While walking the parade route we entered a hotel to see how the rich live and I took this picture of Sheila.

one carrot one radish and the nut in the middle is not a cabbage.

one carpet of many

a close up of one flower display

The actual procession is a huge organizational challange. Some run for 24 hours. Many people are mobilized and assigned street corners and a slot on the displays to carry the load. They each pay 50Q(7.50 CAN) to carry the display 4 times for one block each time. Literally thousands of people are required. Near the end of the block when the exchange is to happen, some individuals are literally grimacing in pain from the weight. Pain for the forgiveness of sin! hmmmm I wonder if suffering is part of following Christ?

It takes more than 70 people to lift the big structure holding Christ carrying the cross.

Sometimes the local volcano gives off a smoke and ash display. Based on current knowledge of volcanoes a distance of 20 km is not too far away in the event of an eruption. One volcano is within a few KM of downtown. Mt St Helens created a wind with temperatures to 300 degrees some 20 km from the blast so I hope we are out of town if this ever happens in Antigua!