105th HB Parade

I would have posted these earlier but I am technologically impaired and was having major issues with the photo sizing. Why are they either huge or teensy? So in a pinch I just cropped them a bit and they magically shrank down to viewable sizes. As you can see I now have a bunch of random shapes and sizes. Oh well.

Every year its tradition to head down to Main street and join several hundred thousand of our closest friends and family for the largest Independence Day parade west of the Mississippi. It wasn't until a few days ago that I was told how big it is. It never seems this way. As I walk down the parade route I always see familiar faces. A grade school teacher, a friend from high school and parishioners from church.

We like to get there a few hours before the parade to take a leisurely walk down to the beach. It was a little hazy and cool and we soaked in the ocean air. Is there anything like the smell of the ocean in the morning?
This very nice gentleman had a lovely singing voice.

On July 4th people go all out! Decorated from head to toe, their bikes are decorated, their children are decorated, their pets are decorated and I love every last bit of it.

There were so many cute keikis and puppies I might have to branch off with another post :)

The british are coming!! Sorry. Then the parade begins. There are marching bands from around the country, Miss America made an appearance (there was no ex-Miss CA), there are local celebrities and various groups from the city.

But my favorite parts always include the veterans. I clap and hoot and holler, knowing all the while that I can never fully understand what they have been through. But I can be grateful.

These Vietnam veterans held up the route a moment to snap a picture of some crazy girl on the sidelines.

And these gentlemen... they make me cry every.single.year. These are the World War II Pearl Harbor survivors. Some times they walk for bits of the route, some times they ride. But they always hold their flags high and solute the crowd with pride.

Thank you ladies and gentleman. Thank you for our freedom.