couldn't avoid bringing with me, besides the fantastic memories, some material souvenirs. Better show them another time as this post is getting too long already! ;)