New year is a tough time to enjoy a parade. Especially around here. February is a notoriously rainy month for us. So who wants to go into the City, and sit on the sidewalk for a couple of hours- with young children? Not me. The pull of dragons, lions, lights and firecrackers was too much for us this year though, and since it has been especially dry, we went to see the big parade. What fun! The kids were so excited. We bundled up and planted ourselves on a good curb, right in front of the action and waited with anticipation for the show to start. As the sun set and the light faded, we watched dancers, marchers, politicians and children wave as they rode in cars, walked on foot and some on stilts or beneath costumes. Dozen footed dragons wound through the street, undulating, and spitting sparks. Firecrackers smoked and popped and threw red confetti into the air and on the street. Lions flirted with the crowd, dancing and batting their huge eyelashes, lunging at the crowd, and teasing the giggling, waiting children. Everyone wanted the lions to come and play with them. It was a feast for the senses as incense wafted through the air, the sky slowly dimmed and music from speakers and from marching bands paraded in front of us. The whole scene crackled with sounds and lights.
When our buns grew too cold, we decided to walk back to our car down a side street. Waiting there was the grand finale- a lighted dragon as long a whole city block, an army of sneakered men waited beside to take their turn to run and dive along Market Street at the end of the parade. Meanwhile, they stood for pictures as passers by marveled at the sight of such a beast.
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