Tuesday 6 March 2007

The Burning of the King

This was taken on Saturday during the last night of the Carnival. Traditionally the King is paraded through the streets one last time then taken out to sea and burnt followed by a firework display.
You can just see one of the Grosse Tetes behind . The King was Chirac wearing a rugby strip but I think that Head must have been one of the others whose names escape me just now...oh my memory..

Students from the University are given employment dancing and participating. Here they were doing the Hakka as the overall theme was The Big Scrum a reference to the Rugby World Cup hosted by France this year and to the free-for-all of the elections.
Anyway it's a very noisy, good humoured evening and the fireworks are always great but the traffic as everyone tries to leave at once...a total nightmare. Can't you tell I'm getting older!

6 comments:

Nathalie H.D. said...

Ah yes, I remember we had the same in Avignon when I lived there. Great tradition and good fun!

Gaëlle said...

You're lucky to have such a beautiful carnival in Nice.

Dsole said...

Oh I think he might be Dalí just because his moustache... but I don't really know...
It seemed a funny parade! and traffic, yes, it's a nightmare in this kind of things, so take it easy and be the last to leave the party! ;)

Cheltenhamdailyphoto said...

Love these action shots, looks like a great time was had!

Oya said...

To bad, we have no carnival whatsoever:(

Pat said...

Looks like the folks had a wonderful time at the carnival. Great photo and how interesting to read this.




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