Vacation in Guyana 2

Reminders of Guyana's colonial past- some pleasant-some less so- are everywhere.
The Promenade Gardens, now a public garden, occupies a portion of the site once used for the public execution of slaves involved in the 1823 uprising on the east coast of Demerara. The park, which once held the largest collection of wild orchids in the Caribbean, has recently been renovated after a period of neglect. With its statue of Gandhi and monument to the Arya Samaj movement it is an important symbolic venue for days of commemoration and inter-faith observance.

The annual Easter Hat Parade, in its 34th year and organised by the Inner Wheel of the Georgetown Rotary club had the characteristics of its English counterpart, but with a Caribbean twist. The event takes place in the Promenade Gardens, where laid gravel paths make symmetrical patterns and enclose beds of  pruned perennial flowering shrubs and trees.
The hats- some illustrated above, from the Original category, the others being Elegant and Topical- were typically home made adornments of and additions to a simple bought frame. Contestants paraded around the bandstand and one by one, walked up the steps to pose for the judges, seated along a table crowded with shining trophies at the foot of the stand.
While a background CD accompanied the competition, between the events and the results, the Guyana Police Steel Band provided soft calypso-style melodies.
Purchasing special tickets entitled us to join our land-lady- who seemed to know many of the people there- at the tea tables, under awnings, where "Afternoon Tea"- sandwiches, savoury pastries, sweet sponge cake and tea with milk and sugar- was served.
The snacks were promoted by Lipton's tea, and staff uniformed accordingly.