Bahamas: Day Five
Day 5 (Dec 31): Junk-A-Noo
Sun-rise, journal catch-up, picture catch-up, reading, puzzle.
My morning began early with a before-the-sunrise walk to Gussy's. There, we watched the sunrise and I climbed up onto her roof for absolutely great shots. Sunrises are so calm and beautiful. The clouds glow orange like a lightbulb slowly warming up before the sky really lights up the day.
Between sunup and sundown, we did our basic swimming at the beach, games at Gussy's and The Lodge, and food at Munchies. It was beautiful and fun, fun and tedious, and tedious and tasty, respectively. Not much more to say here.
Around 6pm we headed to the house of the grandparent's friends for a dinner party. We got there early and so ate cheese and hung out on the roof until the other guests arrived. All-in-all, it was 70% old people, 20% people just older than me (who talked amongst themselves/with Lauren), and 10% the rest of our group. [introspection] I really am surprised at how afraid I am at times like these. Large social events where the other attendees are related to you in the vaguest of ways, many of whom you are "expected" to meet and talk to really get to me; I choke up. This really bothers me. I keep re-evaluating whether they'd be interested in me, if I'd be wasting their time, etc. and rarely strike up the nerve to start conversation. So I'll try to be invisible, sidling past people to eat hors d'oeuvres, and occasionally go outside to escape. I didn't expect that.[/introspection]
Anyways, after this we went to the sailing club lodge for New Year's. There was champagne and desserts, excellent fireworks and a countdown. It was fun, Christen had champagne-breath, it's now 2008, and the earth went up a level (there was even level-up music).
Then came the main party of the night and the reason hundreds of people flock to Hopetown for New Year's-Junk-A-Noo. It's a parade/dance party that's been around for hundreds of years to ward off evil spirits. Small versions of Junk-A-Noo happen for major events (like weddings), but the big one is a New Year's. It's like a live version for Liquid Liquid's Bellhead for an hour-and then some. All the power and frenzy of a DYAO, but through a small Bahamian town on a gorgeous island just after New Year's. We got right in front of the costumed percussion players and danced our asses off for an hour, moving slowly down the street. They didn't play songs exactly, but more just made rhythms and noise-as much as possible-and followed the flow and beat of the night. Anyone with any noise-maker could join; I saw whistles, drums, bells, and every now and then firecrackers would join the din.
We finally stopped when Christen got sketched out by guys dancing all over her on a dark street. We stopped and watch it pass us, still dancing a bit but dropping from the parade. It was an awesome, awesome experience. It is definitely a reason to come here.
Sun-rise, journal catch-up, picture catch-up, reading, puzzle.
My morning began early with a before-the-sunrise walk to Gussy's. There, we watched the sunrise and I climbed up onto her roof for absolutely great shots. Sunrises are so calm and beautiful. The clouds glow orange like a lightbulb slowly warming up before the sky really lights up the day.
Between sunup and sundown, we did our basic swimming at the beach, games at Gussy's and The Lodge, and food at Munchies. It was beautiful and fun, fun and tedious, and tedious and tasty, respectively. Not much more to say here.
Around 6pm we headed to the house of the grandparent's friends for a dinner party. We got there early and so ate cheese and hung out on the roof until the other guests arrived. All-in-all, it was 70% old people, 20% people just older than me (who talked amongst themselves/with Lauren), and 10% the rest of our group. [introspection] I really am surprised at how afraid I am at times like these. Large social events where the other attendees are related to you in the vaguest of ways, many of whom you are "expected" to meet and talk to really get to me; I choke up. This really bothers me. I keep re-evaluating whether they'd be interested in me, if I'd be wasting their time, etc. and rarely strike up the nerve to start conversation. So I'll try to be invisible, sidling past people to eat hors d'oeuvres, and occasionally go outside to escape. I didn't expect that.[/introspection]
Anyways, after this we went to the sailing club lodge for New Year's. There was champagne and desserts, excellent fireworks and a countdown. It was fun, Christen had champagne-breath, it's now 2008, and the earth went up a level (there was even level-up music).
Then came the main party of the night and the reason hundreds of people flock to Hopetown for New Year's-Junk-A-Noo. It's a parade/dance party that's been around for hundreds of years to ward off evil spirits. Small versions of Junk-A-Noo happen for major events (like weddings), but the big one is a New Year's. It's like a live version for Liquid Liquid's Bellhead for an hour-and then some. All the power and frenzy of a DYAO, but through a small Bahamian town on a gorgeous island just after New Year's. We got right in front of the costumed percussion players and danced our asses off for an hour, moving slowly down the street. They didn't play songs exactly, but more just made rhythms and noise-as much as possible-and followed the flow and beat of the night. Anyone with any noise-maker could join; I saw whistles, drums, bells, and every now and then firecrackers would join the din.
We finally stopped when Christen got sketched out by guys dancing all over her on a dark street. We stopped and watch it pass us, still dancing a bit but dropping from the parade. It was an awesome, awesome experience. It is definitely a reason to come here.