March 23rd 2019: A day of two rather different marches

On Saturday afternoon Greyrocks was glued to various UK channels and websites to follow the progress of two aspects of a cause very dear to the heart: the swelling number of signatures to the petition to revoke Article 50, and the million-plus strong march through London. We had both signed the former days earlier, and we were there in spirit at the latter, and indeed in live contact with "fellow-traveller" friends who were there in person, or - like us - just too far away! We really need these confirmations that our home country is not the xenophobic and regressive place that the referendum result suggested: particularly being - it seems - surrounded by Brexiteers: both tourist and ex-pat!! We reached 7 pm feeling a lot better.

(There are wonderful photos of banners, placards and personal adornment on the New European's site)

We were then off to witness another parade, for it was the big night for Corralejo's carnival. The two events are not unrelated. The theme this year was "Cities of the World", and until a week before the plan for a costume - which Ruth at least has always donned - was to pay homage to "Bruselas" with  blue and gold clothes and a specially-created hat rather like this one worn by Lizzie Windsor!. The hat had been bought at the Chinese shop, and the stencils for stars partly made. Then we reflected on the poisonous atmosphere between the two Brit factions and decided against it.

The bodged offering of some Indian clothes a la Mumbai was so weak most people didn't notice. making it the most unimaginative  of the eleven Greyrocks has done over the years, Another casualty of Brexit!

Nonetheless we enjoyed the evening - with the main part of the parade viewed as usual from the inside of American Burger. The floats conveying the various "queens" were as beautiful as ever, but barely "on theme", and after that something had gone wrong at the top of the street as there were enormous gaps between floats, and there was very little interesting going on upon them (only on on-board barbecue, for example). Eventually we decided it must have finished unceremoniously and left! Out on the streets there was plenty of fancy costume, but mostly general purpose, plus a lot of Mexicans. We dropped in at Blue Rock where - as usual - Claire and Jules really had made an effort and were "Turning Japanese".

On Sunday we had a very good supper at Marquesina - in part for the view there would be of "The Funeral of the Sardine" with its attendant fireworks. All pretty good this year and now "The Carnival is Over".

Also on Sunday at the Rogues' music session a drunken German tried to engage a group of Brits over Brexit. Whoops!