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Wednesday, January 1
And it was another early day - the alarm was set for 4 am.
We went downstairs to pick up a grab-n-go breakfast. It took some looking before we found someone who could get me something without dairy in it....
Then we all got onto the buses for the long drive to Pasadena for the Rose Parade. The last few blocks took almost as long as the first several miles. Traffic was heavy. However, bus parking was just around the corner from the end of the main bleachers. We had about a two block walk to our section of the bleachers - which were directly below the KTLA booth. If you've watched the parade on Hallmark Channel, then you know where we sat. We were about 14 rows up into the bleachers.
On our way to the parade route, we crossed over a section of one of the freeways that had been shut down to traffic. The median was filled with horse trailers. That's when we knew for sure that we were close to the parking area.
Kelly watched the rebroadcast later that night and spotted us.
Seating could have been more comfortable - some of the wider people purchased an extra seat just so they could put 2 people into 3 slots. And the rows were very close together. I had a pair of knees providing me with a sort of back rest... And the person on my left (not related) was either foreign born or mentally challenged, as she kept having things explained to her by her companion. She'd also put her phone back into her purse after each picture she took, which pushed her bony elbow into my upper arm...
But the parade was nice. As you'll see in some of the photos that follow, there were lots of backs of heads, cell phones, and hands poking into them. About half way through the parade, I gave up and did what others did - lifted my camera above the fray and snapped away. Quite of few of those wound up in the bit bucket....
Anyway, on to the parade!
The photo on the left shows the KTLA booth above us. This was taken from my seat! I missed getting a photo of the stealth bomber that flew overhead because it was so silent that it was almost out of sight again before I realized it was there! The center photo shows the opening float. This was one of the floats they were working on in the float barn we visited. The photo on the right shows the Honda float (Our Hope for the Future), which featured young people at various endeavours, including an undersea diver, someone working in a lab, a doctor, a musician, an artist, and an astronaut reaching for the stars.
The photo on the left is the Cal Poly float (Aquatic Aspirations) which features a submarine in search of buried treasure and instead finding a thriving aquatic community inhabiting a sunken ship. The center photo shows the Mayflower Descendants float (The Voyage of Hope - 1620) which celebrates the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the Mayflower in the Americas. The photo on the right shows one of the many marching bands. This one is the Rancho Verde Crimson Regiment from Moreno Valley, CA.
The photo on the left shows the Burbank Tournament of Roses Association float (Rise Up) which features a large Phoenix rising from the flames to fly over a bed of flowers. It represents California recovering from the massive wildfires that plagued the state in 2018. The center photo shows the Rotary Club float (Hope Connects the World) features a penguin with a flying cap, colorful parachute. and a colorful scarf consisting of flags of the world. Several well known international landmarks are placed around the base. We saw this one being assembled in the float barn, also. The photo on the right shows the Downey Rose Float Association float (On the Wings of Hope) which features a Japanese style garden with cranes and origami cranes and cherry trees.
The photo on the left shows the Underground Service Alert of Southern California float (The Power of Safety FIRST) which highlights the importance of calling to find buried lines before digging anything and features a zany backhoe operator digging willy-nilly. He's being watched by the neighborhood kids who are anticipating a new swimming pool. The other two phots show two views of the Chipolte float (Cultivate the Future of Farming) which is a salute to farmers. The first features an oversized tractor and some crops. The second has a large silo, trees, and harvested crops.
The photo on the left shows the Chinese American Heritage Foundation float (American Heroes) and salutes those Chinese Americans who served in World War II. It features a fighter plane and a tank from that era and has some scenes depicting events from that war.
The photo on the right is the Lutheran Laymen's League float (Anchored in Jesus). This underwater scene features a large anchor and ship's wheel and several aquatic creatures. Among these creatures is the large starfish we watched them assemble in the float barn.
The photo on the left shows the float with the Royal Court.
The photo on the right shows the Pasadena City College Honor Band, which traditionally follows the Royal Court.
These three photos show the Pasadena float (Years of Hope, Years of Courage) which celebrates the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th ammendment, which extended the right to vote to women. It features a large Statue of Liberty and several protest signs. The photo on the right shows some of the marchers who followed the float. Most are dressed in traditional suffragette garb.
The photo on the left shows the Mayor of Pasadena on a coach drawn by a team of Clydesdales. The center photo shows the cheerleaders for the Oregon Ducks on their team float. The photo on the right shows the Oregon marching band. The Oregon Ducks were one of the two teams involved in the Rose Bowl game. The other was the University of Michigan Wolverines (I somehow neglected to get any photos of that school.
The photo on the left shows the AIDS Healthcare Foundation float (Hope for the Homeless) which features some whimsical houses supposedly built for the homeless. The other two photos show the Wescom Credit Union float (Better Together: Hope Creates Community), which is another that we watched them decorating in the float barn. It shows a community coming together to welcome a new family to their new treehouse. There are several small scenes on this float, including a shaggy dog delivering a basket of flowers, a cat delivering a wagon full of books, a rabbit making repairs in the basement, and several others helping move in the furniture and plant a tree.
These three photos show the Trader Joe's float (It Takes a Flight of Fancy), which features a daring flyer flying his pickle barrel plane over the moon, accompanied by lobster, chicken, and puffin. As this float passed by, the flyer did barrel rolls - the whole front section not only rotated, it raised and lowered. This was another float that we watched being assembled in the float barn.
The photo on the left shows the Northwestern Mutual float (Spend Your Life Living) which features a family of vacationing llamas enjoying floating down the Llazy River. The center photo shows the Huntington Library float (Cultivating Curiosity) which features scenes from the facility's grounds including photos of some of the research being done and their 3 acre rose garden. The photo on the right shows some of the dancers accompanying the Banda Municipal de Zarcero from Costa Rica. The dresses the ladies were wearing (and swirling) were fantastic!
The photo on the left shows the South Pasadena Tournament of Roses Assoc float (Victory at Last) which is the second float to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment which extended the vote to women. It features a giant suffragette's hat. The center photo shows the City of Alhambra float (Hope Keeps Us Going) which features a whimsical train welcoming all aboard. The photo on the right shows the Los Hermanos Banuelos Charro Team which includes a horseman twirling a lasso around him and his horse. He (or someone like him) has been in so many Rose Parades that I associate their presence with the Rose Parade. I'm glad someone is continuing the tradition.
The three photos above show the La Canada Flintridge float (Dodo Bird Flight School) shows the power of hope and features an assortment of flightless birds (living and extinct) who band together to board a blimp so that they can feel the power of flight. The photo on the left shows the float's lead vehicle (detached) with Captain Dodo leading the way. The center photo shows the dirigible with the many birds. The photo on the right shows a close up of the birds in the side pod of the dirigible.
These two photos show two of the entries from the Valley Hunt Club, the organization that started the Rose Parade 130 years ago. The photo on the left shows a wagon carrying the two main characters from the Frozen films (Elsa and Anna).
The photo on the right shows a wagon pulled by Clydesdales and carrying various members of the Valley Hunt Club.
The photo on the left and the center photo show the UPS float (Stories Change Our World) which features a family of endangered golden lion tamarins living in harmony with other animals. By the way, this was the only float in the parade that needed a tow truck.... The photo on the right is the Sikh American float (Planting Seeds of Hope) which celebrates a great Sikh leader who put service to others ahead of himself. He's shown planting a fanciful garden to help nourish the children of the world, depicted behind him.
The photo on the left shows the Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day float (Plant a Garden...Believe in Tomorrow) which is based on an Audrey Hepburn quote: "To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow". It features the company logo tending her flourishing garden. The center photo shows the Odd Fellows and Rebekahs float (First Responders Bring Hope) which salutes first responders everywhere and features a bright red firetruck in front of a house with an abundant garden. The photo on the right shows the Pearland High School Band of Pearland, TX. There were more bands than I'm showing, but that's normal for a parade.
The photos on the left and center show the Scan Foundation float (Hope's Heroes: Honoring Caregivers of All Generations) which celebrates caregivers of all ages. According to the guide, the castle represents a person's home (home is one's castle) being defenced by the knights in shining armor - one at the front of the float and one at the back. The photo on the right shows the Shriner's Hospital's float (Hope Knows No Limits) which salutes the carefree hopes of children everywhere as they play in an oversized playground with the Shriner's mascot, Fezzie.
The photo on the left and the center photo show the Sierra Madre float (Ka la hiki ola - The Dawning of a New Day) celebrates the hopes that arrive with each new day. It has a very tropical feel and features tikis and hula dancers. We would get a much closer look at this lovely float (without the dancers) in the Float Showcase later this afternoon. The photo on the right shows the Budweiser wagon pulled by Clydesdales (and dalmation on top).
The photo on the left shows the Dole float (Sunshine for All) which celebrates the hope, rejuvenation, and sunshine for all that each new day brings. The center photo shows the Kamehameha Warrior Marching Band from Honolulu, HI. They've shed their traditional grass skirts this year in favor of the warmer colonial style dresses. The photo on the right shows the City of torrance float (Our Garden of Hope and Dreams) which is inspired by the Pine Wind Japanese Garden where a waterfall falls into a koi pond.
The photos above show three views of the Kaiser Permanente float (Courage to Reimagine) which features scenes from the book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The photo on the left shows the float approaching. The center photo shows the four main characters (Scarecrow, Tin Man, Cowardly Lion, and Dorothy) in Munchkinland. The photo on the right shows the Emerald City. If you look closely, you can see Toto in the balloon's basket.
The photo on the left shows the Western Asset Management float (Growing a Better Tomorrow) which strives to show that envisioning a better future is half the battle of achieving it. This features a lush oversized tree house.
The photo on the right shows the Kiwanis float (Soaring with Hope) which shows a hopeful turtle aviator (on a swing) attempting to soar with encouragement from a family of birds and a large giraffe supplying the swing power.
The photo on the left and the center photo show the Cowboy Channel's float (Walk Ride Rodeo) which is the one float I remember with fireworks. It celebrates the annual rodeo in Madison Square Garden in New York (of all places). The front of the float is dominated by a champion barrel racer who came back to win her sport after being paralyzed from the waist down from an auto accident. In the center is a mechanical bull (and rider). In the rear is the New York skyline. The photo on the right shows the color guard section of the Dobyns-Bennett High School band from Kingsport, TN, Kelly's high school's main rival back in the day.
The photo on the left shows one of the stilt walkers accompanying the Banda El Salvador, which consists of members all over the country of El Salvador. The stilt walkers were very impressive. I missed the shot of the man doing high kicks with his stilts. The center photo shows the Lions Club's float (Hope for 2020), part of which was visible in the float barn. Seeing it later during the Showcase made me realize just how much work and thought had gone into this float. The educated bookworm is turning the pages for the lion cub and his friend owl as they both try out their new glasses. The photo on the right shows the Blue Diamond Growers float (Almond Breeze, The Best Almonds Make the Best Almondmilk) which is a blatant plug for the California almond growers. The front of the float has almond trees in bloom and the center has trees ready for harvest. At the back of the float is the final product, an overflowing glass of almondmilk.
The photo on the left above shows the City of Hope float (City of Hope), a very colorful float that celebrates the research and breakthroughs made at the various City of Hope facilities. The center and right photos show the Donate Life's float (Light in the Darkness) celebrates the generousity of organ donors around the world. My favorite part of this float was the oversized peacocks. We'd get a closer look at what went into their feathers during the Showcase this afternoon.
The photo on the left shows the Farmers Insurance float (Conveyor of Hope) which features a large conveyer belt and a big screen TV that was not readable most of the time. We saw this float in the float barn and it was just as unimpressive there - maybe that's why it's near the end of the parade? The center photo shows the China Airlines float (Dreams of Flying, Wings of Hope) which features many different aspects of life on Taiwan in the hopes that it encourages tourism. This float had a lot of elements that weren't readily apparent until the Float Showcase this afternoon. The photo on the right shows the last float of the parade which was used in the Grand Finale (which happened around the corner from us). No description was provided...
Would I do it again? Probably not. I think I'd rather see the parade from the comfort of my usual tv chair with my cup of tea and a bathroom nearby. But it was well worth doing at least once.
As I'm working on this page (7/16/20), it was just announced that next year's Rose Parade has already been cancelled. I'll have to wait another year to watch it in comfort.
After the show, the slow process of getting out of the stands and back to the bus began. We finally all got back in the bus and the other buses around us moved out of the way and we were on our way to lunch - a couple of blocks away.
After a good lunch, we had a short delay. For some reason, the bus drivers were delayed in getting served and no one could reboard the buses until they had finished. So, I took a short walk in the area - fortunately, I had taken my camera with me to lunch.
The photo on the left shows an old theater just down the street from the restaurant. The center photo shows Carl and Kelly leaning against a wall talking while waiting for the buses to open again. The photo on the right shows a lamppost and palm tree located in front of our restaurant.
The bus drivers were soon finished so we loaded up and we were back in traffic again to go to the Parade Showcase. For this, the floats are parked at a local high school and you can walk in close around them. We didn't get to them all, but the ones we had time and energy to see up close were really nice. Lots of details that just aren't visible from a distance.
The three photos above show some of the details on the Sierra Madre float (Ka la hiki ola - The Dawning of a New Day). The photo on the left shows a very detailed sea tortoise swimming along the sandy ocean floor. The center photo shows some of the exotic flowers decorating this float. The photo on the right shows more flowers with a giant plumeria blossom crowning the display. We spent quite a bit of time talking with the volunteer working on this float. She tried to recruit Kelly for next year's float building....
More details from the Sierra Madre float (Ka la hiki ola - The Dawning of a New Day). The photo on the left shows one of the Tiki gods riding on this float. The center photo shows how the rose vials are stuck into the styrofoam. This panel, when closed, conceals the compartment the driver rides in. The photo on the right shows one of the oversized butterflies.
These two photos show details from the Honda float (Our Hope for the Future), which had ambitious children following their dreams. The photo on the left shows a scuba diver exploring the ocean floor.
The photo on the right shows some of the detail work on one of the shooting stars that highlight this float.
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These photos show some of the details from the Wescom float (Better Together: Hope Creates Community) which showed friendly critters welcoming a new family to the neighborhood. The photo on the left shows a handyman rabbit grabbing another tool from his toolbox to fix something in the cellar. We watched a volunteer gluing some of the silverleaf onto this tool chest while we were in the float construction barn. The center photo shows a young raccoon taking a break to take a selfie of him in the tree. The photo on the right shows several of the critters. The mother squirrel is welcoming them to her house while another squirrel hands her a basket of plants, a sheepdog waits to give her a basket of flowers, and a young squirrel watches from an upper branch.
These three photos show some of the details from the China Airlines float (Dreams of Flying, Wings of Hope). The photo on the left shows a teapot pouring tea into a pretty cup. The center photo shows an oversized floral display with a building rising behind it. The photo on the right shows a basket of fresh fruit - all of which is fresh fruit!
The photo on the left shows a close view of some of the portraits on the Donate Life float (Light in the Darkness). Each is an organ recipient. The center photo shows some of the same images and the urn they appeared in. The urn contains a massive arrangement of passionflowers and bird of paradise blossoms. The photo on the right shows some of the details from the City of Hope float which shows an oversized butterfly resting on hundreds of orchids.
The first two photos show more of the details from the Donate Life float (Light in the Darkness). The photo on the left shows one of the two huge peacocks that adorn this float. The center photo shows the intricate detail that went into the "eyes" on the peacock tail. The photo on the right shows some of the many, many floats that we just didn't have time or energy to get close to and a fraction of the crowds that had shown up for this event. This street stretched on for a couple of blocks and there were two other streets that we didn't even see! This is the point where we turned around and worked our way back to the bus loading area.
These three photos show details from the Lions Club float (Hope for 2020), which featured a young lion cub with new glasses reading a book. The photo on the left shows some of the details from the back of the float, which were hidden in both the float barn and the parade and include some oversized dandelions and a large lily. The center photo shows the berries and beans that made up a mushroom near the front of the float. The photo on the right shows the front of the float with the lion cub, his book, the scholarly bookworm, lots of flowers, and, if you look closely between the book and the cub, you'll see the mushrooms that are in the center photo. You'll probably want to see the larger version of this to see all the details.
These three photos show details from the Kaiser Permanente float (Courage To Reimagine) which features scenes and characters from the book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The photo on the left shows the Cowardly Lion on the Yellow Brick Road with the Munchkin's library behind him. The center photo shows some of the back of the float which includes some of the buildings in the city of Oz. You can also see the wizard's balloon here. The photo on the right shows some of the oversized flowers in Munchkinland. The one of the flowers has bird of paradise and rose blossoms as its center. The other uses red roses and some kind of purple twisty plant.
The photo on the left shows some details from the City of Torrance float (Our Garden of Hope and Dreams), including a very detailed and colorful turtle and some koi. The water at the bottom of the photo consists of dutch iris. The center and right photos show details from the Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day float (Plant a Garden - Believe in Tomorrow). The center photo shows an oversized red rose sitting in a bed of yellow roses and purple orchids. If you look closely, you'll also see a fire extinguisher on the edge of the flagstone path. The photo on the right shows more of the field of purple orchids.
The photo on the left and the center photo show some details from the Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day float (Plant a Garden - Believe in Tomorrow). The photo on the left has a couple of jolly oversized sunflowers. The center photo shows a happy red rose. The photo on the right shows a detail from the Farmer's Insurance float. These huge drumlike pieces were the only non-drab part of the float.
Finally, it was time to load the buses one final time and head back to the hotel for Happy Hour, the end of the Rose Bowl Game, and crowded elevators. So ends this portion of this trip.
Finally, we can get away from all the sick people on the bus..... There were a lot of people with racking coughs and cold-like symptoms.
We also belatedly discovered that the escalators near where the bus dropped us off could take us to our floor. Much faster than the elevators.... Half of which seemed to be out of service...
We didn't stay up very late at all.