You'd think it would be a sketchers' paradise, wouldn't you? But it moves too fast. It's too loud. The crowds are huge and in constant motion. It's hard to find a good view or--if you find one--to keep it. Three or four acts take place at the same time in the same block, each louder than the next. In the end, I just toured the mayhem with my camera, took a bunch of reference photos, and retreated to the back bedroom with my sketchbook, as far from the street noise as possible!
One lovely exception to the hoo-hah was this mime, who was performing on Princess Street. When a little girl dropped some money in the jar, he began to play "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean." The little girl and her friends squealed happily. It was amazing to see how unafraid they were. Even after the song was over and the parents were steering them on down the sidewalk, the little girls kept turning around to wave and giggle. Of course, the mime was solemn and controlled on the outside--but I'm pretty sure he was laughing on the inside!
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