Like any well laid plan, we had to adapt as soon as we arrived. The main street was shut down and traffic was diverted. We couldn't quite see why, although it appeared to be for a party or good news, as opposed to any kind of bad news.
We followed traffic and parked in a field just at the edge of town. We walked into town and quickly found it to be a nice little gathering of live bands, outdoor shops and lots of people enjoying themselves.
We walked a few blocks over to the castle, already excited to come back to town for the party. The party continued at the castle though, they had live birds of prey, plus lots of tents and actors. The actors were displaying military gear from the 10th century on. Each person wore gear from a different century so that you could see how it changed over time. We watched a short battle between several centuries of gear, and one poor guy actually got hurt and needed a real medic.
Then we walked through the castle and had a great time. It's one of the most "impending" castles you'll ever see. It sits atop a hill and you have to crane your neck to see up to the castle. Quite intimidating, and very very well kept, it seems to be in perfect shape. We walked through the castle keep, and the rooms, it's a great place. The gardens are great too.
We walked back through town and enjoyed the party. Lots of people standing around to listen to live music or eat in the streets. So many different kinds of music were being played, from bluegrass to folk to pop to classical. I thought the classical guitar duet was the best.
We grabbed a quick meal in a very traditional pub, then we walked up an enormous hill to the cathedral. The cathedral is stunning from the outside and it's nice on the inside.
We drove back home very satisfied with a great trip, and even had more great conversation on the drive home.
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