It was fun. Not as totally awesome and magical as it is when you’re a kid, but still, it was fun.
We took the girl kid with us, and left the boy kid with a sitter. He’s still too young. Girl is almost three. She was a little awed at first, and she didn’t say much, but after fueling up on cotton candy and popcorn (hey, it’s the circus!), she started getting into it. She really liked the elephants. And the trapeze artists.
Before and after the show, and during intermission, they had the animal rides. Elephants, a camel, ponies. They had a bear that you could get your picture taken with (with a sheet of plexiglass between you & bear), and they also had tiger cubs. She didn’t want to ride any animals (I was kind of hoping she’d want to ride the elephant, though), but she enjoyed looking at them.
The prize of the evening, though, was the balloon. My daughter has an extreme thing for balloons. Balloons make her very, very happy. And there were vendors walking around with those enormous bouquets of Mylar character balloons. Daughter likes Mylar balloons especially well, because they stay aloft for a very long time. Weeks and weeks. So now, she has an Elmo balloon to add to her collection.
We had a good time. Anyone else been to a circus lately? Besides here, I mean…
“The quickest way to a man’s heart is through his ribcage.” --anonymous redhead
you know, ever since I learned how to ride a unicycle, I haven’t actually been to a circus. I should though. It might be the only time I’ll be able to stomach that “entry of the gladiator” song.
I really don’t like circuses. The first proper one I went to, I was 10, and trapeze artists bore me, clowns scare me, and animal training is very much frowned upon these days. So what’s left? Muddy parks and windy tents and…
I’ll echo Bricker’s recommendation. Cirque du Soleil is the best. If you have a chance to see their latest touring show, Dralion, do not miss out.
I personally thought the clowns weren’t the best (except for one “skit” where they mock some of the other acts), but that’s my only quibble. Otherwise the beauty of the costumes and the talent in the show is extraordinary (or I should say ordinary for the Cirque du Soleil.) http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/fr/piste/dralion/
Love circuses, even the ratty ones that come through here – geriatric trapeze acts, sweat stained costumes, arthritic clowns, pickpockets working the crowds. There’s something archaic and brave about them.
I’m with Guanolad on this one. I was taken as a kid and didn’t much like it, then took my son, and still didn’t care for it much. There was so much going on (I mean, 3 rings going at once) - couldn’t focus in on any one thing for long - and clowns either scare me or they seem unhappy. Anyway, glad you enjoyed it.
I have a friend who took a job playing trumpet for a circus band one summer during college. It was a small circus based in Texas; Lewis Bros., I think. Here is how he described his day:
Live in a trailer with three other guys, each getting one bunk bed; about eight square feet of floor space in the trailer.
Each morning, everybody gets a bucket of water for washing; no running water; portable toilets.
Arrive at new town in the morning; the musicians sleep while tents are set up.
Afternoon show. Afterwards, drink until evening show.
Evening show. Afterwards, drink while tents torn down.
Overnight, drive to next town.
He didn’t get paid a lot that summer, but only had one expense - alcohol. When the circus came near Columbus, I went to see it and we came back here to go to some campus bars. Mostly he just wanted to take a shower.
