Ayia Napa Medieval Festival

The final day of the 17th Ayia Napa Medieval Festival

Compared with previous years fewer in the procession. Absent some rrom Wednesday.

Ayia Napa Medieval Festival

Intercity Bus from Larnaca could not pass through to the main square (where I needed to change to local bus) road closed for Medieval Festival. I decided I would stay for the Medieval Festival.

Procession was quite short. A wander around the Medieval Market, then took my seat for the concert.

First half of the concert was spoilt by idiots standing in the aisle. When people asked them to move, they turned agressive and abusive. Where were the stewards.

I left part way through the second half of the concert.

A wander around the Medieval Market. Free red wine, a bottle of zivania.

It was then to eat, but first a massage.

York Food Festival

This should be a celebration of quality local produce, instead junk food.

My reason for visiting York. I was going to eat, but glad I did not.

Hot dogs, loaded fries, Greek food that gives Greek cuisine a bad name, adulteress cheese.

Are there no local fans producing cheese? Cheese stall at Lincoln farmers market has a better selection cheese. As do cheesemongers in York.

A cookery demo with maybe half a dozen people.

Finding Kiosk closed, I returned for a coffee. It was not good. I poured down the drain. A cyclist returned with his coffee, it was that bad.

Looking at the programme. A demo of Ukrainian food may have been interesting.

On the way from The Perky Peacock I passed by the Larder Club. Tasters to try, a food trail for the York Food Festival. Could I try? No, I had to pay for an official food trail from the a

York Food Festival.

I talked to the information stall. No mention of the food trail, and I thought not to ask.

Welcome to The Asylum Steampunk Festival food and drink guide

Steampunks food and drink guide.

Take a wander around and outside Lincoln Castle.

Avoid the corporate chains, support local independents.

coffee

Coffee Aroma #coffee #coffeeshop #LincolnCoffeeShop #Lincoln pic.twitter.com/WocaWtx3lq

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) August 25, 2022

• Coffee Aroma
• Madame Waffle
• Stokes at The Lawn

wine and craft beer

• Steep Hill Wines
• Beer Headz
• Lincoln Distillery

pizza

• Slow Rise
• Dough LoCo

cheese

• The Cheese Society

Española

albondigas con salsa de tomate Olivares #tapas #restaurante #CastleHill #Lincoln pic.twitter.com/VrXJT83v6Y

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) August 26, 2022

• Olé Olé
• Olivares

fish n chips

• Elite on the Bail

vegetarian

• Pimento
• Bailgate Deli

fresh pasta

• Nonna Joana Deli

ice cream

• Dennett’s ice cream parlour

tea shops

• Bells
• Bunty’s

sausage rolls

• Redhill Farm Shop

Please support local independents.

Steampunk Festival 2022 day zero

Not quite what I planned today.

I had planned lunch in Castle Hill, spot a few early arrivals for the Steampunk Festival.

Weather forecast last night 23C for today. Heavy rain and cool.

Afternoon, torrential rain.

Not the weather for walking around in heavy Victorian clothing.

Late afternoon, rain stopped and the sun came out.

A few steampunk souls wandering around.

Teething problems with organisation. No one knew where to pick up tickets. 

Steampunk Festival runs over the Bank Holiday weekend, Friday through to Monday. There will be a charge to enter the Castle grounds (usually free entry). This has not gone down well with locals or local businesses. Crowd capacity is a red herring. If you hold a season ticket or have bought a ticket to walk the Castle walls can still enter. Numbers are monitored by a count at the West Gate and East Gate.

Picnic Social Cocktail Bar

Last Friday, walking down Steep Hill, I found the Cocktail Gift Shop closed, not that I ever find it open, a notice in the window, find us in the Castle grounds.

Cocktail Gift Shop Steep Hill #Lincoln pic.twitter.com/QAQtPBgtJ1

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) July 29, 2022

Today, second week of Picnic Social, I thought check them out, ask of the making of cocktails.

I never got that far.

Shampoo dispensers, zero waste shop opposite Mary le Wigford Church. https://t.co/VAASquMF9T #shampoo #zerowaste #Lincoln

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) August 7, 2022

Walk into a zero waste shop. Often find 5l dispensers, from which can fill empty shampoo bottles.

At the back of the bar, a row of these dispensers. I was baffled. Ghastly syrups to add to the cocktails, as find in bad coffee shops to mask the taste of the disgusting coffee served?

At events usually a pretentious guy shaking cocktails. Usually a guy

The containers were ready mix cocktails. I jest not, ready mix cocktails. For which they were charging £8 a cocktail.

ready mix cocktails Picnic Social Lincoln Castle #Lincoln pic.twitter.com/kY6VjXOn8g

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) August 2, 2022

ready mix cocktails Picnic Social Lincoln Castle #Lincoln pic.twitter.com/Lvyar55GR7

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) August 2, 2022

deserted Picnic Social Lincoln Castle #Lincoln pic.twitter.com/laykXVtiOS

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) August 2, 2022

A brief conversation with the woman. She tried to claim they were making cocktails, they had prepared the ready mix cocktails of the dispensers. I think she has somewhere lost the plot of mixing cocktails.

Her argument was, apart from not recognising that she was not mixing cocktails, they would have to have all the ingredients. Yes, that is what is the norm when making cocktails.

The cocktail shop sells ready mix cocktails in bottles. The bottles are not labelled with the ingredients. She could not see why they should be. Maybe Trading Standards should pay a visit.

The cocktail shop lacks the means to make cocktails.

The shop used to have a helpful young lady, if on the rare occasion found the shop open. I learnt she was no longer there.

As I left, woman manning the stall, stood smoking.

The plastic flowers should have served as a warning, avoid.

Picnic Social Lincoln Castle

Second week of Picnic Social

Not as deserted as Wednesday of last week, but not busy, not all the stalls open.

I checked at the cocktail stall. An embarrassment. Ready mix cocktails.

Burger off the burger stall. ok, not great.

Too late for a coffee off Seven Districts.

Picnic Social Lincoln Castle

Busier than Wednesday, but not as busy as last Saturday. Today all the stalls open.

Lunch from Season Street Food, halloumi.

Cappuccino off Seven Districts.

When I leave,bar staff handing out fliers in Steep Hill .

Free entry. Entry fee after five.

Picnic Social deserted Lincoln Castle grounds

I thought I would eat my excellent lunch from Nonna Juana Deli in the Castle grounds as I did a couple of weeks ago.

The Castle grounds were deserted, half the stalls closed. Lucky I brought my own lunch.

Contrast with last Saturday, 1940s Weekend, the Castle grounds busy. Contrast with a couple of weeks ago, a lovely sunny day, the Castle grounds busy.

This week start of school holidays, university graduation week (expected 4,500 visitors).

Word on the street Picnic Social a disaster. I would not disagree. This is not a showcase of best of Luncolnshire priduce. Junk food, one stall hot dogs, another french fries.

I could count on one hand with fingers missing the quality stalls: Street Food …, Dough LoCo and Seven Districts.

I found an empty bench (covered in plastic). Not that I had any difficulty as they were all empty. Settled down, ate my lunch, washed down with Picnic Social lager, followed by an excellent capuccino from Seven Districts.

No one was cleaning the tables.

No segrated rubbish collection for recycling. As a minimum I would expect

– card

– plastic

– compostable

Is there a requirent for the stalls to only serve what can be recycled or composted?I do not know as I did not check. But if not, why not?

On leaving, Dough LoCo gave me a flier for their pizza parlour (10% off). They are quite literally outside the East Gate, in the shadow of the Castle Walls.

I looked in Dough LoCo as I left. Pleasnt ambience, excellent choice of craft beer (better choice than Picnic Social). I did not stop as not long eaten (though was very tempted to stop for a beer).

My lunch was from Nonna Nonna Joana Deli, a few minutes walk up the road outside the West Gate. Excellent fresh pasta, sandwiches and cakes.

Ayia Napa Medieval Carnival

Following afternoon trip to Laranca, Intercity Bus could not go as far as the main square outside the Monastery where I would change for the local bus, roads closed for Ayia Napa Medieval Carnival.

street procession Ayia Napa Medieval Festival https://t.co/euZ19wWCoE #AyiaNapa #Cyprus

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) November 4, 2019

concert Ayia Napa Medieval Festival https://t.co/fgx3W7EZXL #AyiaNapa #Cyprus

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) November 4, 2019

street performers Ayia Napa Medieval Festival https://t.co/TFBlC642BE #AyiaNapa #Cyprus

— Keith Parkins (@keithpp) November 4, 2019

A procession through the street, followed by a concert in the square in front of the monastery.