Pyros and Parade

Last Sunday marked my first taste of the festive Peruvian spirit. All morning, people were busy closing streets, putting up decorations, setting up lights, and getting ready for the annual Wong Parade for Fiestas Patrias. Let me break down that last part. Wong is, well quite simply, one of the coolest stores ever (if you’re into cool stores, of course). It has long been a source of pride for the Peruvians because it was Peruvian-run… until recently (when the Chileans bought it—a sore subject here), yet the national pride it provokes seems not to have faded. Wong is great for many reasons, but if you just need a few they include, live music, free samples, guys in Sombreros (maybe they go by another name here???), dancers, smiling people, tents, parade hosting. Think Target crossed with a traveling carnival (You may have to see it to know its glories).

Back to the Parade. The parade is hosted by Wong in celebration of Fiestas Patrias, which is Independence Day here. Peru won its independence from Spain in 1826, shortly after several other South American nations, led by Jose de San Martin and Simon Bolivar, achieved their liberation. The official day of celebration is the 28th of July (for which my street is named). However, this parade took place on July 12th. I like places that celebrate one day for a whole month. It reminds me of my childhood attempts to celebrate my birthday for an entire month. I appreciate the spirit!

Anyhow, Rachel and I ventured out to meet our friend Ania at the parade just as it was beginning. It was so crowded and crazy on the streets it was nearly unbearable. There were literally points where you couldn’t move even if you picked both feet up off the ground. So, we decided to head for higher ground and settled in on the fifteenth floor rooftop of Ania and Rachel’s apartment building. It was a most excellent vantage point. From there, we could see three different points on the parade route, the big empty school yard from which they would later launch fireworks, and the masses of people crowded everywhere. Its was a well attended event to say the least.

As darkness fell over the festivities, the street lights all went off and this spooky loud organ music filled the streets. It was a haunted house prelude. But soon, the fireworks began. Unlike the US, a country that is so cautious with its placement of fireworks in proximity to gigantic crowds, the Peruvians light those puppies off right over the masses. I’ve never been so close to a fireworks display (well except for the Louies boys’ pyrotechnic display in the courtyard by my house growing up). It was awesome, and at times dangerous. At one point, it literally looked like a rain of fire and flames was showering down on the people in the streets. I was happy to be on the roof.