New Year's Eve/New Year's Day 2010

What a fantastic anchorage spot for New Year's Eve!  We are anchored in the Nassau Harbor right between the famous Atlantis Resort and the Green Parrot restaurant.  The Green Parrot is very cruiser friendly, providing a dingy dock, internet and trash bins, however no water.   To celebrate New Year's 2010 the restaurant had a live band and also a DJ, enabling us to hear the music all evening. At midnight the fireworks began, lasting for 35 minutes with plenty to see.  After Atlantis , fireworks continued downtown Nassau for another 15 minutes making the New Year entrance GRAND!


 Then it was on to Bay Street for the annual New Year's Day Junkanoo parade which started at 2 am and ran until after 8am, we got there around 4:15 am.  Junkanoo is a Bahamian national festival which is a kaleidoscope of color and sound.  You hear the sounds of cowbells, goat skin drums and whistles, accompanied by an array of brass instruments.  The event takes place several times during the year -- on Boxing Day, Dec. 26, New Years morning and on July 10th which is Independence day here. Costuming is a tedious process that demands tremendous skill and creativity. Costumes begin with a selection of a theme. Then the patterns are created on cardboard, which is the base of the costumes. Once the costumes structure is complete, hundreds of brilliantly colored layers of fringed crepe paper are meticulously pasted on. The fringe effect is what adds texture and

 dimension to these elaborate costumes. The more elaborate larger ones weigh up to 100 pounds being held on your shoulders for the two mile parade which can make one very sore and tired! 

The floats are also made by hand and must be hand pulled by one or two men - nothing electrical permitted and sometimes can weight up to 300 pounds.  Cash prizes are awarded but more important is the prestige of being the "best of show".  And what amazes us is that the participants are so willing to stop and pose for a picture. (it makes for a rest period also) 

During the festival we stopped for Chinese food.  Where else can one have chinese food sitting on a stoop watching a parade at five-o-clock in the morning?  A trip to Nassau during Junkaroo is not to be missed for anyone planning a trip to the Bahamas at that time.