03/07: PLAYTIME!

As friends and followers will know, we have a holiday home in Corralejo on the Canarian island of Fuerteventura.   We love the people, the climate and the lack of 'red tape and political correctness' which seems to be crippling us in the UK.

Although it isn't a place for 18-30 groups seeking non-stop discos/drinking binges, it certainly isn't a dull place.  If there's one thing the Fuerteventura folk excel at its partying - and the whole family participates.    I think in a 'normal' year there are only two months (April and August) where there isn't a festival or carnival or some other celebration being staged.  Many involve lots of drumming/marching bands and/or firework displays on the beach

The biggest event is the annual Carnival which lasts for nearly two weeks (normally in March) and culminates in a huge (and very noisy) evening parade through Town which takes a couple of hours.  Then its down to the Harbour for dancing till daylight.

The floats are always spectacular (they have 12 months to prepare) but for me the most enjoyable bit is seeing all the locals dressed up and having fun - although the parades are always themed, anything goes basically.  If you have fancy dress - flaunt it!    This year the theme was 'old civilizations'

The floats for the 'Carnival Queens' are very ornate and the winning designs are usually on display for weeks before and after the event. The procession starts early evening in daylight but the floats really come to life once the sun goes down.   Bags of wrapped sweeties are carried by all participants in the parade and these are thrown out to children (of all ages) along the route.

Apologies for showing this pic from last year's (jungle themed) procession, but the owner of this beach buggy really transforms it brilliantly each year

and here it is this year decked out in Egyptian palace style with the owner dressed as Cleopatra - Men dressing as women seems to feature heavily in these carnivals - sort of panto I guess!

I think this was built around a supermarket trolley - very innovative isn't it?

Everyone enjoys dressing up

Well, maybe not quite everyone!

Not quite the Three Ugly Sisters ..... just David (hubby) with a couple of 'lady friends'

and these guys stopped off for some liquid refreshment at Casa Manolo's - our favourite Spanish restaurant/tapas bar.    You can just catch a glimpse of Maria behind the bar - she is the owner of Angel, the German Shepherd I featured in my Blog recently.

Hope that wasn't too many pics .... but I can now clear my files.  I always take far too many photos at these events in the hope of finding the perfect 'character' to draw at a later date.