The Oamaru Victorian fete was held last weekend and thankfully my friends urged me to go with them. The era has always conjured up images of fusty and overstuffed rooms in museums which for me hold no hint of life or passion. But on Sunday the period came to life for me and reconnected me firmly with my roots, so much so that next year I plan to join others at this weekend of heritage festivities in full period costume! The fete was set in a once derelict warehousing area that has been restored to provide the perfect Dickensian street setting for this event. The day buzzed with an irrepressible energy which I must confess I became totally caught up in. My reaction to the pipe smoking contest was a great surprise to me. For a while watching the row of men sitting quietly smoking pipes at a long table felt a little like watching paint dry but somewhere along the way I managed to forget myself and the era of sensory overload in which I live and actually found myself excited by this slow paced and simple old time event! (By the way this contest was won by a woman in it's first year. Perhaps one day the great love of my life will be here in New Zealand to enter it. I do adore the smell of her pipe tobacco!) (Photo By Helen)
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