Jo’s Monday walk : Paderne Medieval Fair

It seemed a strange time of year to have a Medieval Fair, and curiosity drew me to Paderne.  It’s another of those small Algarve villages that punches above its weight when it comes to the grand occasion.  It was a lovely day for a drive out into the countryside, so off we went, arriving unfashionably early.  Later we were glad that we had done, as parking became extremely fraught.  As it was, we had the streets almost to ourselves as we browsed the stalls, smiling and exclaiming at the range of goods.  Who to buy a hobby horse for, or maybe a many-legged puppet?

I was so busy looking that I scarcely noticed the beating of drums until the procession was almost upon me.  A curtsey may well have been in order, for I was swept contemptuously aside by an imperious lord.  Amends were made when a handsome knight stooped to kiss my hand, covering me with confusion.  Suitably embarrassed, I stepped back to watch the parade.

Drums beat and pipes skirled as they swayed towards me.  A lady with an enigmatic smile carried an unblinking owl, and another conjured with a crystal ball.  In a small square a stage had been set up, and here the entertainment began.  His Lordship welcomed the assembled crowd, many of whom were busy feasting at trestle tables.  The aroma of roasting meat filled the air, as dancing girls twirled voluptuously and masked drummers kept up the steady beat.  An accomplished violinist expertly filled any gaps.

The “village lasses” laughed and teased each other, flirting outrageously to the disgust of their “elders and betters”, who tried to shoo them away.

Next the turn of the pipe band, who blew up a storm before leading the procession off to another venue, by the church steps.  We followed, in search of refreshment, and were surprised to find camera crews setting up, and a young lady conducting interviews.  Time to move on.

The streets were colourfully attired, both for Christmas and the Fair, with traditional nuts, seeds and dried fruits stacked high on stalls.

In a quiet moment we slipped inside the church, where a simple crib scene had been set up in front of the altar.

A naive Presépio (Nativity scene) presided in a tiny hall opposite the church, and around the corner a donkey waited patiently in his stable.

There was little pause in the revelry and, wherever you lingered, you’d find your toes tapping to a constant rhythm.  No-one had been left out, with games and ‘medieval’ rides for the children and armed combat for their seniors.

Not forgetting the sinuously swaying lady with the veil.  All eyes were drawn to her swivelling hips and dainty feet, up on the stage.

Reluctantly we made our way out of the village for, soon after three in the afternoon, crowds were beginning to gather.  A main stage outside of the Medieval Fair provided boisterous entertainment with a more modern flavour.  I know which I preferred.

I’d like to add this post to Cathy’s beautiful Photography Invitation.  My intention was to capture the atmosphere of the fair in photos.

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No cake but we’ve over-indulged lately, wouldn’t you say?  And dried fruit must be a healthier option.  Many thanks to you all for wandering along with me.  Please find a little time to visit the good folk below.  And join me next time, here on Jo’s Monday walk?

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How about this for a brilliant idea?  Debbie knows I can only draw Stick Men  😦

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Street art!  Sandra wonders how you feel about it :

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Drake acknowledges that life isn’t always pretty :

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Take a step or two back in time with Anne :

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Enjoy an unusually balmy January day with Irene :

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Or an autumnal birthday jaunt, with Cathy :

Celebrating a birthday at Mary’s Rock

And lastly, a nice young man I’d like you to meet :

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That’s it for another week.  Hope you enjoyed it.  Take care, and I’ll see you soon!

116 comments

  1. Nothing beats a festival like those in Spain or Portugal. The people seem to throw themselves completely into it, don’t they, even the elders get in on the act. And I love it that they are not geared to the tourists either. You do seem to keep on discovering lovely places and events in your second home. Lovely photos, as usual.

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    1. We need to spread our wings a bit, Mari. There’s still a lot of Portugal I’d like to see, but I’m very happy with what we have here. 🙂 🙂 Thanks a lot, darlin!

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  2. Jo, what a perfect antidote to post-Christmas blues!😀 The colour and flair of the dancers is hypnotic and I’m sure I could hear those mesmerising drums! What a fun event, and yes, I too would prefer this one! And I’d have to buy a hobby horse – so many lovely memories from childhood! 😀

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  3. Great photos of what I am sure was a fun event. I wonder, in 1000 years, when they have fairs that celebrate life about the year 2000, what they will do? I assume they will have a display where people can drive a car and play around with ancient technology like smartphones, but who knows?

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  5. so beautiful, seems it was a great fun and enjoyable time to be there… I wished too. Thank you, you captured amazing photographs that carried us too… Love, nia

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  9. What I love about the photos you shared is that although of course this was a planned event, with fabulous authenticity in costume and staging it almost felt spontanteous with a hint of time travel. I would have loved every minute of this beautiful energy. The colors of the food stalls, with dried flowers and herbs, candied fruit and I don’t know what all, was really appealing. This was truly delightful, Jo, and I’m really glad you shared it with us.

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    1. The crazy thing is, Debra, that if you visit this village today it’s just a sleepy little place, with no hint of an adventurous life. It’s like a desert flower when it blooms. Thank you for enjoying it with me 🙂 🙂

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  16. Your photos are great Jo. It looks like such a fun event. I can’t imagine anything quite like that here, which is a shame. I think we need more dress-up exuberance 😀

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      2. I’m sure climate plays a part, Su, but aside from that, there’s an innocence to Portuguese enjoyment that I truly love. At the weekend we went to a Fado concert in a local church. Not everyone’s cup of tea, but after the event a group got up from the audience to sing us some ‘charolas’- basically wishes for a good year ahead, traditionally sung in January only. Such a sweet thing to be part of. 🙂

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  17. You certainly did capture this fair beautifully, Jo, not only with your fabulous photos but with your captivating text as well. I felt like I was there, and could feel the activity and hear the music. I love the colorful dried fruits, the flags, the puppets, and the nativity scene at the quiet church. You did a great job of capturing all the movement and the costumes. I remember when I was in Pamplona for their festival, it was all too much swirling activity to actually sort out any decent photos. What fun for everyone. Thanks for linking up to mine. I’ll be pleased to add it to my Thursday post. 🙂

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    1. Thanks so much, Cathy. You have some wonderful challenges and it’s not often that I can fit one in so I was pleased this one turned out well. 🙂 🙂 It was a great afternoon’s entertainment.

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