The last days of summer – time for Saltspring Island Fall
Fair, and – coincidentally – time for the monthly Saltspring Milonga. One heads
off via ferry across the waters of Stuart Channel, and – to allow plenty of time for the
Saltspring Experience – one rents a place to sleep for a night.
Stocking up on Poop and Scoop supplies - by the yard....
Most striking passenger on the crossing: a gentleman who
loaded up on doggy poop bags provided via self serve dispenser by the community
at the ferry parking lot. He had no dog, but he pulled out enough bags to last
a month of doggy business, should he ever get a dog.
Luxury in the Woods...
On Saltspring Island I checked into my five star ‘log cabin’
which according to the advertising comfortably but rustically sleeps two adults
and a child….bring your own sleeping pad and bedding. Yes, it has water, one
electric outlet, a single light bulb under the ceiling, a window and a door,
for which you bring your own lock or borrow one against a five dollar deposit.
Well, it is a campground, and the ‘cabin’ is a glorified tent. Clean showers
and toilets available.
Rustic Bunks...Mother Earth visible through the cracks in the floor...
Yes, it had potable water 'on site'
Off to the Fair on Rainbow Road. One realizes how many
people actually live on Saltspring when faced with endless line of cars parked
at both sides of the narrow streets leading up to the fair – it went on for
miles!
Two days of Fair Fun....
Fall Fairs have changed character over the last few decades.
In the seventies they were competitive gatherings of local (and visiting)
farmers and ranchers to exhibit and judge livestock, poultry, fruit of field
and garden, heavy horse and light horse competition with a bit of country
entertainment and home cooking thrown in for good measure to round out the
agricultural theme.
Goose Selfie...
Today Fairs have mutated into food fairs, exhibition of a
few farm animals (more like ‘samples’ of the real thing back at the farm), competitions
of handicrafts and home cooking, sheep dog trials and plenty of diversions for
youngsters such as zucchini or chicken races.
Working Sheep Dog trial....
Gentlemen, start up your engines....
Race Result for the feathered runners....
And the winners are.....
Quilting Exhibit
Flower Arrangement Exhibit
Textile Art Exhibit
What remains the same is this: excellent venue for people
watching, especially on Saltspring Island which is somewhat ‘a world apart’, a
paradise for aging and still young hippies, alternative life style
adherents,everything organic from
clothing to meals at the food stands, fringe fashions and non-traditional
family structures, and a forest of Green Party button wearers .
Left female - right male...
International Cooks and Cooking at the Fair
The weather cooperated, and rubber Wellington Boots were
optional…
Quirky Fashions of the Island
Cooking up something organic, which smelled delicious
Flowing Fashions of Saltspring
Flowing Tresses of Saltspring
I spent an enjoyable afternoon watching, mingling as well as
tasting sweet fresh corn on the cob, before heading to the local milonga Por El
Amor del Tango for a few hours of dancing tango – and a Chacarera (popular
Argentinian Folkdance) to mark ‘half time’ of the dance session.
Let's Dance....
with a view over Saltspring Harbour
It was pitch dark when I returned to the camp ground, only
the lights of a few RV’s of my camping neighbours were still on. My immediate
neighbour had a cozy camp fire lighting up the front of his travel trailer, and
he attended the flickering source of light and warmth totally naked…hmmm….time
to ‘flee’ to the interior of my little home away from home.
Saltspring Island, always a memorable experience…..
Backdrop to the Edinburgh Tattoo: Edinburgh Castle
17 August in Edinburgh, Scotland, the last port of call for
this cruise, made for an impressive finale: watching The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo,
by many called one of the ‘Greatest Shows on Earth’.
Logo....Internet Photo
And I was fortunate enough to secure a ticket to the one
performance on this day of the always sold out events.
Anyone not familiar with a ‘military tattoo’ may not
realize, that is does not refer to any kind of skin graffiti of military
events, moms or lovers, or any other inked subjects.The name tattoo refers to large musical
performances originally of military fife and drum bands. Today military bands
are joined by military precision teams, highland dancers and last but not least
– bag pipe bands of civilian and military origin. Here in Edinburgh India’s
Bollywood brings a little levity to the serious business of bag piping.
Play of Lights on Castle Walls
The word Tattoo takes its name from the cry of inn keepers
in the Netherlands more than 300 years ago. Innkeepers ordered ‘Do den tap toe’
(Mach den Kran zu, oder, turn the taps off) when they heard the
fifes and drums of the local regiment marching through streets and alleys
signalling to revelling soldiers to stop guzzling and return to barracks.
The first Edinburgh Military Tattoo (of just 8 acts) took
place on the Edinburgh Castle Esplanade in 1950. It was the contribution of the
Army of Scotland to Edinburgh’s International Festivals and attracted 6000
visitors.
65 years later…the show goes on each year for about 3 weeks,
attracting nearly 9000 people every night. It has grown into a 90 minute
performance showcasing some of the finest military and civilian musicians and
dancers from across the Globe (this year’s theme is ‘East meets West’). Annual
tattoo visitor count reaches 220,000 of which 65,000 come from overseas – many
just to see the Tattoo. If you cannot attend, no problem, it is broadcast on TV
in 40 countries. Not one performance has ever been cancelled – rain or shine –
rain ponchos are part of the ‘entry package’.
The Star....Internet Photo....
The very good news is, that the Tattoo is ‘not for profit’.
Although costs to mount this spectacle (more than 1300 performers on the stage,
stands and facilities go with it) must be sky high, surplus is gifted to charities
for former service men, women with disabilities, homeless and unemployed.
The spectacular mass performance is crowned with a solo
performance of a bag piper, who stands alone on the ramparts of Edinburgh
Castle and plays a haunting ‘The Piper of Loos’.
Well, I was in for the whole thing, except the Lone Piper:
in addition to a great seat, I had bought the ‘Scotch Whisky Experience’
package, which included aPre-Show
Scottish Dinner taking place in the ‘Amber Room’ located in a historic building
just across from the ‘draw-bridge’ into Edinburgh Castle and next door to the
show venue.
To prove that British cuisine is not all bangers and mash,
here is part of the menu: Isle of Bute smoked salmon, Carpaccio of Highland
venison cured in treacle and whisky, Haggis bon-bons, Fillet of Scottish Beef
with wild mint and radish potato cake purple carrots and wild mushroom sauce,
Chocolate and Whisky pot, Cranachan mousse…all accompanied by (imported) wine
and crowned by a dram of the Good Stuff: Scottish Whisky.
Dinner was a delight - and so was The Dram
Although my eating habits aboard ship are quite ‘frugal’ – I
ate the whole thing, it was THAT GOOD! Although haggis does not sound that
inviting as far as the recipe is concerned (lots of sheep innards) these
‘bon-bons’ actually tasted quite delicious!
Happily primed, our group of diners took their seats in
plenty of time for the performance to begin. We were extremely fortunate, as we
had no need to deploy our rain ponchos – we enjoyed an almost Mediterranean
warm and pleasant evening – perfect!
May the Games Begin - the official start....
I have heard many a times a single bagpipe, even a small
band – but watching the measured steps of hundreds of bagpipers, marching
slowly into the Esplanade and playing in unison is overwhelming. The Royal
Scots Dragoons, The Black Watch, The Highlanders, The Gurkha Rifles, The Royal
Air Force bagpipe bands all played for The United Kingdom, The Citadel from
South Carolina, The Royal CanadianMounted Police, Auckland Police and Christchurch City from New
Zealand, Manly Warringah and Scotch College from Australia, the Crossed Swords
from Berlin, The Piper’s Trail of the
Tattoo joined together in a medley of popular bagpipe music. Each band wore
their traditional tartan kilts, supplemented with various historic
paraphernalia, unique head gear and swinging sporrans; most wearing white
gaiters as well, which accentuated the syncopated marching to perfection.
The leit-motif for this year’s Tattoo is East Meets West,
hence the first act finished with a large colourful Ying and Yang symbol formed
by hundreds of pipers.
Ying and Yang of Pipers - East meets West in Harmony
The ‘West’ share of the evening brought performers (various
bands, precision weapon handling, highland dancing, precision drumming) from
Scotland, Shetland, Switzerland and the USA – each of them top class.
The Pipes and Drums of the 2nd Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles
The United States Air Force Honor Guard
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Highland Dancers
The Citadel Regimental Band, The Military College of South Carolina
Switzerland's Top Secret Drum Corps
The ‘East’ share brought the Military Band and Lotus Dragon Dance from China and a Bollywood Love Storyfrom India, all of them eliciting thunderous applause from the over 8000 spectators.
The Military Band of the People's Liberation Army of China
Military Band of China
Changxing Lotus Dragon Dance Folklore Group
Lotus Dragon Dance
The Ditadel Band, South Carolina...Stars and Stripes on the Castle Walls
Impossible to describe in words…the rousing music, the esthetically
pleasing colourful choreography, the magical ever changing ‘back drop’
illumination of the Castle Walls (always a-pro-po to the theme of a specific
performance), and the ever darkening clear sky above all contributed to ‘let’s take
you away’ into a festive joyful world.
A Bollywood Love Story - Twelve dancers from India teaming up with forty dancers drawn from South Asian dance groupls in Scotland
Glamor and colour to delight the eye and Indian music to please the ear...
The timeless theme of boy meets girl, East meets West, is symbolized by a 'Scottish Boy' dancing with his 'Indian Girl' - two cultures meeting through dance and music
Yes, its Bollywood - it out glitters Hollywood anytime
Even the parasols have a magical gleam
...and there is ALWAYS a Happy Ending!
When the all bands, dancers and singers entered the
Esplanade to join together celebrating the Grand Finale,one little black pony ‘stood at attention’ in
front of the stage, also ‘dressed’ in its own Tartan.
At respectful attention: Piper and Pony
The Finale was truly a magnificent spectacle…imagine
hundreds of pipers and drummers playing ‘Dancing in the Street’ and hundreds of
dancers in kilts, saris and Chinese costumes dancing to it. A whole medley of
popular music introduced a great display of fireworks lighting up the skies
behind Edinburgh Castle.
The Bollywooders
The Cast 'of thousands'
The last Massed Band piece with the Erskine Stewart's Melville School Choir singing in the Castle's Portal
Final Presentation of The Cast
The National Anthem (I had to leave at this important point
in time to catch my train back) was followed by Auld Land Syne, and the
haunting sounds of the Lone Piper, who stands all alone on the Castle’s
ramparts to play solo: The Piper of Loos.
I regretted missing the very final part of the show,
however, I had to do a quick march to the beat of my own piper towards Waverley
Station through the as yet deserted stretch of the Royal Mile before 8000
people would descend on it, to catch the second to last train of the day to
take me back across the Firth of Forth to Inverkeitling Train Station.
A few co-cruisers also arrived and we ‘enjoyed’ a rather
rambunctious journey accompanied by the deafening hollering of various drunk
youths, who sprawled all over the aisles of the train, and made a less than
savoury spectacle of themselves. Some locals found it necessary to apologize
(to us ‘tourists’) for their offensive behaviour, probably reacting to the
shocked expression on the faces of our fellow cruisers.
Deserted 'Royal Mile' just before 8000 spectators would descend on it
Sharing a taxi from the train station, we made it back aboard
not only before midnight, but BEFORE the official ship’s tours returned.
One went to bed humming something vaguely Scottish, and
shortly after, watching the brightly lit foundations of the new bridge over the
Firth of Forth glide by while Prinsendam started our last sea leg to Ijmuiden
(Amsterdam) where my journey would finish as well.
Floating past the Pylons of the new bridge under construction over the Firth of Forth...Adios Edinburgh!
But what a Finale!!! Out with a bang.
I missed filming some of 'Bollywood' - however, this may convey an idea - on a small scale - what a Tattoo looks and sounds like....
