On Saturday morning (much too early for my taste), a 2nd parade is held along the same route as the parade the night before. This one is much more family friendly and featured more floats and hundreds of gauchos and their horses. During this parade, people on the floats throw fruit and other regalitos (small gifts) to people in the audience, and some of the kids make contraptions like fishing poles so they can more easily get the goodies.
There were rumors spreading throughout the morning that President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner would be marching in the parade, but that turned out to be false. My friend Belen learned that she was on the reviewing stand next to the Park Hyatt Mendoza, so we took a stroll over there to see if we could catch a glimpse. Well, it turned out to be quite easy. Maybe because I'm a gringo, security let me right up to the front of the parade route, just 10 feet across from her, where I was able to get some good photos of her and the other politicians. She even looked over my way and waved a few times. I guess she doesn't hate Yanquis after all!
The parade lasted about two hours, after which we headed for some empanadas and beer. Belen and her kids were heading to the province later that day so we parted ways and I headed back to the hotel for a siesta before what was a long night of festivities, drinking and partying.
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