Crop Over 2011 --Kadooment Day

I feel like I am at a place where I can be fairly honest with all of you. I can not recall much of Kadooment Day, it was a whirl wind. When I think back to that day, the rain, Rihanna, and taking shelter under a food cart are the moments that stand out for me. I played mas with Baje -International for no other reason than the fact that it was one of the more popular bands in Barbados and I wanted to be in the mix. Up until this day I wonder if I dhould have played mas with Power X 4 instead, but I digress My first indication of the mistake I was potentially making should have came when my first and second choice costumes for Baje sold out online in a matter of moments. I was shocked! This wasn't Trinidad carnival and I wasn't trying to get into Tribe however costumes were being sold out in seconds. Picking up my costume in Barbados was fairly easy however, when I went to the mas camp the Saturday before carnival I joined the fewother  people who were waiting for the camp to open. This was after asking many people in Barbados where Baje-International costume distribution was and getting lead in many different directions, oops I am digressing again. Once the doors opened I was given my costume quickly. I appreciated the quick service however I was not impressed by the inattentiveness or passiveness of the representatives who worked there. Mas camps in general seem to forget that I am still a costumer even if they took my money months prior. I felt as if I was being treated like I was receiving a donation rather than picking up a costume I paid my hard earned money for. Small things such as a smile and the word thank you were missing.  Despite my frustration with the lack of costumer service I took my box and happily went on my way.

Kadooment Day: I arrived at the designated area to meet the band, ON TIME. Mainly because I knew I wasn't in Trinidad and I could not afford to have the band leave me. However when I arrived Baje was no where to be seen. Other bands were having breakfast, playing music, and most of all present but not mine. Eventually I found a few other people who were a part of the band and most importantly the woman with the SHOPPING CART assigned to serving Cheese Cutters to band members. Mind you  I don't eat cheese, but at this point I was so hungry I snatched up a bag and tried my best to choke it down (hours later while on the road a man asked me why I was still holding on to the bag, talk about feeling embarrased).

She was TOO cute!

The Road: RAIN! I have never played mas in so much rain before in my life. Every time the rain would stop and you thought all was clear it would come down again and  heavier. 

Rain!

 Honestly, I was miserable. There was a point where no part of my body was dry, no relief. Rihanna being on the road with Baje was the highlight of the day for me.

I have a thousand pics of Ri-Ri...I was excited to say the least!

 I LOVE Rihanna and seeing her up close and personal enjoying the same tunes I was enjoying made me feel like the day was worth while. Sadly my day with Baje ended early and possibly because of her presence, how ironic. The band was ruled disorderly by Crop Over officials and was not allowed to finish the parade route. After our lunch stop the day was pretty much over and I hopped in a cab back to my guest house in St. Lawrence Gap. Moments after the taxi door closed and the driver drive off the sky opened up again.

The sun was still up and my Crop Over experience was done. : /

I can't wait for Barbados to have a two day carnival because after Kadooment Monday I was definitely left wanting more.