Well, our planning (you know that other blog entry that is under construction) has included staying in Grenada for Carnival. Apparently it is not as big as Trinidad or Rio but not that far behind. I had read about Mas Camps (read Masquerade Camps) in the local tourist guide (see attached pdf – reproduced without permission but if someone from Grenada Tourism wishes me to remove it I will) and thought it would be interesting to go and visit one on the lead up to Carnival (6-11 August).

Mas Camp Article

Then Suzie from Spirited Lady made an announcement that she was visiting one today if anyone wanted to join her so we jumped at the opportunity, grabbed Trish from Bristol Rose and off we went to St Georges.
Arriving in St Georges we rang the number and with directions in hand we headed on up the hill to Green St. Suzie, being ever so careful, stopped everyone she could in the street and in their houses to confirm our directions. (Okay, Suzie does appear neither typically British nor frightfully careful).

We got to the top of the hill and Ricardo (yes the very same one from the article, but I didn’t realise this until we got back to the boat) was at his steps to greet us. His house (the house in which he was born) was built in 1930, seemed so familiar to our own colonial architecture, and had a great view of the cargenage.

From Richardo's Mas Camp

Well Suzie stepped into the fray, being the only confirmed Masquerader  in our midst. She tried on each of the available colours (Richardo’s theme was colours in the clouds and each section of the band wears a colour over white) and some such as purple which were not available. Suzie loved it as Ricardo helped with the hats!

From Richardo's Mas Camp

As Suzie tried on the costumes, I started to realise, that we were in the house of a local celebrity – the Canada / Grenada awards, the prizes for his books, and the framed invitation to dinner aboard HMY Brittania from the Prince and Princess of Wales!


Next Ricardo went to work on the shy Aussie girls –Trish as our official photography held firm on observing the bands, so Richardo turned his

From Richardo's Mas Camp

attention to Karen and I think the results show that Karen is indeed a green girl!

From Richardo's Mas Camp

From Richardo's Mas Camp

All this time the workers were continuing to pump out the costumes!

From Richardo's Mas Camp

After a while we were told of Richardo’s background – an actor, author and by the looks of the photos on his wall a dancer and once owner of a damn fine afro that would have had him mistaken for one of the Jackson 5!

From Richardo's Mas Camp

He bought out copies of his books – one of which has been published in Australia.

We left Mas Camp in two minds – would we or would we not Masquerade?
By the time we arrived at home, I had decided I would party! Karen, always cautious as you know was not so sure but at the time of writing she has agreed to Party Grenada style so I am getting on line and confirming our positions with Ricardo and beefing up  the Green team with Suzie.

So Carnival for us now sounds like Juvee with the Woburn Band (3am Monday morning) followed by two days of Mas partying with Ricardo’s Mas Band and maybe a day or so prior to that at Mas Camp helping with the costumes!