An interesting Cultural experience

Monday and Tuesday the kids were off school for 'half term' (Although it's only been 1 month of school since Christmas break) and on Wednesday was a public holiday here 'St Paul's' day (which is to celebrate St Paul whose bought got wrecked here and he bought Christianity to Malta) ...  So Wednesday the kids were off. 

The weekend before we went with some Maltese friends to the 'Feast of St Paul' in the 'old city' of Valetta (which is often used in Movies to film scenes from Jerusalem - it is really similar to Jerusalem) ... Phil, ZaZ and Azi found the 'feast' really boring ... it was a lot of people standing in the streets, drinking beer, chatting, patiently waiting, waiting for a marching band to pass ... The marching band passed ... nothing special .. and then later on they were carrying out this big statue of St Paul .. we didn't stay for that. 

So this past weekend everyone was talking about 'carnival, carnival' and there was a lot of averts for places and things ... But I thought it would be the same standing around thing ... 

Yet, on Tuesday, my curiosity got there better of me ... And ZaZ, Azi and I hopped on a bus and went to Valetta ... We first checked out these HUGE floats! (They were stationery as they go through the street at night) ... Volunteers work on building these floats for a year! They really are remarkable! (Much more amazing than the floats I saw in New Orleans - 20 years ago) ... 

Then there was a big stage set-up and all these kids dance groups have a time that they do their dances. Well ... the COSTUMES of these kids are OTT!!!! (see pics below) ... Kids from about age 3-16 are on Stage in this OTT costumes, with this RAVE music playing and them doing dance sequences that involve jumping up and down and stuff for about 8 minutes! (The dancing, music and costumes sort of don't go together) ... The parents in the audience all wear sweat tops printed with the dance school and whistling and blowing horns! It was quite an experience! 

After 2 hours - Azi had had enough - ZaZ and I were glued! 

Next year ... we will go to the night event! For sure!!! 

Check out pics - and show your kids! 

PS: I did ask one of the Moms what they pay for these costumes, she said E180 - but they dance in a few festivals and go to dance at Carnival in Sicily! 

PPS: I am now intrigues by this ... apparently its a huge industry - making kids costumes for carnival, make-up etc etc. 

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