Wrestling In The Street

Something else new at Cinco de Mayo, American-style fake wrestling. You would think the organizers would present Mexican lucha libre battles.

Anyway, the combatants hurl themselves into the ring, bellowing like wounded bull elephants. They snarl at each other. Eventually they fall into a series of scripted throws, gouges, illegal kicks, sometimes throwing each other out onto the pavement. Each seems about to triumph at times, only to be thrown off by a burst of strength from the opponent.

I can't help but notice that the man in the middle photo looks like he's singing Wagner. Maybe Alberich. If so, the first guy could be Siegfried.

More of this to come.                            

Ride 'Em

Something new at the Cinco de Mayo festival, a mechanical bull. The price was five dollars a ride (still in my pocket, thank you) and no one but the young man in the last picture made it more than a couple of seconds. He hung on for 9 or 10, breaking the day's record.

Are these things anywhere other than the US? Probably some in Canada and Mexico. They look dangerous but the riders take their chances. The people I watched ride it were young and presumably sober. These machines sometimes turn up in bars, too, where the danger to your spinal cord (and reputation) is greater. Check your insurance.          

¡Viva Mexico!

Cinco de Mayo, the Fifth of May, has become an excuse to party throughout the United States. It's nothing in Mexico, nada, the anniversary of a battle. A poorly equipped Mexican force kicked the butt of an invading French army. Some people are surprised to learn that France unsuccessfully tried to incorporate Mexico into the  French Empire in the 1860s.

So anyway, no biggie to most of our neighbors to the south. Here it's one of those events created to sell something, in this case tequila and Mexican beer. St. Louis doesn't have a big Hispanic population but what's around is centered on Cherokee Street, where you can find many Latino shops and restaurants serving the cuisine of Mexico and Central America. 

The street was packed on a beautiful day last weekend. The singer in the first two photos had her tequila bottle in hand. Between numbers, people came up to the front of the stage and she poured shots directly in their mouths.

By the way, how long has it been since they made black Macbooks?                         

The 60's Live

Madeleine is over at our house Thursday evening as I write this, which is seriously cutting into my blogging time.

If I overheard correctly, the owner of this car just rolled up to the staging area of the People's Joy Parade last Saturday and asked if he could join in. Sure, why not? It fits the spontaneity of the event. 

Since my granddaughter is visiting and I forgot to post a picture of her earlier in the week, here's one from the parade. My son, Andy, is getting married in Chicago next month. It's an unpretentious affair. Daughter Emily and I are the photographers. Hope we don't screw up.                

Walk Down Any Street In St. Louis . . .

. . . any part of town, any day of the week, and you are likely to see a bear on a unicycle. stilt walkers, Wonder Woman or a bicycle riding camel. What a town!

Or at least Wonder Woman, right?                      

Comedy And Tragedy

I dunno, that's what the two faces make me think of. I couldn't get hair like that if I had a 50 gallon drum of Rogaine laced with LSD. If you prefer, though, you could go for the Picasso-ish look with similar hair.             

 

Cast Of Characters

These people aren't from central casting. Marginal casting, maybe. Just a small sample of the marchers in the People's Joy Parade. More sure to follow. 

A NOTE FOR LOCAL CANON SHOOTERS: Canon has a national road show in progress, providing training in the use of their DSLRs for still and video shooting.  It's in St. Louis this weekend, May 10 - 11. The organizers contacted me, offering a $10 discount to the Saturday program. Go to the link just above and enter code CIAMZED10 at checkout.