DC Carnival w/ Pics!

So my friend who took all the pictures posted them promptly up on facebook, which is really nice of her. ok first of all, let me say this: when you have experienced the real Carnival, most other Carnivals are going to seem sub-par in comparison. So to let me get it out of the way, I do have one or two criticisms about the parade. First there were too many gaps with not enough music in between. Secondly, who is going to pay just to get into the carnival village to pay for food. Not me!

Anyways so for DC it wasn't bad; it was very interesting. It was called the Caribbean parade and there were groups from all over the Caribbean, including Jamaica, St. Thomas, Trinidad and Tobago, etc, etc. But they also had some African nations/groups. I know for a fact that they had a group of people from Sierra Leone. They had good music and looked like they were having fun! I liked that the parade wasn't only restricted to the Caribbean only but all people who had similar cultures/traditions. I like that world unity, quite fitting in the face of all the world unity that the World Cup generates every 2/4? years.

They also had, at the beginning, a lot of the politicians handing out stickers, free beads, things like that. Some people were facing re-election, while others were trying to drum up support in order to oust the current person in office. Either way, I didn't really expect it, or at least I don't remember such shenannigans going on at home. Its probably possible that it did go on but I either didn't notice or they put on a better display. ;) So here are the pics.



Maybe a better photo of the banner above?




See, they cheat and have wheels and a little cart thing.


Not like this guy who carries the thing on his back! (he was a part of the VI troupe) He does it old-school, the right way.


Btw, the VI troupe included some of the majorettes who performed in the parade with their sticks and everything. They came into the office today to take a look at the DC House office. I don't have a picture but I will try and look for one.





A lot of people had snakes there, which was new to me. It was cool seeing the snakes but i had to wonder if they were de-fanged or milked of their venom beforehand, if they were the poisonous type. But one of my suit-mates went up and got to touch a snake.


Afterwards, we got some jamaican food. I ordered some fruit punch and they put banana juice in the fruit punch. That was a new one for me. Btw, it was HOT. People were just sweating. I was like, man this ain't that hot. I remember being in Carnival at home and it was worse. Granted my recollections may be a bit jaded. ;) but yeah after we left, my friends and I all crashed and took long naps because the sun just drains the energy out of you. But it was a fun event and I would go again and recommend it to people.