Saturday 1 August 2009

Hanse Festival 2009- Saturday




As I get back home on Saturday afternoon, I see out my window that the Quay is buzzing with people, and whilst I’m getting changed and drinking coffee I hear the sound of drums from out there.

By the time I get out the drums have stopped, but there are certainly a lot of people around. I’m “amused” to see that one of the charity stalls have set up a table and chairs right outside our front gate! As I walk up the road, I see some women in bright costumes walking in the opposite direction, followed by people carrying drums - this must be the band I heard and I hope I didn’t miss the performance. I look round the stalls - more than there were on Friday, and some interesting items on sale. Right outside there is a clown and his “dancing bear” on a lead - this lead is given to one of the young watchers, and he’s asked to “look after my bear”, who promptly starts to walk off pulling the child behind! (I would point out that this was a person in a bear costume - no animals were hurt in the production of this blog.) Further along there is a Punch and Judy show just finishing the performance to cheers and applause. I turn back at the end of the quay to come back, and the Punch and Judy man is wheeling his booth along and amusing the children as he goes by pretending to charge them and generally adding to the frivolity of the event.

As I’m walking towards the Square, the performers with the drums are just starting another set - I find out that this is the King's Lynn Community Samba Band - a lively group of instrumentalists and dancers. This seems to be their last piece, as they pack up and move off after this dance, and I’m glad I got a chance to see them.

Then I go on down to the square, where they are setting the bandstand for the group playing tonight, and there are a few people just sitting around on the chairs drinking coffee and listening to the piped music. I take advantage of the market being here to get French cheese and olives - I try some “Mexican style” olives which sound different - they are indeed different and HOT!.

Later it begins to rain - a heavy consistent rain that makes the air smell sweet and fresh. I take my umbrella and walk along to the square - the flashing lights are on in the bandstand, and it looks like the band are sitting in their bus and drinking coffee from the one food stall that is still remaining open. A shame for them, but that will always be a hazard for open air events I guess.

No comments:

Post a Comment