Summer is over everywhere but here, in San Francisco. And to celebrate the fact that it's finally warm enough to leave the jacket at home - for most of the day - the city had a parade. OK, that's not why Love Parade was staged, but it's definitely one of the reasons I attended.
Essentially, Love Parade is an 8 hour, daytime, outdoor, moving rave. I'm not really a fan of raving, or of techno music in general. Love Parade didn't inspire a yearning for a set of glow sticks and E, but it did make me want to dance, and it did make my heart pound.
Because it gave me an opportunity to really see the people of San Francisco. The people with lots of tattoos. And the people with fluorescent colored hair. The people who wear crazy outfits and the people who wear nothing at all. At the risk of looking like a tourist, I did bring my camera. Words can't describe it. Have fun.
But Love Parade also delivered heart pounding olfactory amusement. The parade route, brimming with marijuana, could have easily been confused with my favorite mirror-ceilinged room at my favorite fraternity house at UVA. Or this old white Volkswagon Golf in which I used to ride shotgun in high school. Doesn't the smell of pot make everyone think about high school or college? It's not really spurring those types of flashbacks anymore. Now and likely forever more, as affimed again by Love Parade, the smell of pot will make me think of my time in California.
I didn't really taste anything at Love Parade, so I guess the parade coordinators did overlook one of the senses.
The appeal to the sense of touch was not missed, however, and was actually my favorite aspect of the event. Couples of all colors and sizes and "preferences" held hands. Families laughed and danced as mothers and fathers deliverd liberal education lessons to pre-schoolers. Yes, pre-schoolers. Back in Philadelphia, pre-schoolers go to see Santa Claus at the Thanksgiving Parade and to listen to string bands at the Mummers Parade on New Year's Day. In San Francisco, small children accompany their parents to parades of trannies. And nudists. And pot smoking artisans. And ravers. And everyone else who just doesn't fit the mold.
Tolerance. It begins at a very young age out here. I effing love it. And THAT'S reason for a parade.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
2 comments:
I'd have to say that I've had so much the same experiences every time I attended the parade. The parade is for laid back Canadians or laid back Europeans or accepting people who can enjoy just a day of nice weather... Did you get any pics?
Hi fellow Love Paraders! I have a post on my blog about the event. Come on over!
Post a Comment