What have I become?

I don't know who I am anymore. I think Emily is going to disown me.

I found myself at the Renaissance fair last weekend, and I have to say I think I'm developing a split personality. Haha it really clashes sometimes, in an almost painful way.


There's the Caroline that most people know me by: cheerleader, good sense of fashion (well i try haha), very girly into painting nails, doing hair, make up, chick flix, and everything else the stereotypical air-headed cheerleader would be into.

Then there's the other Caroline: the one who's nerdy right up there with the best of them. Yup, that's right, Star wars, Star trek, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Chess Club, classical music, plays-video-games-like-a-bandit etc........and now the Renaissance fair.

I dressed up for the fair, because you get a discount if you do, and of course I went all out, (as is tradition in our family, to go all out when it comes to any type of costume) as a princess. Also of course, I was the most-dressed-up-person in our group. There was a peasant (Wes), a time traveler (aka Eliza didn't dress up, and I just dubbed her as that as of now), and a friar (Logan). Walking up to the entrance, there was a sign indicating prices, and under discount it didn't just say "dressed up" or "in costume" but "en garb". Garb?? ok, this should have been my first clue this would be...different. But walking through the plywood arch painted like a turret, I had the sudden urge to run back to the car; everything was so... nerdy, and so sudden, it was suffocating! I was still in the Cheerleader-Caroline mentality, and it just grated against my very being. Everywhere i turned, there were other people en garb, and sometimes waaay more than me. Like probably spent the better part of $100 dollars on a costume only worn once a year (or SHOULD be worn once a year). Also, there were many girls dressed up in belly dancer costumes, that should not, I repeat should not have been. Did I say girls? I meant to add middle-aged women too. *shudder*


I have to say, it was interesting when people would say "my lady" to me, and there was even one man who bowed. haha it was interesting. There were minstrels everywhere, playing lutes, and harps, while singing "ye olde musik". very authentic. And selling CDs.

There was jousting, and knighting, and booths selling whole-suits-of-armor custom made! You could actually buy precious stones at one. The Man at that booth was heavy set with a blond beard mustache, (clearly grown just for this fair, judging by the style. I hope.) who turned to me and my friends saying "pretty ladies! come! we have SHHHINY things!" then he started waggling his fingers at us, and his merchandise (which happened to be precious and semi-precious stones. like seriously, in the middle of a dusty field, next to a shallow murky river, selling diamonds and sapphires...? kinda sketch if you ask me). Haha me and Wes took one look at the man, and gave him a creeped-out-smile/grimace, before hurrying on to the next booth, as he continued to yell after us ("Pretty ladies like shiny things!! Come!!")

K, the knighting. Um it was legit. We walked up to the "court" which was housed in a tent, complete with King, Queen, and Royal Subjects, dressed in the most lavish garb there. They sat graciously, playing their part like they lived it everyday. A woman, dressed as a servant, held her fingers to her lips, and instructed us to kneel (which we didn't) at the foot of the throne, while the current...victim(?)...was knighted. She told us, in a whispered tone, that we could be knighted if we wished, but it would cost us three crowns for the king's time. Yeaaah. Three crowns....haha sorry, I just spent the last of my crowns buying that pair of wolverine claws back at that other booth(jk). We looked back at the throne, the kneeling person was being touched on the shoulders and back by a real sword, by the king, then instructed to rise; next the king said "Three cheers for the new knight, Sir what's-his-name! HIP HIP..." and I said " HOORAY!" where everyone else said "HUZZAH!", then looked at me like I had done something very wrong. Logan seemed to find it quite funny haha :-P. As soon as I realized my mistake I quickly said "I mean HUZZAH.", but alas, by then they were already on the second "HIP HIP", and I just failed again. The worst part of it was that the nerdy part of me wanted to be knighted. But the more sensible part of me refused (thankfully), and I was able to pull myself away unscathed.

There were all kinds of food stands, with corny names like "The Holy Grill" and "The Friar's Fry-er". I had a very good flat bread melt at a booth with an equally embarassing name, that i cannot remember for the life of me. I think it too had the "holy grail" motif.

The jousting was pretty cool. The knights really knew how to play the crowd, and it was really cool to see my favorite kind of horse in real life: a friesian: (ahh I love it. As much as a Steinway)



There was a woman in a wheel chair next to me; the knight had a bunch of pink roses that he was handing out to "fair princesses and queens" in the crowd. He came up to the woman in the wheelchair, and told her "that's a fine chariot you have there my lady." and gave her the rose, while everyone cheered for this princess :). It was great.

There was one booth offering massages.....chya.....from a guy with hair like Kenny G, but black, with a beard and mustache. Oh yeah, and stretch pants. Very creepy. haha, no thank you. Also many booths with tarot reading and crystal ball fortunes ect. For like $30! Totally robbing people.

Overall, I had a ton of fun, and even learned a little bit of contact juggling (look out David Bowie!), which I intend to perfect, as soon as a get a contact juggling ball. Which will be soon. Also, being a princess for a day isn't too bad :) Also I got some real freshwater pearl earrings for pretty cheap, and a cute ring :). Not bad, I say.

I didn't take many pictures, but here are the two I did take: yup, there was no way I was going to put my head in there! It's too nerdy for me! Even after I settled into my nerdy-self.