After crossing the Argentine border and finding the trains full, we took an overnight bus to get to Oruro, where carnival was held. Buses in Bolivia, compared to Argentina, are like being in a 2 years old toy truck and duct taped to a jackhammer without a bathroom or any stops. Expect of course where there is a rock slide in the middle of the night and you have to stop for two hours then get out an run up a hill with lots of Bolivians like we did. The keys to long bus rides here seem to be dehydration and lemon oil to cover the smell of the unbathed indeginous people. Basically the experieince is enough to convince me that CJ Craig was really on to something in the last epsiode of West Wing where she wants to save the world by paving roads. I now agree.
Anyways we arrived 6 hours late and Natalie and I went to our hostel, Pub the Alpaca. While lacking in hot water, it was wonderful in all other respects, The owners were very nice and open and the beds were incredible, which was especially nice when i got sick for a day (more later). We spent the first afternoon gathering all the supplies we would need for carnival the next day: ponchos, waterballoons, spray foam, plastic bags, film, and water.
So Carnival day, Natalie and I wake up and put on our gear (ie poncho and clothes that can get wet and dirty) and head to the stands. The parade, which in Bolivia is called the Diablada, goes down one of the main streets of town then turns toward the main plaza for a total distance of probably 5 miles all of which is lined with stands for viewing. Upon arrival at the stands, we were completely pelted with waterballoons and foam until we somehow fought our way to our seats in the fourth row from where we could see really well.
The parade started at 8:30 in the morning as consists of various dance groups that represent different indeginous groups of Bolivia such as llama herders, the ancient Incas, the indeginas, and more caporales dancers and of course the Diablada which represent the Devils the miners worshipped. All have elaborate, brightly colored costumes that are amazing and range from bikini like incans with huge feather head dresses to alpaca wool clad herders to dancers with short, swooshy skirts and high leather boots. Most groups also had an accompying band of mostly horns and drums to keep the beat. All together it was incredible! I can´t possibly describe all the colors and sounds that danced past during the day but it was incredible and memmerzing.
Our hostel owners, who sat with us, explained some of the different meanings and also pointed out a few dancers they knew. The groups come from all over Bolivia and who ever wants to dance can but must pay for their costume, each of which run around us$200, which is ALOT here. Between the dance groups when there is a lag in entertainment, waterballoon fights ensue. We were constantly getting hit from above, below, and all sides. Poncho clad children were running up and down the street hurling waterballoons with all their might. Being a blonde, female foreigner is about the best target possible (yes I am blonde again thanks to cheap hair styling in BA).
The parade goes from 8:30 in the morning til around 2 the next morning... a whopping 16 hours!!! I have no idea how the women made it in their 3 or more inch heels! People come and go from the stands all day and at the end everyone gathers in the main plaza for more partying and a battle of the bands. Thankfully waterballoon throwing stops at sundown otherwise everyone would freeze as it gets very cold on the altiplano. we didn´t quite make it to the end of the night, but were exhausted none the less and went to bed dreaming of becoming a carnival dancer.
If you ever have the chance to come to carnival in Bolivia, you should.
No comments:
Post a Comment