Narrative #2

Even after closing the curtains so not a glimmer of sunlight could wake us up Saturday morning, Elizabeth and I awoke to the sound of beating drums, accordions and loud singing at 11am. At first we thought it was just the usual crazy street performers who loiter outside our apartment, but once we wandered onto our balcony we saw a stream of color flowing at the top of Rue Lepic. I quickly ran inside to grab my camera because I felt whatever we were about to see needed to be photographed. We followed the sounds of drums and singing up our street. There was rainbow colored confetti EVERYWHERE and a stream of weirdly dressed people dancing as they marched behind the source of music. We quickly joined our fellow Montmartre neighbors in what felt like the annual Gay Pride Parade in San Francisco.  I fastened my walk into a jog because I needed to see where this music was coming from. After about 3 blocks of dodging kids, dogs and photographers we reached a drum line of electric blue dressed men who were stomping in place, as their women counter parts performed a dance in front of them. The women displayed large head-dresses, flowing blue skirts and plump tummies with belly-button rings. Elizabeth and I decided to continue on with this parade/band/festival (we were still unsure of what exactly we were apart of) for the next hour. I took over 200 pictures and we saw a demographic of the Parisians that I never expected to see. Fun-loving, smiling, excited and screaming people. We even saw a man dressed head to toe in a bright pink Marie Antionette-esque dress that really complimented his chest. After being handed a pamphlet for the event, we soon learned what we were a part of: Carnaval De Montmartre, a party that has been held in the streets of Montmartre every year since 1896. I thoroughly enjoyed feeling like I was finally a part of French culture; no one noticed we were American because all that was exchanged between everyone was smiles and laughter.