Monday, February 23, 2009

CARNAVAL!!!



I first heard about Carnaval when I got to Spain. I had no idea what it was. HOW WAS THAT POSSIBLE???

From my point of view, Carnaval is a good mix of Mardi Gras, the Fourth of July, and Halloween. ONLY BETTER!

Carnaval travels around Spain, but for the most part it is two weekends and the week in between celebrating life and all that is immoral, right up until, and a little bit into, Lent. In Toledo, Carnaval was this weekend. What an adventure.

Carnaval involves crazy costumes, mass amounts of liqiour, parades, dancing, and staying out until all night. I managed to find a costume, some liquor, a parade, lots of dancing, and staying out until 4...so I think I did okay for a first try.

Now, carnaval started some time Thursday night. I tracked down a parade of pirates and a band in gold suits. THe party began Friday night in Poligono. I did not attend. I chose to "study" for my midterms instead. I was not at all productive. I should have just went out.

Saturday we got the day started with the best parade of my life. There were no giant balloons, but there were some amazing floats and really elaborate costumes. The parade lasted, oh, 3 hours. It was so cool. Everyone comes in costume too. Well, mostly kids under 15, but still.

After the parade the entire city of Toledo and all the barrios, head into the Casco to Zocodover for drinking, dancing, and concerts. This is where we headed. Well, first I had to use my mad toga-making skills to dress two friends as Greek goddesses. I opted to be a cat. Creative, right?

So then we made our way out, found a concert, went to another, found all the Fund kids. Most everyone got really drunk. I saw a man, dressed as a woman, jump onto a dumpster, strip, then push the dumpster into the street, so that was fun.

What else, I don't even know. You just have to see it. It was great. But, by 3 I was exhausted so I went home, which took an hour to get to due to traffic and people in the street.

Then I slept, untill noon Sunday. Life is good.

Sunday there was apparently a procession of a giant sardine through TOledo. The used to burn it and dump it in the river as a sign of the end of Carnaval, but now they don't dump it anymore, due to envirnmental protesting. There were also fireworks. But I was talking to the parental units, so I missed it. But, I have heard that they are better than any fourth of july fireworks ever created.

What a weekend. Believe me, it was a lot more exciting than this post, but my English vocabulary is lacking and can not describe.

THat's all. Now, to begin a week of midterms. Yay! And, I need to have a meeting with Juan. That is all I have going for this week. But, Friday at 6:30 am I leave for Galicia, Spain. Look it up. Be jealous. Come visit. Or, send me stuff.

I now have only 2 months left, which is awesome, and sucks a whole lot. This city, and country is weaving its way into my heart. You can't even understand how amazing it is to be living here, among history and tradition that is hundreds, and in some cases thousands, of years old. I have the best life ever!

That's all for now.

Un beso!!!<
Angela

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