{"id":266,"date":"2011-08-28T12:56:18","date_gmt":"2011-08-28T11:56:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/londonerfromafar.wordpress.com\/?p=266"},"modified":"2020-05-24T17:30:37","modified_gmt":"2020-05-24T16:30:37","slug":"notting-hill-carnival-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alondonerfromafar.co.uk\/notting-hill-carnival-time\/","title":{"rendered":"Notting Hill Carnival Time!"},"content":{"rendered":"

It is that time of the year again. In London, and at a loose end? Let\u00b4s go to the carnival!<\/p>\n

The Notting Hill Carnival<\/a> is one of those events that no visitor should miss. It is marketed as the biggest street party in the world after Rio. So, why not paying a visit?\u00a0<\/p>\n

The whole affair is full of contrasts. It has been held in London all the Bank Holiday \"Notting<\/a>weekends since 1964 to celebrate the West Indian culture<\/a>. It is led particularly by the \u00b4Trinis\u00b4, many of whom have\u00a0populated the area since the 1950\u00b4s.<\/p>\n

Hold on. West-Indians? What about the\u00a0posh, white\u00a0Notting Hill\u00a0that I saw in that movie? Well, Hugh Grant\u00b4s\u00a0posh, white-washed Notting Hill<\/a> is only a thing of the recent past, and it\u00b4s\u00a0partly fictitious. That is, much in the same way as West Hampstead didn\u00b4t use to be what it is today, and what Kilburn may become soon. Working class Spanish, Portuguese and then\u00a0West Indians\u00a0came to\u00a0this area to help build the\u00a0Central Line tube. The area became progressively posh about 15 years ago.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It is such an explosion of colour. On both the Sunday and Monday, there is a parade that runs during the afternoon and early evening\u00a0formed by\u00a0groups of\u00a0people dressed up in well-crafted, non-boring<\/a>,\u00a0bright-coloured\u00a0clothes dancing to\u00a0the\u00a0music of steel bands and\u00a0– in\u00a0lorries. Yes, lorries. For most of us who come from countries where carnival is\"Notting<\/a> celebrated much in the same\u00a0way\u00a0as in Brazil, it comes as a surprise that they should also\u00a0use lorries with huge sound systems and\u00a0hip-hop singers.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Despite that, there are huge crowds to see the parades and\u00a0dance in the few sound systems dotted in the area.\u00a0Another option: eat that lovely jerk chicken and plantain<\/a>. Yummy! Some of the stalls in the fair are actually quite well-known. \"Notting<\/a><\/p>\n

Another aspect that I find particularly interesting is the tight security. Police officers on foot and on horse guard the area almost in a military way. First time goers might think `what??\u00b4 Apparently, the event\u00a0has been on the\u00a0verge of being cancelled a few times, due to the high crime rate. Last year\u00b4s event was a success<\/a>\u00a0in this respect. But, this year\u00b4s event was about to be cancelled<\/a> in any way, in light of the recent lootings.<\/p>\n

You know what, though? I have so many pix with those \u00b4horrible\u00b4 police officers. They are usually\u00a0quick to suggest taking a picture of a group of revellers or to appear in it with\"Notting<\/a> them!! Always that big smile – it must be hard working when everyone else is having a good time. No, that lady in the picture on the right\u00a0is not me, LoL.<\/p>\n

Yes, pubs are also open too.<\/p>\n

See you there?<\/p>\n

A Londoner from Afar<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It is that time of the year again. In London, and at a loose end? Let\u00b4s go to the carnival! 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