Horsens - Medieval Jousts. Some ponytails.

Medieval competition reenactments: these are common in other places in Europe, and the United States; but there is special fun in seeing Viking country get all jousted up.

Did Vikings really do that? Somehow the concepts of chivalry, and the gradations from page to squire to knight and all that are too orderly for these folk. Instead, were they in their longboats, and with battleaxes, fighting back at the encroaching and violent Christians and their forced religion, including Charlemagne beating at the Saxon doors not far south. See Western Ethnic Violence Timeline/

Not sure. So enjoy the joust.

length of the lance, joust, Horsens, Denmark

Ladies judge the skills, Horsens Medieval Festival, Denmark

Distances must be measured for safety, Medieval Festival Horsens, Denmark

Horse charge too close. Run. Medieval Festival, rehearsal day, Horsens, DK

And a lady jouster with pony tail. 

Knight with blonde pony-tail, a lady in armor.  Why are you surprised? Horsens Medieval Festival, Horsens, DK

Women in armor.  Not unusual then.  See Switzerland Road Ways, Thun Castle; and also at Chillon,  Switzerland.  And Italian accounts of female Military Orders .  We looked that up once, will find.  Try Spain Road Ways, or perhaps Italy Road Ways of ours.

The next charge starts, buppity bupp, Horsens Medieval Festiva, DK

Horses charging down the divided track, competitor coming at you, one after another, Horsens DK, medieval re-enactment

Longest lance, Medieval Joust Festival, Horsens, DK

Favorite tree:  Ginkgo, Horsens, DK.

Horsens - European Medieval Festival - Prep Day

Horsens

Medieval Action Town Once a Year

The town of Horsens hosts a European Medieval Festival annually, known for its crowds of enthusiastic would-be's and their retainers.  Come to Jutland. At Middelalder.

Horsens Medieval Fair, poster, Horsens, Denmark

See it at ://www.worldtravelguide.net/denmark/horsens-european-medieval-festival/  The advantage to this festival is that it comes at the end of the summer, a time to suit the nonconformist visitor. Midsummer has enough. This event relies largely on the benevolences begun by philanthropists like Christian Daniel Danjelsen.

Daniel Widing with benefactorof similar name,  memorial for Christian Daniel Danjelsen, Horsens cultural community,  Denmark

Christian Daniel Danjelsen, 1842-1921. He was a Barrister who, with his wife, set up a large charitable trust for the "embellishment' of the town of Horsens.  See Christian Daniel Danjelsen, benefactor, ebook. Here is Mr. Danjelsen, the one on the left. Admire the mustache. The gentleman on the right is another Daniel, pleased at the name. 

Horsens European Medieval Festival, family life

We tried to schedule our time to be there on The Day, but arrived early when all was being set up. The festival is in the city, on a large open space, but parking still is difficult.  And pricey.  Early arrivals:  strolling, chances to talk.

Horsens Medieval Fair, Horsens, DK.  Picnic grounds, fast food or BYO.

Horsens Medieval Fair, Horsens, DK. Down time.

Daniel Widing spies a chink, as in Shakespeare Pyramus and Thisbe? Horsens, Denmark

There was 20 minutes to go before the official jousting rehearsal in the arena -- saunter around.

Dan Widing meets a troubadour, Horsens Medieval Festival, Denmark

Scandinavia has a sense of design in places we usually ignore. How very tasteful is the wicker.

The necessary.  Detail at the fair. Horsens DK with appropriate aesthetic privacy screening for the row, Horsens Fair, Denmark

So:  The Grounds are Ready.  Now:  to the Games. For a preview, see

Silkeborg: Ask for a Conference Center. Surprise.

Arriving late to most places, as we do, is risky. And with dark, comes fatigue. There be boars out there. So, take what you can get.

Boar, Silkeborg Museum, DK

Here, we lucked out.  Note the ingenious parking arrangement. Up-end granite bricks, leave spaces in between let the grass grow green.  Virtually invisible from a distance, easy upkeep. No mud. 

Parking design, granite and grass, Silkeborg, DK

Our cottage, conference center for the night, Silkeborg DK

Whimsy in Scandinavia. Watch for the statues, Silkeborg, DK

And the one-tap necessary.  Here is an economical arrangement:  one set of taps, at the sink.  Just flip the toggle over there and the shower starts over here. And no rims, just a measly curtain, no partition,  just everything tilting down to the center drain.

The one-tap necessary.

That's just a hand-hold over there, where the shower hose is, so you don't slip and fall on your necessary.