BlueWolf Posted June 30, 2013 Report Share Posted June 30, 2013 (Photo overload ahead. Sorry, there's no way I can show what it looked like with less!) Yesterday I went to the city centre where they were holding an interesting annual event. The entire city centre got transformed to what Alkmaar looked like in 1573, right after it won the war with the Spanish. It was a happy moment in history to be in Alkmaar at that time, even though there was still the plague and poverty. After I was let in by the gatekeepers I could see the size of the event. Basically you just walk through the city and all around you there are people role playing. 700 people to be exact! Everyone had a separate role to play. They were incredible convincing! Enough to make me a bit uncomfortable while I photographed them because some of them looked so poor! Part of the city centre where it all happened. People making ropes, selling cheese, etc. The signs say "They think I am CRAZY!". Basically the village idiots. Yes, the one on the left is chewing on a shoe, lol. A limping person walked by. Couldn't make a photo of him upfront, I felt so sorry for him! So I did a sneaky one behind his back When I turned around I almost walked into a couple of nuns walking past. While I was still recovering I suddenly heard a crazy laughter across the street. Went to investigate and found this drunken person laughing at everything that happened around her. A bit further was the local musician. Walking down the street I found this absolutely scary person passing by, incredible huge and staring into nothingness. This is one of the many gravediggers I encountered. Just with his presence people in the street he made people stopped talking. in 1573 plague was still a real threat. I found these put away in a corner. They where looking at me, begging for money and help. I couldn't (and just took another photo. I felt incredible guilty!!) Someone being brought to the prison ...which honestly isn't a happy place. They begged being let out to everyone that walked past. One of the village idiots suddenly ran by, yelling "I am a coat stand! I am a coat stand!" View of the beautiful city. I was being looked at across the canal by what I think are the nobels. Doing the laundry outside More drunkards wobbling around the place! They randomly asked people how there day was going, as if they knew them for years, lol. It wasn't such a good time for the poor though. While walking past they asked me if I had something to spare. A couple of quacks, performing a 'surgery' on a bypasses. He had too much 'slime' according to the quacks so he just had the right tool to solve it! This was right before he used the anaesthetic (read: A hammer) Roman school teaching people about the universe, planets and gravity While looking at people I suddenly I hear people yelling behind me. I turn around and found there was a fire! Luckily the fire brigade was already there and extinguished the fire quickly. A blacksmith doing his work on the street. Also found a couple of stalls including this one. According to the sign they found the true solution of slimming. I took a peek inside and.. well... Lets not talk about it. I can just go one and one with all the things I saw there. While I was looking one direction, loads of things happened right behind me. I think I have only seen half of all the actor but it was an incredible experience being there nonetheless. I had one of those moments where I'm genuinely proud to be living in this city Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Posted July 1, 2013 Report Share Posted July 1, 2013 Wow, great street festival. Awesome Pics Jos Looks like you're descended primarily from Plague ridden drunken idiots. . . Nothing changed then eh?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Removed #5 Posted July 1, 2013 Report Share Posted July 1, 2013 Wow, great street festival. Awesome Pics Jos Looks like you're descended primarily from Plague ridden drunken idiots. . . Nothing changed then eh?? @ Andy!! Looks like you had a great time!! That could a 'bin a great time there - - memories of the good old days! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stormy Posted July 1, 2013 Report Share Posted July 1, 2013 Wow thats amazing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valkyries Posted July 1, 2013 Report Share Posted July 1, 2013 wicked and great pic's xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchie Posted July 1, 2013 Report Share Posted July 1, 2013 Thats awesome! When I was 6 years old we lived in a very medieval town called Josselin in Brittany, and every year would be the medieval festival, my dad was really into it and actually built a catapult for them, we took part in it for two years, first one we were peasants and the second year we were a noble family and my dad a knight, they're great fun to take part in! He was also part of a Roman reinactment team for a few years and he took us to the Kirby historical festival (My first trip to England lol), he was a Roman soldier and we were Roman kids, me and my brother actually lost our fellow Romans during the Parade and ended up walking with the world war 1 guys, looked a bit out of place! Lmao Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goingsolo Posted July 1, 2013 Report Share Posted July 1, 2013 Wow. Living history, I love things like this. Great pics Thankyou for sharing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bambi92 Posted July 2, 2013 Report Share Posted July 2, 2013 Wow that's amazing beautiful place to. I love history and medieval things. It's so interesting how much the world has changed over the years and what we now take for granted they never had anything like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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