I started sneezing yesterday afternoon in a wonderful store in Annapolis. I was looking at treasures from Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Mongolia, Beijing, India… parts of the world I dream of travelling to someday. I thought possibly the exquisite teak wood was affecting me, however, on arriving home, with no teak wood in the house as far as the eye can see, and the sneezing going into the night and continuing today… along with a stuffed up head… I’m left to believe I have a cold.
We were exploring Annapolis Royal for a few minutes between a delicious picnic lunch and swim at the lake at Mickey Hill Pocket Wilderness (once owned by Bowater and now a Provincial Park) and our anticipated camp drop off at Equus Center… when we took a detour into this spectacular store.
Far Fetched Antiques and Art Gallery is by far one of the most interesting shops I’ve been in. Owned by Cindy and Dave, we had the pleasure of having a personal tour of the place by Dave… showing us each piece and allowing the kids to touch and feel, hear and explore. (With the exception of a few pieces that had signs that specifically said “Do not even think about touching this”!)
It started at the outside of the store. A wonderful instrument xylophone sort of a thing, made of bamboo. The kids were immediately drawn to it, found the “sticks” and began playing. Holding the fabric end in their hand and enjoying the sound. Dave arrived from inside the store, and suggested the sound would be so much nicer if they held the wooden end and played with the soft side… and while they were feeling like deer caught in headlights at being approached about touching the thing… he surprised them by asking them to please continue to play and enjoy the instrument and its beautiful tone.
The music continued inside as he showed them the beautifully handcrafted instruments resembling a bullfrog, cricket and owl and once played just the right way, sounding identical to the animals they resembled. He gonged the gong and showed them a bowl that made amazing music… used by the Tibetan monks. We were truly enjoying the moment.
We perused the store to find the most amazing cabinets I’ve seen… all from beautiful woods and amazing places. There were tea trays and trunks, silk and statues, beautifully carved yet unbelievably heavy doors and columns, an opium bed and exquisite colorful art. Dave would pull a roll down, spring fed map from the ceiling to show us the exact location the item came from. It was a geography and history lesson all wrapped up in exquisite pieces… and a few dozen sneezes.
He showed us a remarkable sculpture of the Indian God Ganesha… Remover of Obstacles… which wasn’t hard to miss as it took up so much room in the shop! It looked like an elephant, dancing… made from a solid piece of wood from a tree one could only imagine in size. I held on to the trunk and sent a thought up to the Gods… just in case. It reminded me of my friend dancing around a fertility God in Mexico… mocking and joking that there was no way she’d get pregnant at forty as she quite frankly didn’t believe in all the hogwash… until she found herself quite pregnant!
So look out… there’s good things coming my way… or getting out of my way.
Once I get over this cold.
Far Fetched Antiques and Art can be found at 27 Church Street in Annapolis Royal. Head down that way for their wonderful Saturday morning market and take a browse through the store. Surely you’ll be as entertained as I was.
Equus Center is simply beautiful. The drop off at camp was incredibly successful. I can’t wait to hear the wonderful stories.
Mickey Hill Pocket Wilderness was a treat. Pack a picnic… a bathing suit and a towel. You won’t be disappointed.