After more than 20 years, posts here will now only be occasional ( |
| Comparsa Los Rumberos with the Santi Castro designed costume, "Britania". |
Yesterday afternoon's (Shrove Tuesday, 21 Feb) Coso Apotheosis of Carnival (Main Parade) brought together thousands of residents and tourists for the highest point of the Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The parade of groups, characters, queens and ladies passed brilliantly through the avenues of Anaga and Marítima, packed with the public. Nearly 10,000 people participated in the grand parade.
After the massive weekend and Carnival Monday, a bit of order and tranquillity arrived with one of the most significant and traditional parades. The hangover, real and emotional, was evident on the faces of the thousands of attendees who came to see the carnival groups and the queens, in what was to be their last official tour of the city in this edition of carnival, which has been dedicated to New York.
With a light breeze and a practically clear sky, the parade began, five minutes late, with the NiFú-NiFá at the head, as is customary. Behind them, some Carnival characters, such as Michael Jackson, accompanied by people in costumes, who escorted Los Rumberos, winners of the first prize for presentation in the comparsas' contest with it's allegory, "Britania", designed by Santa Castro, in homage to the British Royal Guard. Then the Queen of Carnival arrived with Santi Castro, and her entire team flanking the fantasy "Lisboa" (Lisbon), then followed Los Joroperos, the first prize winners for interpretation in comparsas, who are also celebrating their 50th Anniversary, then Mamelucos, winners of Presentation in murgas.
Throughout the next three and a half hours, over 9,000 people paraded along the Avenida Marítima, with the floats of the maids of honour, junior and senior carnival queens and all of the non-winning carnival queen candidates, interspersed with the various carnival groups. Some 270 buses had transported visitors from both the north and the south of the island, to occupy the stands set up exclusively for them, thanks to agreements with tour operators. After the parade, which ended with the floats after 7:30 p.m., night had already fallen and the fair was packed with people who wanted to eat or enjoy the attractions as a family.
Photos, 509 of them, of the COSO APOTEOSIS by iLoveTheWorld
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| Behind the scenes, the queens line up at the end of the Avenida Anaga |
