New York, Travel

Monkey Parade

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Actually it wasn’t a monkey parade at all but Kongo was there for the Annual Pulaski Day Parade in New York City when he got trapped on the west side of 5th Avenue Sunday afternoon.  Kongo loves parades and this gala event on the streets of New York was no exception.  Thousands of participants, fire engines, motorcycles, bands, dancers, local pols,  and Little Miss Polinas swarmed Midtown to remember and celebrate Casimir Pulaski, a Polish nobleman who is known as “the father of the U.S. calvary.”

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This young couple is really happy to be on 5th Avenue!
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You just KNOW that this guy is going to cut a deal for a new water main or something similar before the day is out.
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This proud mother is keeping close to her charges in the parade.

While there were plenty of colors to go around for this parade, the dominant theme of course is red and white, the national colors of Poland and these colors were splashed across onlookers and paraders alike.  There were scads of native costumes, Polish flags, and twirling streamers.

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The good Monsignor is obviously thinking about when is this parade ever going to get moving!
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Riding in a fire engine with his grandmother in the background may be one of the most exciting things this young boy has ever done!

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Old General Pulaski would have been proud of all the hoopla.  For those who don’t remember, Casimir Pulaski served with General George Washington during the Revolutionary War and is actually credited with saving Washington’s life in battle.  Pulaski is known for having fought for democracy in both the United States and his native Poland.  He was mortally wounded leading a calvary charge at the Battle of Savannah in 1779.  After a Joint Resolution of Congress passed in 2009, President Obama signed a declaration conferring U.S. citizenship on Casimir Pulaski in 2009.  (And who said Congress can’t work together?!)

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Just before the Little Miss Polina (shown below) was wheeled out on to 5th Avenue, Kongo listened to her mother coaching her on how to do “the wave” that classic model gesture where the upraised hand movers back and forth with minimal wrist action.  Little girls pick up this technique very quickly!  She got it.

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One of the wonderful things about New York City is that just about everybody gets to have a parade.  They’ve fine tuned parades to well run organized chaos and everyone gets a chance to participate.

The next time you’re in the city, make sure you check out which group is going on parade. It doesn’t matter what group.  It’s all fun.

Travel safe.  Have fun.

 

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