Batabano Carnival 2023
Yesterday my boyfriend and I decided to watch this year’s Batabano parade. It was actually a spur of the moment decision. Since we have gotten much older, we don’t really enjoy being out in the sun while walking and dancing anymore. I would say, the first time I watched Batabano, I was so mesmerised by the vibrant costumes and the overall representation of the Caribbean culture. However, like most things, my ‘utility’ with island-wide events have been ‘marginally diminishing’ quite quickly than I expected. In my opinion, Batabano Carnival has lost its spark post-pandemic. It’s either the pandemic took a toll on people, or CayMas (a privately organised carnival) has become more popular and overshadowed Batabano.
As you might notice from my previous posts, I’ve been heavily occupied by my studies and career progression the past few months. It has been so demanding that I can’t even spare myself little time for mindfulness. I started writing in Filipino/Tagalog in my last post as a way to organically express my thoughts and feelings. (If you are curious, the password for all my protected posts is opensesame)
I miss the old, idealistic, hopeful, creative, and full of inspiration version of me. I need to do more things that spark joy and make me happy. Hence, I finally grabbed my camera and went out to celebrate the carnival, like a tourist! Also, it is holiday on Monday for the celebration of King Charles’ coronation, so I guess that’s why I didn’t feel so bad for foregoing one day of productivity. lol
