Children are always the ones who best see the Barcelona parade. For many reasons, but one of them is that they are lucky enough to be able to climb on their parents' shoulders and see everything more clearly, even more so in a year like this, in which the city's streets have seen how young and old returned to occupy them with great enthusiasm to greet the Three Wise Men. Not only shoulders have served, but also ladders, stools and chairs have invaded the sidewalks to try not to miss a single detail.
Those who were tall enough were the first to announce the arrival of their Majesties from the East, with the accumulated strength during the two Christmases they had been waiting for it, after the pandemic forced the parade to be postponed last year. "Here they come," began to be heard, although the most effective way to give the warning was: "You can already see the police cars."
As it had to be noted that the city had missed Melchior, Gaspar and Balthazar, the Barcelona parade has premiered a new float, the Barcelona float, which, to the rhythm of dance and party, has been in charge of opening the royal entourage, under the artistic direction of Marta Almirall and Barbarana Pons. The celebrations that Barcelonians have held during the pandemic Christmases have been honored, as well as the city's terraces, without references to the concrete blocks that have generated so much animosity or the modular platforms that will come.
Without further delay, the postmen have passed, looking for the letters of those children who always wait until the last moment to ask for their gifts. Large contraptions have been in charge of collecting the missives, avoiding hand touches and keeping the wishes of so many in their sacks. The surprise came when the giant Olmut appeared, made with the letters that years ago the children of the city sent to their Majesties. With an imposing presence, the new member of the royal entourage has preceded those pacifiers that have said goodbye to their now slightly older owners.
If the arrival of Olmut has been a novelty for those attending the Barcelona parade, who have started to think which of their cards has become a truly endearing giant, the star float has once again cheered up the people of Barcelona, many of whom do not hesitate to choose it as their favorite. Faces lit up at the sight of the big star becoming even bigger, adding a long tail. With this plot twist, it is clear that no one can now hope to compete in popularity with this float.
Although the star knows that it always pleases and dazzles in its wake, it is also aware of its ephemerality, as it is followed by the Three Wise Men, who always receive the most effusive cheers. Euphoria broke out when their Majesties arrived, with all the children demanding to be seen and shouting out the gifts they had asked for, just in case the letter had gone astray.
To the surprise of many, this year there was no need to save energy to greet each one's favorite King with more fervor because, with the aim of teaching the little ones that there is nothing like sharing, all three got on the same float. Perhaps the message, however noble it may be, was difficult to understand, so their Majesties, aware of this, debuted new dresses, commissioned from Barcelona designer Raquel Bonillo, to ensure that their teaching resonated.
Many of the attendees noticed that these costumes were brand new, applauding the exuberance of their colors and the elegance of their forms. They liked them so much that they preferred to go home, thinking that nothing would surpass what they had seen. Other attendees detected that some floats, overflowing with gifts, were historical TMB buses and remembered that this year the transport operator celebrates its centenary and wanted to start it by paying homage to their Majesties. There were also those who saw that there were fewer members in the royal retinue, knowing that this way the pages were able to gain space to execute their choreographies, always thinking that distance is better and that the air should circulate because the pandemic is worse, even, than coal.
With the aim of teaching the little ones that there is nothing like sharing, the Three Wise Men got on the same floatAnd, without a doubt, all attendees have lamented the absence of the great protagonists of the parade... The candies... After the Three Wise Men, of course. This year the stairs have not served to be the one who gets the most candies, nor has it been necessary to carry large bags in which to store the loot.Neither have those fights on the ground been seen, in which many hands move at an enviable speed to collect candies and in which even those who have long ceased to be children participate. Those who are now nostalgic for candies have perfectly understood that these disputes to be the one who collects the most always lead to contact with other attendees, which would break with the coexistence bubbles that the Kings have asked to respect, and that, if someone had put a candy in their mouth, they would have lowered their mask, which clearly would have displeased their Majesties even more.
All the gifts that the children of Barcelona have asked for have closed the parade... Without forgetting the coal float, newly renovated, but just as fearsome. Unanimously, the public has chanted its song, most likely to ward off bad luck and hope with all their might that they have behaved well enough so that, under the tree, there is not that surprise that scares so much. Most likely, all that coal that has paraded through the city must have gone somewhere else, because, this morning, only smiles, and a lot of nerves, have been seen on everyone's faces when they woke up.