10th August UnKnown • Our Strange Society's Beguiling Broadsheet of Choice • 5 κ
Beyond the Portals: Le Cirque des Rêves
By Gabrielle Delacour
Welcome, dear travelers, to Beyond the Portals, where I will travel the portals left to us here and report back to you my findings on the best things to try at each. This will be a bi-monthly endeavor so that I may fully immerse myself in each world. If you have requests, please drop them at the newspaper offices. Merci.
The first thing you notice is the clock, directly at the wrought-iron fence of the place in which you have arrived. There is a hint of caramel in the air, but otherwise it feels quite devoid of life within the fence. Then there are pops, and light flicker on within the enclosure seemingly on their own. The iron gate opens with no aid when the last of the lights illuminates, and you may enter. Inside are a myriad of tents and platforms arranged in circles, each striped in black and white. In fact, all of it is black and white, and though the world can be seen in color, you almost forget that when faced with the overwhelmingly consistent color scheme.
“It all arrived this morning without warning,” they’ll tell you as you wait for your ticket, some of them dressed in a similar motif of black and white but with a dash of red. No matter how many times you visit, it has always arrived just this morning, and never with a parade or fanfare. It is Le Cirque des Rêves—the Circus of Dreams—and those circus goers in red style themselves as Rêveurs, Dreamers, the circus’ biggest fans.
You’ll find yourself dressed in Victorian-era clothing each time you visit and you will want to visit many times, traveler. There is much to see here, so much that can not span just a single night. Some rêveurs try their best to visit every tent, but there are many who have a favorite where they spend their entire evening. The circus is only open from dusk to dawn, and as a visitor to the world you will find yourself always arriving as night falls and locked outside the walls when the sun rises.
Photo Credit: Colin Creevey
To see: There are dozens upon dozens of attractions, and with an unlimited amount of visits I believe you still won’t have enough time to satiate your curiosities about the mysteries of the circus. Even those among us with magic will be awed by some of the feats accomplished by the performers. If you wish to spend only one night among the tents of Le Cirque des Rêves, these are my recommendations:
-Dream Tent: Easily passed by, the tag for this tent reads Bedtime Stories. Eventide Rhapsodies. Anthologies of Memory. Within you find no people, only a vast variety of jars strewn seemingly at random, some on tables, some on the floor. If you open one you find yourself instantly transported. I will not spoil the surprise, but there are many delights here.
-Cloud Maze- A room filled only with clouds, a hidden system of ups and downs leads you through a maze to reach the center. Even falling is fun when you land on a fluffy cloud.
-Get snacks (my ideas for the best in the next section) and wander among the platforms outside of the tents. There is a large tree upon which you may make wishes and light a candle, a bonfire that burns with pure white flames, and living statuaries that never seem to move and yet find themselves in new positions.
To eat: As with any circus, the fare here is to go, easily held in your hand so you may wander and enjoy. Following along the theme, most of the food is some variation of black or white. The hot cocoa is among the best you’ll ever have, but I recommend the spiced cider. The black and white striped bags of popcorn with caramel are the most popular, but I prefer the chocolate mice with licorice tails and pastries dipped in cinnamon-sugar. Your new outfit will come with enough coin to purchase whatever you wish.
To wear: The fashion of this world is mid-Victorian, and the colors mimic the clothing you were wearing before entering. You will blend in regardless, but if you wish to be seen as part of the secret society of rêveurs, I suggest black, white, and a red scarf. For women, be prepared for petticoats, corsets, chemises, and most importantly, bustles. Men will sport three-piece suits and four-in-hand neckties. Hats are fashionable for both sexes, and will accompany your outfit.
Finding the Portal: To find the portal that leads you to Le Cirque des Rêves, enter the portal group and turn left. The door frame is the eighth from the center, black, and has a white clock that always displays midnight. Bonne chance, les voyageurs, and enjoy! ✎GD
newspaper layout by lobelia
world inspiration from Erin Morgenstern's The Night Circus
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_enticing_) wrote,
Photo Credit: Colin Creevey