A Weekend of Quiet, Color and Drums
I have had a solid weekend.
Friday night I went to a bar frequented by students at the IUFM an
d the University called Feuille de Tol to say goodbye to one of Zie Juhmans, Andy. I had a great night, meeting new people, hanging out at the bar, singing Piano Man at the top of my lungs like the boisterous American I was allowed to be when others were willing to help. There were a group of students spending their winter break doing a one-month study abroad program through University of Delaware. It was interesting talking to them and getting their impression of the island. They weren't too pleased with the place, but I told them, just rent a car for your last week here and it won't be so bad. They are only here for a month anyway. They have managed to do a lot more than I did in my first month.
Saturday, Ceri and I headed out to Anse Trabaud. The beach was off the beaten path, to say the least. There was a sign pointing the way to it, but about 100 feet after the sign, there wasn't any more road. There was a very rocky, rough terrain cut in between cow pastures and farmlands that led out to this little piece of heaven. I would be tempted to go back again if the road weren't so bad and I didn't feel like I was killing the car when I drive out there. But it was a beautiful beach, quiet, even on a Saturday, clear water, no seaweed, great body-surfing waves but calm enough to float in, I had such a relaxing, quiet day. Ceri and I barely even spoke. We just slept and read and soaked in the utter awesomeness of our surroundings. Martinique is starting to grow on me. I'm getting to the point where I'm going to miss it...
Sunday, today, I had a leisurely morning and then I went into St. Joseph, my little town, for the first taste of Carnaval festivities. What I got was great. I have been to Mardi Gras and had fun there and that was something to see. But the spirit behind Carnaval is so different. It seems more pure, more joyful and, though noisy, less raucous. I had a great afternoon trying to move like the Martiniquaise women and feeling the pulse of the beating drums, and also soaking in the intense color and spirit of the event. And this parade was very small by Carnaval standards. St. Joseph is a small town and thus doesn't get a lot going on, but this was a pretty big event. I can't imagine what the main parades will look like in FDF come Fat Tuesday itself. I realized that I know most of the Gendarmes of St. Joseph from when I got robbed. I met almost all of them at one point or an
other and so I saw some of them tonight and it was a good time saying hello to the boys in French blue. I also found it really entertaining that it is important that men in Martinique dress in drag for Carnaval. I thought, how perfect! The most macho men in the world taking pride in becoming women for a month out of the year. I have posted a picture of a particularly good example. Some of them look disconcertingly good as women.
Goals for this week: kayak in a mangrove forest, go to Aqualand, try a new beach.
Friday night I went to a bar frequented by students at the IUFM an
d the University called Feuille de Tol to say goodbye to one of Zie Juhmans, Andy. I had a great night, meeting new people, hanging out at the bar, singing Piano Man at the top of my lungs like the boisterous American I was allowed to be when others were willing to help. There were a group of students spending their winter break doing a one-month study abroad program through University of Delaware. It was interesting talking to them and getting their impression of the island. They weren't too pleased with the place, but I told them, just rent a car for your last week here and it won't be so bad. They are only here for a month anyway. They have managed to do a lot more than I did in my first month.
Saturday, Ceri and I headed out to Anse Trabaud. The beach was off the beaten path, to say the least. There was a sign pointing the way to it, but about 100 feet after the sign, there wasn't any more road. There was a very rocky, rough terrain cut in between cow pastures and farmlands that led out to this little piece of heaven. I would be tempted to go back again if the road weren't so bad and I didn't feel like I was killing the car when I drive out there. But it was a beautiful beach, quiet, even on a Saturday, clear water, no seaweed, great body-surfing waves but calm enough to float in, I had such a relaxing, quiet day. Ceri and I barely even spoke. We just slept and read and soaked in the utter awesomeness of our surroundings. Martinique is starting to grow on me. I'm getting to the point where I'm going to miss it...
Sunday, today, I had a leisurely morning and then I went into St. Joseph, my little town, for the first taste of Carnaval festivities. What I got was great. I have been to Mardi Gras and had fun there and that was something to see. But the spirit behind Carnaval is so different. It seems more pure, more joyful and, though noisy, less raucous. I had a great afternoon trying to move like the Martiniquaise women and feeling the pulse of the beating drums, and also soaking in the intense color and spirit of the event. And this parade was very small by Carnaval standards. St. Joseph is a small town and thus doesn't get a lot going on, but this was a pretty big event. I can't imagine what the main parades will look like in FDF come Fat Tuesday itself. I realized that I know most of the Gendarmes of St. Joseph from when I got robbed. I met almost all of them at one point or an
other and so I saw some of them tonight and it was a good time saying hello to the boys in French blue. I also found it really entertaining that it is important that men in Martinique dress in drag for Carnaval. I thought, how perfect! The most macho men in the world taking pride in becoming women for a month out of the year. I have posted a picture of a particularly good example. Some of them look disconcertingly good as women.Goals for this week: kayak in a mangrove forest, go to Aqualand, try a new beach.
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