Gratitude is due today to all those fantastic disciplined and chaotic individuals who gave us such magnificent two-day parades in San Nicolas and Oranjestad.
Gratitude is also due to the almighty for arranging equally fantastic weather, OK, it was a tad windy, but the sun must have gotten instructions to dim its volume a bit, and complied.
Thank you so much.
The Saturday parade in San Nicolas counted 4,550 colorful participants in 14 groups for a three hour plus parade, stating at 10am, and culminating past 6pm. On Sunday, with more participants – statistics tomorrow – the parade reached a historical record of more than four hours, with the last group reaching the end of the route after 7pm, and continuing straight to the Burning of the Momo, the final hoorah at the Harbor Arena.
Respect to Jairo Grant, road piece of the century, Indians Fantasy of Aruba, the scope of the work and the amazing execution was beyond and above imagination and justly received the ultimate King of Bands award.
We’re resting today: I am exhausted from just watching the spectacle and taking picture, I can’t imagine, how depleted and dazed organizers and participants feel after such cathartic experience, getting Carnival Fever out of everyone’s system, for 10 months. Then it starts all over again for another bout, smaller I am told, for Carnival 66.
At the end of the parade, we walked counter traffic, and naturally collided with the DOW crew, wrapping up, making it all disappear, namely picking up trash and barricades. Dispensa, they said, as we tried to get out of their way. THEY were asking up forgiveness for inconveniencing US.
It struck my Carnival companion as unique and genuinely Aruba, when Carnival brings out the BEST in us, and propels us to courtesy and collaboration.
Collaboration is the key word. We will get ahead fast, if we collaborate in great numbers, regardless of petty differences, year-round, not just in Carnival.
