I am back from Laredo after sleeping 13 hours straight. In Laredo I stayed at the house a juggler (Kaj, the guy behind Simplistics juggling) who organized a welcome party for me, so I did not get much rest over there. I did two informal exhibitions on the grass at the Farmer's Market and then one on stage at the Laredo Civic Center for the Earth Day celebration. I performed right after the mayor Earth Day proclamation and before an all-in-red Elvis Presley did his gyrations
I had few drops and the public was really interested so they went very well.
These are girl scouts after one of the Market shows, trying to figure out how gyro flop works:
I must have been putting tops on the hands of kids for 20 minutes after the show (until I had to let Elvis get on stage). Among the public at the civic center there were a group of blind people. They wanted to feel the tops. On the picture you can see one of the girls with the blue Giulia on her hand. The man with the hat, who is completely blind, is winding a top. He told me he used to play as a kid in Mexico. He tried a few times to throw a couple of my tops but they landed on the side. But then he asked me throw the 4 inch Watts on the ground because he wanted to scoop it. I guided his hand until he touched the top and, lo and behold, he scooped it without problem and raised it over his head still spinning! He even wanted to spin it on his head but I told him it would be dangerous.
I did not have the opportunity to get on the river, but I looked where a stage could be placed. At least on that section of the river, it does not look either Grande nor Bravo. It is more like Chico y Manso
With a stage in the middle of the river there would not be any problem for public on either side to watch a show. I don't think they would do that just for us, top spinners, but they are trying to get some big name bands. In that case we could use the stage earlier . . .
