Somehow we managed to stumble into Vannes at the same time they hold their three day Medieval Festival and as soon as we entered the city wall and climbed the ramparts, in front of us was a great garden full of displays and “animations” – leadlighters, blacksmiths, coin makers, weavers, dancers and hundreds of people in fine costumes. The next day and night were spent wandering the streets being entertained at every turn by performers, singers, dancers, acrobats, puppeteers – one was a dead ringer for Jonathon Thurston. In the afternoon a grand procession of all the performers and those in costume paraded through the city’s ancient streets. It was terrific and couldn’t believe our good fortune to have stumbled on it all. The city alone, with its 600 year old houses and shops would have been sufficient, but these two days were really special.
“The use of travelling is to regulate imagination by reality, and instead of thinking how things may be, to see them as they are.” – Samuel Johnson
Wow – sounds like you struck it lucky there! It would have been so interesting to see all that – was their leadlighting as good as yours Dad? Couldn’t possibly be!