Knights in Shining Armor

                            

Rohan Stables holds a tourney every year at the Turku Medieval Market, but this year was a special anniversary show with a new program.

                            

                               Here's the master of ceremonies. He was hilarious.

                        

                                                   Medieval air guitar!

                                                               Jousting with real lances!

                                                            Behold the awesome!

                              Only one of the knights was a lady, but she was twice as fierce!

                                

                                  The knight getting a favour from a lady in the audience.

                      

Here he is in action, throwing a spear. It tipped some kind of lighter fluid into the fire so the flames jumped. 

                    

                              

Here they are hitting each other with batons, trying to knock the feather thingy off the other's head. 

                              

                                        There's just something about men in armour...

                                 After the show the kiddies (and adults!) got to pet the horses. Awww!

Rohan stables is doing more shows this weekend, but if you can't make it, here's their itinerary for the summer tour (these are all in Finland, but they do shows all over Europe):

• Historiallisen ratsastuksen ja taistelun SM 2016 16. - 17.7. - Turun Linna
• Hollolan Keskiaikamarkkinat 29. - 31.7. - Hollola
• Verlan Aika 6. - 7.8. - Kouvola
• Kokkolan keskiaikapäivät - 3. - 4.9. - Kokkola
• Keskiaikaiset saaristolaismarkkinat 10.9. - Taalintehdas

They also do courses, even private ones. Want to try your hand at knightly skills? These sound so cool.

At the Medieval Market

                        

Turku hosts an awesome medieval market every summer. It's kind of like a Renaissance fair, but with a Finnish flavour. I go every year and eat as many candy apples as I can manage. (My record is five in two days, but maybe I'll break it this year.) There's also a jousting tournament by Rohanin tallit (Stables of Rohan), concerts, feasts,  all kinds of little skits happening at Suurtori, and the museums all have special activities for kids and adults alike. If you really want to get into the spirit, you can even rent a medieval costume on site. With a little imagination, you can pretend you're in your favourite fantasy book on a feast day.

                                 

                                                    Yep. They fry an entire pig every year.

                                

                    Some kids screamed "Follow the Archbishop!" when this guy went by. 

          This year the market's from June 30th to July 3rd. You can see the programme here.

                                

                                                            The blacksmith's shop.

                     

                                                                         Viiiikings!!!

                                      

                                                                    Candy apples and pears.

                                      

           Awesome art. I really, really want those inn signs, but I have absolutely no place to hang them.

                                      

                                   
                                                             More books from Salakirjat.

                                     

                                                                        Deerskins and rabbit pelts. 

                                     

                                                Beautiful garments decorated with fantasy art.

                                   

                           Weapons for the kiddies. My nephew got a working bow. That'll end well.