Is it just me, or do you all find that subsequent visits to a place or event fail to deliver that same sense of magic and excitement as the first experience?! Or maybe, this is just another symptom of the dreaded mid-life crisis – or maybe, as the surf-wise turtle said in Finding Nemo, You’ve got serious thrill issues dude. Anyway, the Notting Hill carnival this year was one such disappointment. Some people have been quick to blame the boxed-in feeling on the threat of terrorism – and I can bear witness to the fact that during the warm-up to the processions, there were probably more police officers that revellers on the streets – others accounted for the lethargic atmosphere by pointing out it was Children’s Day yesterday, but I suspect the reason is more simple … commercialism. Having just returned from Egypt where the hawking was almost unbearable, the last thing I expected was to have copious amounts of jerk chicken samples shoved in my face, or yet another trader trying to persuade the kids to buy a second whistle or horn. Carnivals are times when the street comes alive with dance, music, colour etc – making a profit, in my view, has no place in such events. And so, I doubt I will be returning next year
I will however be returning to the telly next month to (hopefully) witness Michael Vaughan’s boys reclaim the Ashes at the Oval. Yesterday’s nail-biting victory in the 4th Test Match against the Aussies should dispel any myths that cricket is a game for comatose, wimpy couch potatoes who constantly reminisce about the bygone days of the glorious British Empire. At its best (and yesterday’s performance by both teams is a case in point), cricket can give you that adrenalin boost … just when you need it most.
banana blogging 