How We Spent Our Summer Vacation: Part 1, The Middle Ages

This year, we stay-cationed it, taking a bunch of awesome daylong trips all around our area - and then still getting to enjoy the comfort of sleeping in our own beds every night.

The first bit of the week was super medieval-themed, and we really got into the swing of things at Ye Olde Renaissance Faire and Reenactorium. It was pirate weekend, and of course we threw on some hastily-assembled gaaaarrrb for the occasion (although since we were a crew of good guys, we decided that we were Her Royal Majesty's privateers and not just some scurvy pirate scum). Here are Little Roundee, Flowerita, and the mysterious Navigatrix. Taking the picture? Captain Brown Beard:





Most of the day's highlights revolved around some kind of sword-fighting because obviously. First up? The duel to end all duels, the epic combat that lasted almost 7 minutes - ladies and gentlemen, I give you myself and Mr. Forty-Two Roads all leather-armored up and actually hitting each other with giant and heavy (though blunted) honest-to-goodness swords! It was super fun and completely and utterly exhausting. How on earth did anyone do this wearing actual armor?



The next bout of blade battling was more a melee free-for-all, and let me tell you - those plastic swords are worth their weight in digital Amazon money.





Oh, and did I mention there was a falconry show? Check out this beautiful bird!



Our festival of anachronistic Dark Ages celebration next ventured to Medieval Times, which is that awesome place where dudes perform all sorts of acrobatic stunts on horseback and then stage-fight for your amusement while you eat chicken with your fingers. You know, just like everyone used to six hundred year ago. And yet, it was sort of a magical night because totally out of nowhere, Lara was picked to be the Queen of the Tournament! Here is the green knight giving her a sash:



She was pretty stoked.

Stay tuned for the next part of our vacay - cave diving!