Back in La Ceiba, we arrived during one of the biggest events of the year, the week-long carnival of San Isidro, reputedly one million in attendance from throughout the country. It ended with a parade on Saturday and a rodeo on Sunday. I’m not sure what happens at night, but during the daytime parade people were very well behaved, even demure, compared to, say, St. Thomas.

Horses featured more than I had expected. One of our routes in Roatan took us near a stable where we occasionally saw these artificially pacing horses. It was beautiful to watch, if you closed your mind to how the horse might normally have behaved, and the fact that chains and hobbles were part of the training regimen. The horses’ chins are pressed to their chests, and they prance a peculiar high-kneed gait, flinging their hooves out and around instead of straight up and down, sometimes frothing at the mouth and under the reins.
For the rider, however, the point must be to look insouciant and effortless. A martini in a stemmed glass of course would not spill, although I don’t think these riders drink martinis.
Okay, so it’s an artificial definition of beauty, like women in high heels, of which there are also a multitude.
PHOTO GOLD HIGH HEELS

Men, to appear attractive, often only have to be make money and spend it freely, which seems relatively easy compared to walking funny most of your life!

The carnival was street food

and toy vendors
PINWHEEL CABBAGE

CUTE KIDS

MASKS

BEADS

DANCERS

SPECTATORS

QUEENS AND KINGS

At the head of all these floats are a few people with brooms and ‘boat hooks’ to lift the numerous power cables over the peacock feathers and other obstacles.
AEROBATICS

GAMES OF CHANCE

REFRESHMENT

CROWDS AT THE END

And, the picture I missed, the person who picked the pocket of a casual acquaintance who should have known better than to carry everything in his wallet, in his back pocket. All part of the adventure, folks!
The whole photo file is located here
http://galivant.smugmug.com/Honduras/Isidri-Carnival-La-Ceiba/12280432_Uq4gH/