the song on the street

I just heard a bunch of girls on their way home from school singing "dancing queen" at the top of their lungs. This is a country that likes a bit of music.

For example, last Saturday, J and I were on our way to the car to drive to IKEA when he said, "do I hear music?"

We saw a police escort motorcycle at the end of our street, so we jogged down there. Round the corner came a motley 15-piece marching band in full uniform, tuba waving, drums a-beating. We thought, "oo, a parade!"

The band passed, and behind them came a stream of kids and parents, some holding balloons, some with their faces painted. There was nothing more to this parade, and the trail of kids was about 5 times the size of the band that led them. At the end of the street, the band turned the corner smartly with a fanfare of drums, and the kids and the police escort sweeping along the back disappeared with them.

We're not sure what they were celebrating, or even where they were going...