Mardi Gras!!!!

Today is Mardi Gras, literally Fat Tuesday, the last day of revelry before Lent. Exhausted celebrants around the globe, from New Orleans to Venice, from Curaçao to Rio, from Panama to Nice are going to take to the streets one more time. Not here, Miami is not included in these places.......sorry!

Curaçao is preparing for the Night Marcha, that will culminate in the burning of Rei Momo, who has reigned over the festivities since the start of the Tumba Festival a few weeks back! The parade will wind through the streets of the city in the coolness of the night, with thousand of fairy lights attached to floats and customs. A sight to behold! The music will play and the people will dance until Momo is burned.....He will be back again next year to start the celebrations all over again. In the Tropics life is a party, at least some of the time.

Las Tablas, the small city in Panamá where celebrations are famous all over the country, is in one more frenzy of activities. The women will wear the national custom: Pollera. Their heads covered with flowers made of shiny beads and silver thread, gold jewelery adorning their necks and the flowing customs swirling to the rhythm of the music. The dancing will go on and on until everyone is exhausted.....music and fireworks in the background. Just before dawn, in the town plaza, one more barrage of fireworks will light the sky and the thunderous noise will wake up anyone who has retired to sleep......and then it's over. Ash Wednesday is here!

How much fun I have had in both places throughout the years. How much I miss this crazy celebration that ushers the more subdued and religious activities of Lent. That is the whole purpose: have fun till you drop before you give God some of your attention. What a wonderful tradition!

Carnaval Sunday/Grand Marcha

While we were celebrating Valentine's Day, people in Panama and Curacao where celebrating another day of Canival/Carnaval. In Curaçao, everyone was up early, never mind the late night celebrations. Those who were to participate in the Grand Marcha started getting ready with their customs, make up... The rest got ready to take their places along the parade route.

For several days, people built places from where to watch: some shade, high off the ground so you could see everything, enough room to rest, put drinks and food out.... Some space in front to go down and dance to the music, mingle with the participants and socialize with friends. So much fun! Whole families spend the day doing this. Hats were worn to keep the sun off faces, but still there would be many sunburned faces at the end of the day. I can hear the shouts, the laughter...can close my eyes and be there.

In Las Tablas, third day of celebrations and people are living on adrenaline.....can't stop now! Most everyone got up early: throwing water at each other, dancing in the streets, having a drink, (maybe...even if it's early!) and reveling. The streets are littered with red paper from the fireworks, and there are fireworks as well during the day forming a background of music and crackling that is the sound of Carnaval. In early evening the Queens would be out in their floats, dressed beautifully elaborate customs. Townspeople are hiding in their homes!

I feel elated and exhausted at the same time when I think of this, but truly miss it and wouldn't have minded being there ...in either place, today!

Celebrations continue....

Not in Miami...with the end of the Super Bowl weekend, things are back to normal. People that celebrated are back to their routines, the ones that didn't...are doing the same! Nothing too much to talk about when it comes to Miami, at least for me. One bright spot, though, the weather has been great. My morning walks are just perfect and relaxing...which I need!

Now, back in the land of fun: last night was the Teener ( a sort of Dutch term for teenagers) Parade in Curaçao. Most of our friends were out celebrating along the route. In Las Tablas, the Queens were crowned, the music played all day and fireworks lighted the sky.

Today, people are out in the streets throwing water at each other and with faces covered with blueing (the one people used to put in clothes to whiting them, remember?). Añil is called back home....I am dating myself! In the late afternoon, everyone will get dressed, go out to the tuna, Panamanian for "dancing parade". After that, more dancing until the wee hours....In Curaçao, people are going about their business, getting ready for tonight big bash in Otrobanda. People will flock to Plaza Brion and party to the sounds of tumba until late. My friends will be there! Drinking, from moderate to heavy, is going on as well. Only New Orleans has anything similar to these celebrations.....should try that once too.

During all this fun, I will be sitting here blogging, then running errands......what a difference!

Carnival....or Carnaval!!!

It's that time of the year again.....in Curaçao and in Panamá. The island is just full of parties, jump-ups, song and dancing. Carnival is here! The small country with the canal will features parties and street parades in every town and city. In the days before the start of Lent, all anyone can think about is : FUN!!!

In Curaçao, the official song has been picked and is heard all over the island. The Queen has been crowned and the Prince and Pancho are ready....all the groups have their customs, have organized their drinks and food for the duration of the Grand Marcha and people have prepared their trailers from where they will watch and enjoy the festivities. These lined all the proposed route of the parade. Tomorrow the parade for the children or Carnaval di Mucha will take place.....the beginning of ten days of fun!!!

I do miss these things here in Miami, where the big celebration is this weekend's Super Bowl! Don't get me wrong, love American football and would be rooting for the New Orleans Saints! Still, a bit of a let down when my friends back home (both the island and the country!) are gearing up for a week long celebration to culminate with the burning of King Momo on Fat Tuesday or Ash Wednesday, ending the Carnival season that started as soon as the year began.

In Panamá, celebrations will kick into gear this coming Friday with Queens being crowned in every town and city in the country. In Las Tablas, where my mother lives, hoards of people will descent on the town and take over the place for about a week. Local residents either take to the streets and embrace the revelry or just hide in their homes, beach houses or country homes. The roar of the music and the display of amazing fireworks will be a constant background to anything that happens there these days. It is an experience to remember.....

So here it's to Carnival (as in Curaçao) or Carnaval (as in Panamá) may I have the pleasure to experience these celebrations soon!!!