I went to SF Carnaval, and had entirely too much fun. The mood was good; the crowd was excited, the weather was blindingly bright but not oppressively hot or windy, and the parade outlasted me, somehow. (69 participating groups!)
The parade openers, the low riders and classic car clubs, went on for perhaps the first hour of the parade. (I had a group from Nicaragua near me, displaying a flag, and so I heard and saw their joy for cars displaying Nicaraguan flags, or in a few cases, blue cars generally. 😄 )
Even as a cyclist/pedestrian who doesn't own a car, the particular cars in the parade reminded me of the Mission in the 1970s, and the fact that I've probably seen these same cars on the street from that era, with the same families in them (or their parents), is rather sweet. So. Many. Impalas! I can also swear on my stack of Girlyhead magazines that I also grasp the appeal of analog cars that can be maintained with the skill of an ordinary enthusiast.
What I appreciated this time (after several years of being unable to attend) was the paint. The colors! The colors with a diferent shade of sparkle that is only visible in certain light/angles! (Favorite: dark gray with red sparkle.) The subtle depth! As a painter, I appreciate the care (and love of shimmer) that went into these.
As someone who lost a dear relative who was a fan of cars, one who would respond to any photo I sent of a fin with the make and model of the car, I was also nostalgic for the response he would have given me if I had texted photos to him in real time from this event.
