Away from keyboard #10. Stavropol regions parade-masquerade

Even before I got into the very center of the city I could see that this city+region’s birthday is going to be spectacular! I saw many groups of people dressed for (as I found out later) parade-masquerade.

There were representatives of Stavropol region’s areas as well as the biggest companies working in this territories.

Some people looked tired despite early hours – it was around 10am. They probably have to arrive into Stavropol in this very day, which means some of them have spend 2 or even 4 hours of driving already.

The Stavropol region stretches for 285 km from north to south and 370 km from west to east. Its area is larger than, for example, the Netherlands.

Yet, many people were posing for me when they saw me taking pictures. I was smiling and waving them back, very grateful for their efforts :)

I like this picture very much! I can’t explain why, but it makes me want to look at it… it’s like time has stopped for a second in this shot.

Not every day you can see ladies dressed like that on the ordinary bus stop :)

And there are tall ladies are coming! Stilts looked very cool in this parade and people were making the pictures of them all the time!

And some of this people have been making the videos! Guess, who was it? :D

The parade itself has started in about an hour after I made these first pictures. I missed the beginning of it a little because there was no indications were exactly it will go, were to stand so you could see it in the best way, or anything like it. I just saw some movement in about hundred meters away from me, noticed the familiar costumes and followed them.

Here are some videos of it!

As you can see, there are many goods are being produced in Stavropol region: meat, sausages, eggs, sugar, lemonades, sunflower and other kinds of oil, pasta, apples, watermelons, melons ... lots of fruits and vegetables. And of course, the most important thing is grain and bread.

Sometimes a strong wind rose. Here you can see an apple that continually risks turning into a balloon ^_^

A watermelon is checking its mobile phone. Nothing unusual, all the Stavropol watermelons do it all the time :D

I must admit that despite the fact that no citizens seems to be understanding when and where it should start and what roads it will follow… The parade-masquerade was really great!

Bright costumes, slogans, decorations… so many efforts and they all worth it! Very inspiring even now when I’m just looking through all this pictures, but back in that day this event made very happy!

I hope I could share at least a small part of this enthusiasm with you, my dear friends :)

Away from keyboard #9. How a Russian city celebrates its birthday