Mary(land), Queen of Goths

The smell of clove cigarettes and patchouli incense permeated the air as my boyfriend and I walked around the simulated 16th century renaissance village that is the Maryland Renaissance Festival. It was a diverse and amusing social mix of people comprised of Harley-Davidson bikers, very pale teens covered in celtic tattoos and black velvet, as well as families of hardcore renaissance buffs - even babies were dressed as fair maidens or young squires. The coolest part of the festival this past weekend was that it was a special celebration of Scottish tradition complete with kilt-clad men (and one woman!) tossing cabers and couples dancing to the sweet sounds of pipes, drums, and bagpipes. The one woman in the caber toss competition totally ruled! The announcer said she was the first woman ever to enter the Festival's caber toss. She topped off the moment by actually flipping that caber right over. Right on! However to our dismay, the Scottish merriment had no haggis in sight.

The festival was much more interactive than I expected. There were opportunities to try one's skill at archery, axe throwing (my personal favorite), and that slam the hammer and hit the bell thing found at most carnivals. Mainly I simply enjoyed the sights, sounds, and smells of the crowd. People who seem to come from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds and cultures merged to have a good time and share in common interests. In this case, it was the joy of Scotland and the appreciation for the Renaissance.

Contrary to my libertarian ideals, I am more fascinated by the Middle Ages (often mixed up with the Renaissance period, though not the same). That dark and backward period holds some charm for me, for some reason. Maybe my interest in the medieval period all started when I read The Canterbury Tales and the story of King Arthur in high school. I admittedly have even celebrated my birthday in the themed restaurant Medieval Times. Yes, it was as cheesy as it sounds. It was glorious fun, though! Aside from the serfdom, "Black Death", and inhumane torture techniques there is something about that pre-Renaissance period that intrigues me. Actually, come to think of it, those may be some of the main reasons it fascinates me.