Sunday, October 22, 2006

Just Another Manic Sunday

After a very pleasant and relaxing brunch, with our friend Miguel and his adorable family, in which his girls tasted and loved their first nísperos (loquats), we had to go and fulfil our family obligations. Our eldest niece was having her birthday party, she turned 6 today.

It was yet another salon de fiesta (usually a house converted into a party room) painted in the winning combination of lime green, bright orange and purple. Baby girls with shaved head and pierced ears were drinking coke from their sippy cups.

(The local custom is to shave babies' hair all off when they are born and girls get the added service of having their ears pierced. It is quite a frightful sight for the uninitiated.)

Our niece, as usual, was in a highly flammable poly-satin princess costume with matching sparkly choker, tiara and a wand. Just like at her brother's birthday, there was a kiddy discotheque with strobe lights and the works. Girls no more than 6 were flicking their hair and shaking their bottom while dancing to Latino pop. The only thing missing was a dodgy looking pusher waiting in the wings...

Nah, didn't even bat an eyelid this time; just all the usual stuff.