Having been in the middle ages for a couple weeks, it is really hard to come back and return to "normal time"! I have to wear a watch again, and dress less comfortably (no, my personna does NOT wear a corset!) and be places not so fun as pennsic. Sigh. But the stuff that's no fun can stay behind, like the storms and low flying planes and politics. Is there anywhere that we can escape politics? I think not, unfortunately. But oh the stuff to be learned! I took an English country dasnce class, a bellydance class, 2 herbal medicine classes (history) and Viking wire jewelry, a couple costume classes, medieval beverages and 2 archaeology classes on viking clothing finds. A broad body of knowledge, and those are only a few of the available classes. And the SHOPPING! I didn't have a lot of disposable income this year, but there was so much to choose from... there was fabric and jewelry, sewing tools and books, honey, candles and weaving stuff, yarn, spindles and bone needles. You can buy herbs and spices from all over the world, armour, weapons, brass mirrors, shoes, clothing, bone, horn, and leather. You can find beads and cast pewter, buttons, pottery, tents, rugs and incense, there are vendors who specialize in a time or place, some who have baltic amber from Latvia, rosewood and mahogany from the Caribbean, drums from Africa and Ireland, zils from Egypt, handcarved lutes and ouds, handmade trebouchets, swords and crossbows and handthrown three-legged pots and castiron cauldrens. Oh the shopping!
