Yacht Larus

A slow circumnavigation

Vessel Name: Larus
Vessel Make/Model: Slipper 42
Hailing Port: Southampton
Crew: Tim Chapman and Nancy Martiniuk
About: Sailing together since 1988
Home Page: Http://www.sailblogs.com/member/yachtlarus
18 June 2016
03 December 2015 | Nanny Cay, Tortola, BVI
03 June 2015 | Antigua
19 October 2014 | Trinidad
04 July 2014 | Bequia
02 March 2014 | Chaguaramas, Trinidad
25 February 2014
24 January 2014 | Bequia
18 December 2013
09 December 2013
23 October 2013 | Port de Plaisance, St Martin
05 September 2013
11 June 2013
11 June 2013
Recent Blog Posts
18 June 2016

Blog is moving

There is no perfect blog site for those of us who have almost permanent internet challenges, however we're moving from Sailblogs now to a new blog site. The posts here will remain but all future posts will be at;

21 February 2016

Every cloud has a silver lining

It came to light during the Boat show that the boat's insurers were insisting that the delivery skipper had an Ocean endorsement on their Yachtmaster ticket. Tim doesn't have this. He's had his Yachtmaster for over 20 years and in those days Yachtmaster Offshore was the highest level of certification. [...]

04 February 2016

Best laid plans and all that.

Belated Happy New Year to all.

03 December 2015 | Nanny Cay, Tortola, BVI

Blog 78 - Cruising once again

Having just reread our last blog, I'm pleasantly surprised to find that it was pretty much spot on.

03 June 2015 | Antigua

Work, Work and more work.

It is an awfully long time since our last blog and we really haven't been doing much other than working.

27 October 2014

On the hard Chaguaramas and crusing in Tobago

Spring this year, April to July, found us working pretty hard. Summer found us spending our hard earned gains treating Larus and ourselves to some TLC. While Tim and I visited friends and family in Canada and the UK, we left Larus on the hard in Coral Cove Marina, Chaguaramas, Trinidad in the care [...]

19 October 2014 | Trinidad

New paint job

Couldn't resist painting the boat at Trinidad prices. Looking gorgeous in a slightly warmer shade of white. Also rolled on 4 more coats of Coppercoat for good measure.

04 July 2014 | Bequia

We’re still here!

And by ‘here’ I mean, Guadeloupe, St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Marten and the British Virgin Islands. We have been working quite a lot over the last few months, and are currently in the Grenadines doing nothing but looking after Larus and pleasing ourselves.

02 March 2014 | Chaguaramas, Trinidad

The Run Up to Carnival

Trinidad is obsessed with Carnival. I've read that between Carnivals, the Trini's are either reminiscing about the previous Carnival or planning for the next.

25 February 2014

Trinidad

With our week long charter in the BVI completed we headed back to Bequia. Again, we had a great time and many laughs with our guests on 'Faith.' We also celebrated our Captain's birthday with cake, candles and, most importantly, ice cream.

24 January 2014 | Bequia

Charters and Bequia

Both Tim and I have been out on charter. I worked for two weeks in Guadeloupe on a 70' Flagship catamaran while Tim got called out to a short notice charter in the BVI.

The Run Up to Carnival

02 March 2014 | Chaguaramas, Trinidad
Trinidad is obsessed with Carnival. I've read that between Carnivals, the Trini's are either reminiscing about the previous Carnival or planning for the next.

Our first carnival experience, as previously mentioned, was to pan yards during the early stages of the Panarama competition.

Next, trying to get an idea of what Carnival is all about, a group of us went to the Old School Carnival, held at one of the University of the West Indies campuses by the Performing Arts students

The Old School Carnival gave us an idea of how carnival started in the West Indies.

This section below, highlighted in italics, was transcribed exactly from photos I took from the 'Old School Carnival Exhibition.' All credit goes to the curator, a lovely lady whose name I do not have. The posters were printed on wonderful photos of the characters mentioned. The posters were also very large and glossy and did not lend themselves to be displayed in such a small format, which is why I took the liberty of writing it out in long hand. The photos included where taken by Bruce, Willi and myself.

Many of the characters are no longer played in present day carnival. Either they do not sit comfortably with our modern sensibilities, or times have changed and they are no longer relevant.

Some of the characters are mentioned below and were played by students, some were not and some were who weren't mentioned at all made an appearance. Anything I add extra will be written in plain text.

About Trinidad and Tobago Carnival

Through the Cedula of Population, French planters and others settled in Trinidad towards the end of the 18th century. The French Caribbean planters brought with them their unique culture which reflected the traditions of their French past. Carnival was a season of gay and elegant festivities extending from Christmas to Ash Wednesday. This season consisted of dinners, masked balls, concerts, hunting parties and 'fetes champetre/country feast'. Leading members of society, dressed up in disguise, would drive around the streets in their carriages and in the evenings, they would go visiting friends accompanied by bands and musicians. It must be noted, that up to and for some time after Emancipation (1838), society was severely stratified into upper, middle/working and lower classes which were further divided into whites, free coloureds, indentureds and the enslaved. The lower classes began to participate in the festivities after the Emancipation Bill of 1833 was passed. One of the things they brought to it was their portrayal of 'Canboulay' (derived from the French 'cannes brulees'. Cannes brulees had its genesis during slavery. Whenever a fire broke out in the cane fields, the slaves on the surrounding properties were rounded up and marched to the spot, to the accompaniment of horns and shells. The gangs were followed by the drivers cracking whips and urging them, with cries and blows, to harvest the cane before it was burnt. Along the way they sang songs of defiance and also danced kalenda/kalinda as their ranks were made up of stick fighters. Today this procession is re-enacted Carnival Friday morning. As the coloured middle class became more involved in the festivities, Carnival on the streets underwent a transformation which jolted the gentry, who distanced themselves from the festivities. There persisted a constant stream of upper-class criticism in the press about the low standard of Carnival which was now referred to as the "Jamette Carnival" by the French and English elite. 'Jamette is derived from the French word diamtre, which implies below the diameter of respectability, or the underworld. Numerous accounts in the press claimed that Carnival was becoming 'more thoroughly contemptible' and dying a natural death. Accounts of Carnival during this period were described as vulgar, obscene and loud. From the early 1890's, however, historical reports indicate an upward movement to the form of Carnival that is known today. The festival was usually celebrated three days preceding Ash Wednesday, but, after objections to the desecration of the Sabbath in 1843, it was restricted to the Monday and Tuesday. Carnival not only showcases the retention of our history; it is symbolic of freedom. It has ritualistic significance, which is entrenched in the experience and the celebration of our deliverance from the bond of slavery. Though there may be characteristics shared with other Carnivals, Trinidad Carnival was moulded from historical and social pressures during the early nineteenth century, thereby, altering it into a local product in form, content and inner significance.

Dame Lorraine

The Dame Lorraine or Dame Lorine masque started in the 18th and early 19th century by the African slave who would a way to parody the French planters, who were the ruling class at the time. The house slaves spent a lot of time observing the attitudes and behaviour of their owners whom they were forced to serve. These slaves were also taught European style dances as their native dance was considered to be barbarous. Little did the ruling class realise that the slaves were taking back all they learnt and observed to their barracks or compound. This type of masque was not played on the streets as it was more a show with two distinct scenes with the audience on three sides of the stage. In the first scene a slave is seen peering through a window at the local planters dressed up in elegant costumes of the French aristocracy and paraded in groups at private yards from midnight Carnival Sunday. The guests, who all bore French names, were introduced by a very fussy man wearing French aristocratic clothing. He was also responsible for ensuring the scene was properly set, that is, the house is set for a lavish party. The second scene was a parody of the first. The yard was transformed into a schoolroom with the masqueraders exaggerating different parts of the anatomy depending on the vulgar name being used. This exaggeration stemmed from the slave's intimate knowledge of the elite and the perception of their habits: lazy, greedy, unhealthy and predatory, thus giving rise to the characters portrayed. This included: Misie Gwo Patat (Miss Big Vagina), Monsieur Gwo Koko (Mr Big Testicles), Gwo Buden or Big Belly, Misie Gwo Tete (Miss Big Breast) and Gwo Bunda or Big Buttocks. The liberated slaves recreated the physical characteristics. The event was presided over by a schoolmaster who introduced each character, who had to be imaginative in the way they displayed their masque each year to keep the audience happy.


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Misie Gwo Bunda, , photo by Willi.

The major Dame Lorraine performers of recent years merge two different characters, Mise Gwo Tete and Gwo Bunda.

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The show behind this character has been lost through the years with a few females individuals portraying her. The music and dance which became associated with the modern day Dame Lorraine's' still exists whenever they appear in groups at cultural events.

King Sailor and Fancy Sailor

This type of masque dates back to the late 19th century, when British and American warships paid regular visits to Trinidad, and crewmen on shore leave were a common sight in Port of Spain. The masque varies from realistic depictions of navies to fantastical conceptual representation of varied subject matter through costume song, dance and mimetic movement. The main types included Bad Behaviour Sailors, the Long-Nose or King Sailors and the Fancy Sailors which is the masques' current portrayal. The Bad Behaviour sailor masqueraders wore a white uniform with tight-fitting jumpers, wide collars and neckerchiefs with an exaggerated bell bottom pants. This dance was meant to mimic the actions of the drunken sailors which they accomplished by standing sometimes eight to ten feet apart and lunging ing diagonally to the left of the right creating a 'rocking of the ship' motion or they even tumbled. This character was a loose cannon as he made crude jokes, leered at women and threw powder in the spectators faces. George Harding was responsible for the creation of the Long Nosed Sailor or King Sailor.

George Harding of Belmont, popularly known as "Diamond Jim", was the unofficial king of sailor masque. He devised more and more elaborate headpieces that varied from fish to airplanes. The most important part of the masque was the nose on the cap which mimicked various animals and eventually delved in to surrealism.


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King Sailors by Willi.

These caps were initially decorated using papier-mâché after the shape was made by bending wire. The colour of the sailor outfits was no longer white as it was changed each year to reflect the theme that was being portrayed. The King Sailor dance was quite entertaining, their hands and buttocks were pushed out and they made circles with their feet while moving forward. This character was sometimes seen flying kites, driving motor cars or even grating cassava.

The Fancy Sailor masque developed from the Long Nosed bands and by 1956 was depicting a variety of themes. Jason Griffith is credited with the resurrecting of this type of masque in 1969. Jason Griffith was one of Harding's early apprentices and creative heir. In 1949, he launched his own band, USS Sullivan. The most important part of their costume is the magnificent crowns or head pieces of papier-mâché, although today it can be made from bamboo or 3D wire covered and decorated to look like birds, plants or animals.

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Photo by Willi.

The sailor dress is decorated with medallions, rosettes, braiding and other embellishments. Their characteristic dance is a combination of the movement of waling on a rocking ship and the mariko dance.

Baby Dolls

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Photo by Willi.

The baby doll character was played up to the 1930's. As Jeff Henry indicated in his book, the interpretation that has been passed on is that of a single youthful mother of African descent, who has an infant in her arms, and is desperately searching for the father of her child. She is depicted as a young, shallow, unthinking, promiscuous female with a child from a man she met briefly. The tryst was committed in the spur of the moment and she is now a confused young mother who is unable to care for her child. The Masqueraders who portrayed this character is usually dressed in a knee-length skirt covered with flounces and frills, wearing a babies bonnet on her head with the tassels tied below her chin; she carries a doll cradled in her arms and keeps searching for its father. The unlucky male spectator who is chosen for this role has to pay alimony or be subjected to public abuse for having abandoned his bastard child.


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The unlucky male spectator, in this case, is Derek, our driver, minder and information provider. Photo by Willi.

Baby Doll as Henry indicates is one of the most explosive of the traditional characters in the Trinidad and Tobago Masquerade as it symbolizes the sexual exploitation of women from the days of bondage, when slave owners saw it as their right to demand sexual favours from their bond women.

Jamette

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Photo by Willi.

The Jamette woman, or prostitute, who were said to be "matadors" or retired prostitutes gone respectable, were understandably always masked. They wore beautiful dresses of the traditional douillette type with many starched and embroidered petticoats over which their skirts were draped and caught up into their belts. They wore long large hats decorated with a set of flowers and feathers over their head-ties, or men's fedoras over which a wreath of croton leaves had been placed. Their most startling habit, at least in some epochs and then only in certain streets was their habit of throwing open their bodices and exposing their breasts.

Their male counterpart, the Jamette man (currently "sweet man") had trousers of serge or flannel worn low over the hips, and held up by two belts or rope or leather from which hung multi-coloured silk kerchiefs and ribbons similar to the Monday costume of batonye. Sometimes the jamette men wore a "guri" or cummerbund. They also wore their brightly -coloured silk shirts unbuttoned to display the chains and gold jewellery around their necks. They completed their costume with Panama hats decorated with feathers, and with gold fobs and key chains, this foreshadowing the Saga Boys (Trinidad zoot suiters) of the '40's. They were also the ancestors of the Silky Millionaires, Railroad Millionaires, Nylon Millionaires and Tourists that are still played occasionally on Mondays. Both men and women danced and strutted through the streets, and talked to the bystanders in low, sultry voices while they collected money.

Jab Molassie & Imps

Jab is the French Patois for Devil and Molassie is the French Patois for Molasses, the Jab Molassie is the Molasses Devil. This character is one of several varieties of devil mas played in Trinidad and Tobago carnival. Devil characters came into Trinidad's carnival because of the olden religious association between the devil and music and dance.

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Photo by Bruce.

Jab Molassie came out of Cannes Brulees/Canboulay. The costume consists of the knee length short pants, mask and horms and a wire tail. In keeping with the devil portrayal, the Jab Molassie would carry chains, wear locks and keys around his waist, and carry a pitch fork.

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Photo by Bruce.

Traditionally he smeared his body with molasses but now grease, tar, mud or coloured dyes (red, green or blue) are used. The Jab Molassie performance is very crude as he "wines" or gyrates to a rhythmic beat that is played on tins or pans by his imps.

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He demands payment (pay de devil) from well-dressed spectators whom he threatens to dirty or fight.
And I paid! Photo by Willi.

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Photo by Bruce.

He is restrained by another Jab Molassie who holds on to either a chain or rope that is attached to his waist. An Imp is a character who wears a pair of scaled pants or kandal over his skin tights.

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Photo by Willi.

The Imp is the least important character in the devil hierarchy as they are either servants or messengers.


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Photo by Willi.

Imps are often used for political or social commentary. This Imp is making reference to a recent drugs bust in the US where the cocaine was smuggled in tins of orange juice. At the moment, cargo is only searched when it comes into Trinidad, not when it goes out.

He wears a simple devil mask with horns over his face. He usually moves about in a sprightly manner, swaying his hips and making sudden leaps and high kicks. This character often appears with the Beast as they hold on to chains fastened around its waist, taunting him and restricting his movements. Imps fall into different categories depending on what accessory they carry which includes axes, horns, playing cards and bells.


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I think this is an Imp and a beast but I can't remember the commentary that went with it. There was a LOT going on, I can tell you. The dragon figure is often used in Mas. This dragon had a rope trailing from its waist and the Imp had to grab it to gain control. He put up quite a fight. Photo by Willi.

Red Indians / Guarrahoons / Warraouns

One of the most interesting and oldest of the traditional carnival bands are the Indians, who in the variety and fantasy of their costumes set the tone of carnival. The Guarao are a South American people who live on the lower Orinoco River rainforest of Venezuela. They came to Trinidad by canoe and brought beads, parrots, hammocks and other products to barter. As Henry highlighted in his text, the "Red Indian" masquerade portrayed by half-Indian peons was later adopted by Negro maskers who acquired from the peons a repertoire of songs and speeches. This repertoire developed into short scenes acted in the street and tents at Carnival time. Red Indians traditionally wear a short red satin skirt, a merino dyed red and decorated with painting, feathers, or sequins, and on the head a long, tangled wig of frayed-out hemp rope, a high crown of wire covered with red paper, ribbon and artificial roses, or a war bonnet made from large chicken feathers dyed and painted, or a wire and paper effigy of a fish, a bird or even an airplane. Sometimes the merino is replaced by long underwear dyed red and the feet are always left bare. The face is painted or dusted with roocoo, and long strands of beads made from Jumbi beads, cashew nuts or "Job's Tear" was worn around the neck. When attired, the Indians dance single file though the streets, in a serpentine procession lifting their knees up high at every step and bending their upper bodies forward and then upright, in time to their handclapping and shout of make a yodelling sound by slapping their mouth with their hands while emitting a piercing shriek. They also sing traditional songs of a very attractive melodious nature, the words of which are in "Red Indian Language".

The Bat

The figure of the Bat has been a popular part of Carnival since the 1920s. It is also one of the most enigmatic characters that appear in the mas; dark, mysterious, nocturnal and foreboding, the Bat has been a creature of wonder in almost every culture around the world, linked with everything from magic and the afterlife, to destiny and good fortune.

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Photo by Bruce.

In the Mas of Trinidad, the Bat is a glorious, fanged creature, portrayed as figures of both primal fear and beauty. Most Bat masqueraders are tightly fitted in black or brown suits or leotards which are often highlighted in silver or red, with expansive wings in excess of 12 feet, and large-eyed, expressive clay or modern papier-mâché headpieces. Claws are sometimes attached to shoes. Unlike other characters, Mas Bats rarely move in the main group of the band, seldom 'jumping up' to the music, but dancing on their toes. Bats will sometimes form little groups, seeming to perform in unison as they make their way down the road ahead of the rest of the band. It is usual, however, to see a single Bat blowing their whistles lightly, daintily dancing around the band or hovering just out of reach of the spectators. This is due in part to the nature of the creature, and partly to the delicacy of the costume itself. The large, webbed wings must be handled carefully, because they can easily be blown about in the wind, which can detract from the grace of the performance. Though the presence of the Bat in Mas has seemed to decrease in the 21st century, there are still families of avid performers who work to keep this Carnival character flying.

Moko Jumbie

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Photo by Bruce.

One of the most eye-catching of sights during the carnival season is undoubtedly the figure of the Moko Jumbie. Taken neither from the French Culture, nor originating in the islands themselves, the character and form of the Moko Jumie is almost a complete cultural transplant from Africa, surviving trans-Atlantic journey and given new life and meaning through tales and portrayals of former slaves.

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Photo by Willi.

The Moko Jumbie of earlier traditions was seen as a ghostly walker, striding the boundary or life and death; the word Jumbie can be translated as 'spirit' or 'zombie'. Unlike the bright celebratory figures in Trinidad Mas, African Nymom Kwouya was used in ceremonies to mark a person's passing. When Carnival celebrations were made public in 1840, this character took to the streets along with his brethren. Somehow, the skill of stilt-walking was preserved by the slaves, and it soon transcended the idea of mourning and became part of the celebration. Moko Jumbies are comples characters to play; before the portrayal, the art of walking ever-increasing lengths of stilts must be learned. Children start from as young as three years old learning to balance and move on two foot elongated wooden legs; experienced masqueraders can be seen on stilts as high as 10-15 feet. In the past, these stilts were often brightly painted in alternating stripes, though now it is common to cover the stilts themselves in long wide-legged, stalking-like (sic) pants or a full skirt. Gone also are the wide-brimmed Admiral's hat, many past Mokos used to wear. Today, they can be seen in virtually all forms of colourful regalia.

Princely Pierrot

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Photo by Bruce.

Thought by some to be a Prince amongst players, the Pierrot has been a staple in Trinidad Mas since its inception. Through the decades, the Pierrot has evolved, spawned various descendants and taken on new forms as it moved from the European aesthetics to the West Indian sensibility. Originally an unimportant, comical character in the Italian 'Commedia dell Arte," the 19th Century Pierrot of Trinidad was by contrast a bright, articulate central figure, grandiose in their speck ant attitude. The Pierrot's lavish nature is evident even in his costume which is finely detailed in rich colours of satin triangles over a fine satin gown, chest plate and beret, with a dictionary in hand. With their eloquent words, quick wits and elegant dress, these figures became major attractions at the parties of the rich upper-crust. Lower class coloured and the enslaved Africans of the time took note of the character's traits and performance, and when Mas brought to the streets, they created their own version of the character. In time, the Pierrot became almost solely identified with the Afro-centric portrayal. Considering himself the "Master of All He Surveys", the Pierrot was also portrayed by most masqueraders as a skilled, daring fighter with his whip.

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Photo by Willi.

A particularly good player would often have a large following of supporters who fought on his behalf against other Pierrot groups contesting for supremacy of the same area. Due to these frequent, fierce outbreaks, a law was passed in 1896 demanding a special license for any masqueraders seeking to play this character. This would eventually lead to the Pierrot's suppression and banning in 1898 by the colonial government of Trinidad.


This band of Pierrots fought each other with short whips as well and making fantastic individual displays, posturing and cracking their long whips.

Midnight Robber

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Photo by Bruce.

Perhaps the most verbally menacing and visually distinct of the traditional Carnival characters, the Midnight Robber none the less remains popularly portrayed. All the personal taste and embellishments of specific masqueraders aside, the Midnight Robber is widely recognisable for his distinguishing garb, bombastic attitude, boastful speeches and highly intimidating demeanour. The Robber character as we know him evolved around the turn of the 20th century, taking the general appearance of the American Wild West Cowboys and eventually developing into a black-clad night bandit with a penchant for lyrical violence and nearly supernatural powers. The basics for the portrayal of the Midnight Robber rarely alter too greatly; an elaborate costume of a large-to-extra-large brimmed hat, very similar to a sombrero, a long, sinuous cape in the colour of dark night; a black shirt and black loose-fitting pants or trousers, held in place by a p to 'gun-belt' which may have e to three arms, a dagger or sword, and an elaborate buckle. Completing this outfit, either on the hat, the belt-buckle or worn around the neck with a whistle is a skull or skull and crossbones. Other additions may include white gloves, an eye patch or head tie, a money box, various other skull representations, fake beard and elaborate tassels or fringe on everything from the hat to the cape.

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Photo by Bruce.

Their garb not only emphasized their connection to the night and thievery, but also flows with the quick, feline-like movement these often agile characters could make in an instant. Midnight Robbers tend to move crouched down in 'ready to pounce' stances, always on the alert, save when they are regaling the crowd with tales of their 'badness' and daring.

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Photo by Willi.

The greatest aspect of the Midnight Robber, however, remains his ability to extol about his deeds.


The two Midnight Robbers verbally duelled for us. Each would start is piece by blowing a whistle to get our attention. He would then talk himself up and when he was done he would blow his whistle again to announce he was finished. They would posture slowly and menacingly until the next Midnight Robber would blow his whistle and take his turn.

There were a number famous characters here. The Midnight Robber with the statue of the FIFA World Cup on his hat and the elderly King Sailors were well known and well loved by the crowd having performed in Mas bands since the 1950s.

Other Characters

There was so much to see on at the Old School Carnival and I'm not quite sure how to categorize all the characters we saw. Willi's and Bruce's photos are so good that I think you should see them.

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This Brown Devil, by Willi, could move his wings by pulling lines attached to them. It was fluid, natural and fascinating to watch.

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Huge scary marionette, by Bruce.

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The King of the King Sailors by Bruce.

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Donkey Rider by Bruce. This is a current recurring Mas theme and we saw seen herds of Donkey riders at the Children's Carnival on Saturday. A donkey is used rather than a horse because they less grand and Mas did start out as satirical mimicry.

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Gorilla and willing victim by Bruce. The crowd loved this band of very naughty gorillas.

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They were eager for audience participation but Tony wisely declined, by Willi.

There were a number of characters who 'played' in character the whole day. They were quite fascinating to watch.

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This was one of my favourite characters, the Thief, by Willi. She wandered about, looking innocent but with sideways looks that made you know she was up to something. When she could, she'd grab and run only to be chased by The Policeman.

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Madam Coocoo. This young actress kept in character switching between manic and depressive all day long.

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Monsieur Mal Jambe. He has a swollen knee, poor thing, and begged help from passers-by. I think he was injured in a fight.

There weren't necessarily only one of these characters. There were lots of Jamettes, Dame Lorraines a few Monsieur Mal Jambe other characters who I didn't recognize. In the Mas parades, there are sections 'playing' each type of character.

And last but not least, I need to mention the food we had that day.

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As we arrived at the venue, Derek pointed out a Doubles stand that was reputed to have pretty special Doubles.

I've enthused over Doubles but haven't had a hand free to take photos. This was Bruce's double.

It starts with two circles of softly deep fried bread.

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It is then topped with chickpea curry, grated cucumber, tamarind sauce, garlic sauce and a touch of chilli sauce.

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They are quite wonderful.

Tonight I am 'playing' J'ouvert with the usual suspects from Coral Cove Marina. It's the opening Mas and we've been told it's the best part of Carnival. We have a good idea what happens but we are so often surprised, I'll say more later.

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