
(photograph © Velvetine) used with permission
We are about to leave Vianden Castle in Vianden, Luxembourg.
Downstairs in one of the lower galleries (or Great Halls, or whatever they all it) is another market, this time of hand-made jewellery, medieval costumes, wood and leather work, local and regional produce.
Some of the vendors were packing up and I was fast reaching maximum pain tolerance after all this walking around the castle this afternoon, so I’ll be honest and admit that I only photographed some of the stalls closest to us.
One of these was a source of fascination to all of us because a lady selling honey and honey related products also had a section of a hive in a box with a clear perspex side wall and there were live bees inside it.
I’m severly allergic to both bees and wasps and so usually the only bee-line I ever make is in the opposite direction of the little beasts, so this provided an excellent opportunity for me to actually see some hive activity up close.
Behind the clear screen the little worker bees were in constant busy motion, and whilst in the low light their movement was hard to photograph, it was amazing to see how intricate and organised the work seemed to be.
After a good chat with the honey lady, we were then attracted to a stall that sold medieval costumes. As I mentioned in an earlier post we bought a simple knight’s tunic for Little Mr. which he was so delighted with that he immediately put it on and in his imagination was instantly transformed into a full blown knight.
He would have slept in it that night too but I was the mean Mama who said “No… let’s save it to wear again tomorrow instead” which once he got over his indignation of not being able to sleep in it, ended up being the next best thing.
He wore it for days afterwards, and at home, and eventually for a special event at school too.
Velvetine fell in love with a medieval gown, it had huge quirky medieval sleeves, but the reality of finding somewhere suitable to wear such a heavy garment in tropical Singapore plus the space such a big dress would take in her suitcase meant that we took photographs, dreamed about it but reluctantly left it behind. Soon we had to leave the castle behind too… so we slowly make our way back into to town of Vianden.

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)

(photograph © Kiwidutch)