When Killi, a reader from Ireland, mentioned in the comments on the wagon team post that she had a Vardo, I really didn't know what she meant. Therefore, I was interested to see pictures. While waiting for hers (above), I did a little searching on vardos to see what they were. A vardo was the traveling home of the English Romani gypsy, drawn by horses.
I was surprised when I found an interior picture of a vardo as I didn't expect it to be so lush. Built-in cabinets, bed, and even a stove make this luxurious accomodations, certainly a cut above the rough covered wagon my team will be stuck using on the Oregon Trail. Shirley Two Feathers has a great set of photos on flickr of various vardos plus some pictures of modern interiors. Tumbleweed Tiny Houses offers a modern version of a vardo, promoting it as 48 square feet of office space, with enough room to tuck a bedroll in for overnight stays.
Mobile home, anyone?
3 comments:
I keep chanting the mantra "want less" to myself all the time.
However, those pictures... I so Want one of those!!! Especially if I could have a mule to pull it *lolol*
Very, Very, Cool.
When I was very young I had a Wonderful book called "More Rupert Adventures" in it on page 85 there is a picture of this kind of caravan, gypsy wagon or travelers wagon.
I have always been fascinated in this lifestyle and the wagon. With a horse and a wagon and moving with the seasons, eating wild foods, sounds a good dream.
Ps yes I still have the book, its a bit tattered like me, I shall be reading it today.
maggie, I love my waggon & my interior is similar to that in Chile's picture. There are several other books written by Gypsies & Travellers: The Book of Boswell, Betsy Whyte's & Jessie Smith's autobiographies (those 2 are Scots Travellers) I can see those from here & are NF. On the fiction side there's the Gypsy Girl Trilogy, The Didakoi & a book I read as a youngster whose name & author I've totally forgotten. I have many other books, but they're buried or on my Vardo. Sampson & Borrow spring to mind as other people with a Romani connection.
Anna, can mules pull heavy heavy weights? (I know nothing about mules) Vardos aren't light vehicles, especially when loaded. Rawnie Spangle can pull mine alone, but the heavier Reading & Ledge waggons really need 2 big draughts to pull them without straining the horses.
I'm feeling lovesick for my Vardo now & on a practical front I'd quite like my sledge hammer here, plus the odd bits of leatherwear, tins, pothook...
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