Summer 11 - Medieval Week Mingle

[norrhamn_residents]

Okay, so maybe Norrhamn isn't as big of a tourist attraction as Gotland. Maybe it's not home to the best preserved medieval city in Scandinavia, complete with ring wall and twelve church ruins. Maybe it can't even compete with the near Mediterranean climate that Visby has during those late summer weeks, but Norrhamn knows one thing — how to do a lot with very little.

Welcome to Medieval Week - Lite Edition

The beach on the eastern side of the Island has been decked out with as many wooden tables and benches as is logistically possible, while still leaving some areas free for games and dancing. There's a wooden stage set up close to the woods, and a couple of racks of lovingly sponsored time-appropriate clothes available for those who want to blend in with the times.

Entertainment: To set the mood, management hired a band of Baltic musicians that will take up the stage for most of the day, playing well into the night. There's also dumb-ass jester performances from time to time, usually while the musicians are taking a break. The biggest event however is the fire show that starts up as soon as night falls right by the edge of the water.

Games: There's not quite enough room for an actual jousting tournament (my heart breaks) but there's a whole heap of stick horses for those eager to make their own. You're also welcome to take part in any number of feats of skill and strength, like rövkrok, armwrestling, or pillow-fighting on a slick wooden log. For those of a more intellectual persuasion, there's also a number of medieval board- card- and dicegames available.

Food and drink: Oh man. Oh man? There's so much food. Like, if some of the early guests thought that first welcome party had food in abundance, you ain't seen nothin' yet. Between the whole spit-roasted wild boar, through the pea soup and pork, the saffron-pancakes with dewberry jam, the roasted root vegetables (no potatoes in sight), the smoked pike-perch, the freshly baked spiced breads, the apple- hazelnut bread pudding, no one will go home hungry*. Wash it down with flagons of mead, spiced wine, beer brewed on honey and hops, or perfectly alcohol-free elderberry or lingonberry lemonades.

*There is of course thirium alternatives for the android population.

For those interested in more info on the actual Medieval Week, here's a link

Comments

super late to the party

[freedomordeath]

[ When she had heard of a medieval week at Norrhamn, North had simply nodded and pretended that she knew what this was about. Medieval weeks had been very far removed from her life, far enough she didn't have a clue what to expect.

Soon enough she finds herself in a bright yellow dress exploring the festival grounds, listening in fascination to the music, inspecting the foodstuffs - strangely touched when she discovers the mug of bright blue liquid lined up with mead and wine like it belongs. Like they belong.

She spends most of her time listening to the music and watching the jesters, but every now and then she wanders over to watch the games, especially the armwrestling. She certainly looks like she could be talked into a game.

In the evening, a bockstensmantel in olive and brown is draped over her shoulders though she doesn't even get cold in this weather. She just likes the muted colors, the ability to fade into the background as she watches the fire show from a wary distance.

There's a frown creasing her brow when she nudges another spectator nearby. ] Do you think that's safe?