Information about the British Carnival?

Notting Hill Carnival is the largest carnival in Europe and the second largest street celebration in the world after Rio de Janeiro Carnival in Brazil. Carnival was held in 1964 for the first time, and the response was very good. Since then, it has been held every year in Notting Hill block in the northwest corner of London, and it has been the 42nd session.

The custom of carnival originated from Caribbean culture. /kloc-in the 1960 s, the British held Notting Hill Carnival to reconcile the racial pressure faced by blacks and promote exchanges between blacks and whites. This tradition has become an international gathering for people from all over the world to communicate and vent with each other through music and dance. The theme of this year's carnival is "Unity and Diversity". Britain, which is in the "post-bombing period", is eager to tell the world that British citizens are United as one and are enthusiastic and tolerant of various cultures. In order to ensure that "everyone has a share in the carnival", the organizer also specially arranged a "Caribbean customs exhibition" for elegant people who can't stand the crazy atmosphere in Hyde Park, not far from Notting Hill block. People who feel suffocated during the carnival can have a rest in the sunshine and lawn of Hyde Park and soak in the fragrance of the Caribbean.

This year's Notting Hill Carnival was lucky to meet the rare continuous fine weather in foggy city. From August 28th to 29th, the celebration lasted for two days and two nights. The dancers reluctantly left Notting Hill until 3 am on the 30th. According to the BBC, a total of 750,000 people attended the event.

Say no to terror.

This carnival is the first large-scale public event in London after the terrorist bombings in July, and security issues naturally occupy the first place. The London Police mobilized * * * 5,000 policemen to ensure the safe and smooth activities! Almost everywhere you can hear carnival music, you can see groups of serious-looking policemen patrolling. Their work has also produced good results! The London police said on BBC Radio: "It is very encouraging to see so many people taking to the streets to celebrate freely. This proves that Londoners have not been intimidated by terrorist attacks. Londoners' colorful life continues and our enthusiasm is increasing day by day. "

Looking for someone at the carnival

Black people-the protagonist of carnival

Black people are the protagonists of the carnival. They play various roles in the carnival: black policemen, black volunteers, black dancers, black tourists and black vendors. Because carnival is a black festival! In the carnival, you won't see a shy black man, and you won't see a black man standing in a daze (except the black policeman). Every black man is dancing, laughing and shouting. Black people lead the process of dressing up, and all the DJs are black, which gives the carnival vitality and passion!

Police-serious citizens

On the day of the carnival, if you don't know the exact address of the event, take a closer look at where there are surprisingly many policemen. It must be the carnival area. According to the BBC, London dispatched 5000 policemen for this activity! Looking around, more than one policeman scanned the crowd with serious eyes in every corner. They are the only people in the whole carnival who can't laugh or jump. But if you ask them or ask them for help, they will answer you with a big smile, and if you take pictures of them, they will also cooperate with each other and show their mighty appearance. At several intersections outside the carnival block, patrol officers were also placed to protect horses. They stopped at the intersection like statues, smiling at every child who came to touch the horse, and cooperated with the flash of tourists.

Foreigners-A New Army of Carnival

For tourists from all over the world, London is often the first stop to visit Britain. Notting Hill Carnival is the second largest carnival in the world, and no one will miss it. DJ snapped ... I saw white people, I saw black people, I saw yellow people and red people ... Ah, yes, let's dance together! Don't worry, don't be nervous, let's all dance! "Walking in the crowd, my ears are full of various languages. Foreign tourists often take pictures with various brands of cameras first, and then dance with them. There are some yellow people among them, but few of them belong to a relatively quiet group. Perhaps it is because of different cultures that it is difficult to blend into the carnival atmosphere. I remember listening to a friend describe the annual fireworks show in Tokyo, Japan: people entered the show in an orderly manner, and beautiful fireworks rose in the air. Only faint praise was heard, but there was no high applause. After the activity, everyone left silently, without crowding, shoving or leaving any rubbish on the ground! This oriental culture is really different from the kind of culture that jumps around with chocolate sauce.

Carnival treasure hunt

Whistle-a tool for answering all calls

On carnival day, if you catch a whistle for a few cents in the domestic wholesale market and sell it, you will definitely make a lot of money. Whistling is the best way to echo loud music. Almost everyone has a whistle around their neck. The peddler kept peddling among the crowd. Except for a few blocks where tourists are given whistles free of charge, most of the whistles of vendors are 1 pound, which is equivalent to RMB 14 yuan! Like treasure hunting, children are looking for whistles that people have dropped on the ground. As soon as they saw them, they rushed up and picked them up for themselves.

Roasted Chicken Leg —— "Must Eat" in Festivals

Roasted chicken legs are the most popular food at carnival. There are many stalls for roast chicken legs on every street in the carnival area, and almost every tourist will not miss this delicious food. Although it is no different from the roast chicken leg in China, it has become a "must-eat" in festivals because it symbolizes the iconic food of carnival Caribbean culture! The "carnival notice" on the official website specifically pointed out: "Please remember to bring paper towels so that you can wipe them after eating roast chicken legs." Roasted chicken leg is about 3 pounds, equivalent to RMB 43 yuan, which is a Caribbean-style food.

Beer-the Important Role of Carnival

British bar culture is famous all over the world. Football hooligans are also famous for going crazy after drinking. Beer also plays an important role in carnival activities! The bar moved the mountains of beer outside the store for tourists to buy. The supermarket not far from the carnival block puts beer in the most conspicuous place and sends employees to hold small signs in the street to attract tourists' attention. The small sign says, for example, "Tesco is open, and there are many discount beers!" " Wait for the slogan. The price of Carnival beer is around 2 pounds, equivalent to RMB 30 yuan. Residents nearby are not to be outdone. They brought several cases of cold beer from home and sold them on the roadside. Because it is cheap and convenient, the sales volume is also very good.