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Weekend in "Michigin"

The town of Leland, Michigan sits on the 45th parallel, halfway between the Equator and the North Pole, just north of Traverse City, the "cherry capital of the world."

It is a picturesque little village located on a sliver of land between Lake Michigan and Lake Leelanau, on the beautiful Leelanau Peninsula. Everything is in within walking distance of Leland's historical district, known as Fishtown:

On a recent August weekend, it was the perfect spot for a traditional summer wedding, filled with lemonade, cherries and lots and lots of corn:

Here are some visitors playing a game of "cornhole", a popular Midwestern pastime (see here for rules and regulations, courtesy of the American Cornhole Association):

And another favorite pastime, roasting 'smores on the shore of Lake Michigan:

Hot and heavy

Not to be outdone by their cheese rolling brethren in Gloucester,  the residents of Ottery St. Mary, in Devon, have their own very bold and particular sporting tradition: races with flaming barrels of tar

For weeks, the barrels are left to soak in a highly flamable, gooey tar. Then, on the night of the big event, Guy Fawkes Night, they are hoisted onto a contestant's back and set alight.

The largest barrels can weigh more than 30 kilos (66 lbs), but there are ones of lesser sizes for the women and children participants.

The tradition is thought to ward off evil spirits. (Harry Potter fans will note the similarity of the town's name to Ottery St. Catchpole, home to the Weasley family. This is no coincidence.)

But don't try this at home. Unlike Shrovetide football, which anyone can play, eligibility for carrying a flaming barrel of tar is strictly limited to Ottery natives.

Pure footie, or pure frenzy?

As further evidence of England's sporting spirit (see earlier post here), a reader in London points us to the tradition of Shrovetide football, held each year in Ashbourne, Derbyshire, and which the BBC guide describes as "one of the world's oldest, largest, longest and maddest football games."

The goal posts are three miles apart, and the game must end by 10 pm, but, other than that, there are few rules. Rather than being passed by foot, the ball is carried forward like in rugby or American football, where one large scrum tries to muscle its way past an opposing one.

Once more unto the cheese, dear friends

In Henry V, the Bard reminds us that when the clarion call is sounded, an Englishman will cast aside his "stillness and humility" and "imitate the action of the tiger; stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood, disguise fair nature with hard-favour'd rage."

Footballer Wayne Rooney evoked this spirit in the now infamous Nike ad pictured here.

Some of this same sporting spirit is evidenced in the annual cheese rolling tradition in Gloucester, where, each year, a 7-8 lbs. cheese is sent down a steep and uneven hill and contestants compete vehemently to be the first to catch it. The top prize is the cheese itself.

It's harder than it sounds. According to cheese-rolling.co.uk, "it is almost impossible to remain on foot for the descent." Injuries are incurred; though most of them minor, broken limbs are not uncommon.

See video

Her Majesty's Boys of Summer

England is host to a number of the summer season's most venerable sporting traditions, from the Henley Royal Regatta, to Wimbledon, to the Royal Ascot. But one tradition has them all beat by at least 600 years: Swan Upping.

This annual census dates from the 12th century, when the crown lay claim to all unmarked swans in open water (a privilege it now shares, by royal charter, with two companies called the Vintners' and Dyers'), as they were considered a noble delicacy at the time.

Her Majesty's web site describes the ceremony thus:

In the Swan Upping ceremony, The Queen's Swan Marker and the Swan Uppers of the Vinters' and Dyers' livery companies use six traditional Thames rowing skiffs in their five-day journey up-river.

The officials wear traditional scarlet uniforms and each boat flies appropriate flags and pennants.

Photo courtesy of nick777's Flickr stream

The Grand Nationals

The Grand Nationals are a very English tradition, which combines the country's love for horses, drink, and gardening all in a single afternoon.

Sponsored by John Smith's brewery, this "national hunt" (or, as it's known in the vernacular, "steeplechase") race is held every April at the Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool. It involves two circuits of a 2.25 mile course, with 16 fences, 14 of which are jumped twice. According to the Aintree web site, it demands "stamina, courage, good jumping and some luck -- in short, it is the toughest test in world racing."

Letter from the San Isidro Festival

The world's most prestigious bullfighting ring is La Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas del Espíritu Santo in Madrid.

...And Las Ventas's most prestigious occasion for bullfighting is during the festival of San Isidro, Madrid's patron saint, which coincided with your correspondent's visit there this weekend.