The previous year was EO's first ever Mardi Gras thanks to Mike and Martha Overton. They are from Galveston and every year participated in that city's annual event. Because they had participated in Galveston's festival for so many years, Mike was the one who actually decided Esterillos should also celebrate this wild, crazy day.
Mardi Gras 2009 in EO was funky but a ton of fun. It was mostly local gringos who participated by dressing up, balloons and streamers on cars, face paintings, music, fun. Pretty simple but made for a very fun day.
When 2010 arrived everyone was looking forward to that year's Mardi Gras. We were on it and weeks before, the preparations began. Brigitte took on the task of organizing a group of us girls to make flowing decorations that would sit on top of 25 foot poles. Assignments were made for food, music, face painting. The war between who would have the best float was on. The mayor of our district was invited along with a marching band, and a biker club from San Jose.
The previous year I had planned to ride a horse in the parade. I had made arrangements with a local tico who owned the horses right below where I lived. On the big day, when the time came to go get my horse, it was not at the stables. The man who told me it would be ready totally let me down - the horse was still in a pasture. I tried to get another horse and was told it would be down at the face painting booth 30 minutes before the parade at 1 pm started. 15 minutes till one......no horse. I was upset. As I left the concession booths and walked down the dirt road to the start of the parade, I was really upset. There was only 8 vehicles at the most all lined up ready to go. Just as I got to the end, two guys happened to be riding by on their horses when I asked them to join us. They were young tico brothers who looked liked they had just landed in some Twilight Zone episode but once Brett explained what was going on and as I put beads on them and their horses - they were in. As I finished getting the second guy ready I just asked if I could ride on the back with him. Me standing there in my glitter covered cowboy hat, a wild colorful top and a pink tutu, black fishnet stockings with a hot pink boa - young Hymee stared at me like a deer in the headlights.
And that is how I ended up riding on a beautiful horse with my young cowboy Hymee - Mardi Gras, Esterillos Oeste style - 2009.
So.......2010. This year I really wanted to be prepared. About 2 weeks before I asked Vago if he could take me to the ranch the two brothers worked. Vago's brother in law Roger knew the guys and he went with us also to ask permission. Both brothers were there and arrangements were made for one of them to bring me a horse on the day of the event. I thought it would be the older brother since that was who Roger spoke to but to my surprise - on Mardi Gras day, it was Hymee, my dream cowboy from the previous year and with him was a beautiful grey gelding. The horse was magnificent!
Mardi Gras that year was an over the top success. After the parade and before Hymee needed to leave to get the horses back home, I asked my friend Sharon if she would take some photos of us on the beach. Sharon is a professional photographer and was happy to do so.
The photos totally captured the moment. Time stood still for a girl still young at heart to race down a beach with her handsome cowboy while wearing a fairy costume with her horse and the wings flying.
Life occasionally just hands you a gift that is so unexpected - so unbelievable - that when you reflect back on that time - you smile and give thanks for the magic of it all.
Thank you my friend Sharon for capturing this moment - it was truly one of my finest!
Pura Vida
1 comment:
this is the stuff fantasies are made of. You look GLORIOUS!!... running full-on horseback on the beach!!
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