The Chemist, the Cat and the Time Machine: Stop #6

It's Monday, and that means the Mad Chemist, Lab Assistant and their ever expanding crew are again on the move. After spending a week in the quiet of Ancient Asia the Chemist splashed a rather generous helping of fuel into the Time Machine and got everyone strapped in.

For a moment there was nothing but darkness, and then the most busy and colourful scene yet. The explorers had landed in the middle of the Middle Ages!

Overview of Stop #6: Middle Ages

Although civilisation had done relatively well for itself up until this point, it is only at this stop that the Chemist could really see early signs of the modern day human race. Retail, entertainment, sport and dining was all represented in this chaotic place, and the adventurers couldn't wait to get out and about.

Having ventured into the Time Machine as a means to get away from the sober solitude of Ancient Asia, the Lounge Lizard has apparently found paradise in the market.

Market

Here there is a large Cider Bar where he is able to get all the refills he wants free of charge (when have you ever seen a lizard charged for booze!) Complete with Cask and Rustic Apples, this bar has all the resources needed to produce a truly refreshing drink.

And a refreshing drink is something everyone will need after spending an afternoon touring the market. There's a Yard Sale offering all manner of goods and chattels, while the Rose Seller has a beautiful range of plants available for purchase. You can choose a romantic rose from the Giant Rose Basket or a bright flower from the Container Garden.

Next to the Rose Seller is another of Action Chef Lee's predecessors. Cashier Lee has a number of handy tools he's looking to offload - imagine having the opportunity to own a utensil used by one of Action Chef Lee's famous forefathers!

Some of the townsfolk who have bought some cider are enjoying a bite of pie to go with it at the Apple Festival. Here the Chemist could see the free spiritedness that was never far away in the Middle Ages. Not such good news for the butterflies who are being trapped inside large colourful bubbles - the crazy people of this era!

There's also a rival drink maker in the market, with Phoebe's Stand offering freshly squeezed lemonade. And it really is fresh with the lemons picked to order from the Lemon Trees. With a sweet glass of juice in hand you can relax on the Tree Bench which serves as the centre of this fine market.

The hustle and bustle continues further along the Stepping Stone path with the ever enticing fair.

Fair

Here there is entertainment for all the youngsters, whether it be Bobbing for Apples or chancing your hand at the Game Booth. For those wishing for something a little more eloquent there's a Psychic Reader in town, and she's got all the predictions in that crystal ball (that or the Chemist has had a word in her ear, after all he know a little about the future!)

But understandably it's the Cat Show which the Cat is most excited about. Run by an enthusiastic girl in a purple skirt, there's some real skill being displayed by the kittens as they jump through hoops and leap over hurdles. This is all very impressive, but let's have some perspective - the Cat has played a significant role in developing a Time Machine which is able to travel into centuries past! So in the end it's the Cat teaching the show's participants, although I suspect the perils of gravitational time dilation have gone straight over their heads!

For more mature residents enjoyment can be found with the jousting tournament.

Jousting area

In front of a raucous crowd of Jolly Jockeys, the Dala Horse and Headless Horseman are in a duel. Galloping around the Caution Tape Dividers, the aim is to knock the opponent off their mount. But with the Dala Horse missing its rider, the Train Conductor has seen fit to get down there and blow his whistle to halt the battle.

And there's a ceremony in progress anyway so really everyone should be pausing to congratulate the victors in the Winner's Circle. My Fair Gran-Gran (in her finest outfit) has presented the trophy, and is waiting for the photographer to finish off snapping the winning horse so that she can have a shoot of her own.

At the other end of the area the King and Queen are very much enjoying the festivities.

Royal ceremonies

The royals are seated on their thrones and have the best vantage point for the jousting. They've brought plenty of support with them for this day out, including a pair of well trained swordsman and their pet Ring Barker. He's even got dressed for the royal outing!

And in front of the royals are the Queen's Guard. They're in full costume, which means those traditional bearskins and bright red uniforms. The drum is being beaten loud and hard, and the banging clearly caught the Island Drummer's attention. He's made a beeline over there to entertain the royals and jam with the guard. Given the smiles of the royals it seems they're thoroughly enjoying his efforts.

After a feast from the Carving Station and Pie Table, our expedition have to return to the familiarity of the Time Machine, although they certainly don't do so empty-handed.

Time Machine including addition of Farmers Market Salsa

A huge mound of Farmers Market Salsa has been bought and added to one of the remaining counters. It will undoubtedly make a great dip for the Dinosaur Nuggets! There are now just three counters left vacant, indicating that the Chemist and Cat's mission is moving ever closer to completion.

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I've admired the limited number of Renaissance themed items in the market for as long as I've played the game, but have never got round to utilising them. Part of the reason for this is the high cost of doing so - the relevant stuff seems to be quite gem heavy, and that's always held me back. In the end I've managed to put this Middle Ages stop together without using much of the dedicated content.

In some ways this is a shame. The Renaissance Chest is the ultimate source of medieval décor (including an actual Jousting Arena!) and yet I couldn't fit the necessary gems into my budget. Of course there's also the uncertainty over what exactly you'll get in a box, so instead I opted to play it safe and open my gem bag for the King and Queen, Psychic Reader and Dala Horse. All together these pieces weren't cheap, but they certainly do the job.

 The Chemist, the Cat and the Time Machine

 25/04/16 Stop #5 - Ancient Asia
 18/04/16 Stop #4 - Ancient Egypt
 11/04/16 Stop #3 - Ice Age
 04/04/16 Stop #2 - Animal Kingdom
 28/03/16 Stop #1 - Dawn of Time

The part of this design that I'm most pleased with is actually hidden to everyone! You'll notice that there are only eight appliances churning out Farmers Market Salsa which is not good for mounting up the portions. Except all 18 of my Easy Ovens are actually present. Two are hidden behind the King and Queen and three are stowed behind the Psychic Reader, while the Game Booth and Apple Festival are concealing three and two respectively.

Originally I planned to have a row of appliances in behind the Jolly Jockeys which while out of the way would still have looked a little haphazard. Being able to shelter them behind large decorations has been such a relief as it allows the attention to stay focused on the content you're supposed to see!

Next: Stop #7 - Wild West