Spanish Lookout Parade

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   Under the smokescreen language of "historic" and "vintage" and "antique", the community of Spanish Lookout hosted its own variation of September 21 Independence Day celebration. On Saturday the 19th, at 3pm, a combination of antique tractors and 70's and 80's pickup trucks wound their way from the Spanish Lookout Heritage Building, aka "the White House", swerved around the Crossroad/Midwest crossing and returned. Several vehicles proudly sported Belizean flags with children and adults happily riding and waving. A truly historic event which for some reason coincided with Belize's 45th birthday.






  Two days later we attended the actual Independence parade in San Ignacio but were sadly disapointed due to the cavalry and patriotic march going in a different direction than the carnival. So we were instead treated to a scandalizing sight of barely dressed female dancers, ridiculous behaviour and even saw a group of Pride dancers (Belize is a free, democratic country after all). And almost every float featured one outstanding characteristic: loud music and dancing at which point I realized this was actually the Carnival! So I asked a fellow observer about the Independence parade and he looked puzzled and said "this is it!"
  But to be fair, the Independence parade in Belmopan was truly in honor of the country. Soldiers with real guns, parachutes, etc. We were simply in the wrong place.













                     A. Mendoza

   

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