Grand Boucan

Every year in June, Reunion Island has a huge Mardi-Gras like party called Le Grand Boucan. No one seems to know why this party exists, but apparently it's the biggest party Reunion has to offer. As I was in the US this time last year, I had no idea what to expect. Usually when Reunion does big parties I try to stay away...can you imagine the traffic/parking/crowd chaos on an island the size of a large city with one major road and eight hundred thousand cars? Luckily for us, Grand Boucan happens to be just outside our apartment...granting us front row, crowd-free access to the show. So obviously, we threw a small VIP masquerade party. 

All weekend, carnival rides, snack stands and construction workers invaded our tiny little street, preparing for the arrival of about 10,000 people. The parade is the first official event of the day...and this year, the theme was "Extra-Terrestrial."

The parade is lead by a giant float called the Dodo, which they burn on the beach at the end of the night. This year, this lucky guy was King Dodo. 

Richard had been sick since Friday, and I'm relatively claustrophobic, so we opted to hang out chez nous and not descend into the throng of thousands. Our friends arrived to join us around six. 

We snacked, drank and laughed for a couple hours. I kind of recently swore off alcohol after feeling like crap the morning after having a mere two glasses of wine with our wasp dinner. I figured I'm getting old and needed a detox! But I couldn't pass up Alien Super Party atmosphere, so Richard made me a rum punch...

Then we all ventured into the madness and made our way over to the ocean for the burning of the Dodo. We snuck over to the beach next to where the action was in order to avoid the crazy mass of people...but it turned out to be super windy there, the show was a half hour late, and a freezing Elena and I were ready to run back home...when...

...this amazing firework show started, and I was so happy we stayed. I think this is the closest I'm going to get to the 4th of July this year ;-) 

On the walk back, I started to feel horribly sick, so I stopped back at the apartment with Richard and by the time he got back out to the group, they had been flung somewhere out in the current of partying drunk people. I hope they had a little fun!! 

I, on the other hand, spent the night going from cold to hot with constant nightmares running through my sleeping little brain. Thankfully, our gracious house guests cleaned up the party for me this morning, and I was able to reschedule my immigration appointment for tomorrow. Also on the bright side, staying in bed has given me lots of time to catch up on my pinteresting and, of course, to write this blog. I can't decide if Richard's germs are to blame or if I really need to give up alcohol permanently...

Now it's time for some chicken noodle soup! I wish my Charlie dog was here to snuggle with me!!!