LHR: Carnival

2008 Carnival Map (pdf)

I can't say enough about prior planning. I visited the Notting Hill Carnival this year, but I was late on Sunday. Somehow, I had the idea of the parade being an afternooon into evening affair. I don't know where I got this idea. The parade ending hours are clearly mentioned in most of the literature that I've now re-read.






So, I showed up at around 8pm on Sunday, about 1 hour after the official festivities ended. Missing all but the jerk chicken and rice... Next year, I'll be sure to go earlier. If I'd been aware that I was missing things, I wouldn't have hung out at the hotel bar for the amount of time that I did...

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The one neat thing that I ran across were the funny men-only urinals. Open air, yet still private.

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On my way back to the hotel, I came across a street rave music party. It was most likely an ordnance/curfew violation, but the cops didn't seem to care too much. Loud, active and young. I only stayed 15 minutes until the monotony of the beat wore me out.

I'd also recommend that you bring your own beers, in a backpack if you have one. There is apparently no open container law that is in affect for Carnival and everybody was openly partaking. There's probably some good money to be made with the recycling aluminum contract, as the beer cans were scattered everywhere. (a testament to the fun perhaps?)




Monday aftrnoon, the 25th, after a quick swim at the Hilton, I ventured back out to see what I could witness before the bus pickup time. I jogged there and back, and it was not too bad a run. About 10 minutes to get there there. Once there, I hung out at the southeast corner of the parade route, and got to see the first couple of floats. I was at a crosswalk that allowed you to get 'inside' the parade route (like the infield of the track). I was tempted to cross, but I'm glad I didn't. Had I gone inside, I'm not sure I would have been allowed back out for the next few hours. Keep that in mind if you're tight on time - stay outside the parade route for a quick exit.


That's it. Really a failed attempt at visiting Carnival this year, but I'll be 1 year wiser for 2009!