Carnaval

Yesterday I went to Carnaval in Cadiz.  Carnaval is celebrated for a week and a half before and a little bit during Lent.  Here it started March 3 and ends next weekend.  I knew the Cadiz Carnaval was the biggest in Spain, but I met a group of ladies who were from L.A. and one told me that it was apparently 3rd in the world behind the one in Rio, Brazil and Trinidad in Tobago.  Now I can say I've been to one of the biggest Carnaval celebrations in the world!  

I took the train from Jerez to Cadiz and as we slowly got closer the train was jam packed.  There were so many people on there in costumes and the aisle was filled with people standing.  There was a group of people who even brought out some Tio Pepe sherry and had some in shot glasses.  Right there on the train!  The couple of stops before Cadiz some people got off so I took a picture since it was too crowded before and I felt awkward with all those people there.  

People in costumes on the train to Cadiz.  And yes, those are snowmen costumes.

Carnaval is basically Halloween, New Year's Eve, and summer festivals rolled into one.  Tons of people are wearing costumes (Halloween) while confetti and streamers are all over the streets (New Year's Eve).  There are vendors on the street who sell food, wigs, masks, confetti, and outside of some tapas places and restaurants they have it set up so you can go up and buy a drink (summer festivals).  I walked through some of the streets and eventually got to a big plaza where I bought myself a tinto de verano (for only a euro fifty.  Super cheap to drink here) and people watched.

There were people who were dressed up as different things and posing trying to earn money, although there were some really good ones here!  There was this creepy black creature looking thing and a guy jazzed up in all gold.  Whenever someone gave him money he made these cool techno beep-beeping noises. 

Then there would be random people playing music in the street.  The snowmen from on the train to Cadiz?  Saw them in the street singing and playing some music.  So were these guys above.  There was also this band of kids, about ages 8 to 13, going throughout the street playing their drums, guitarrs, and singing.  It was good old time and quite fun.  It reminded me of summer and it was definitely a good cultural experience.

You can check out more pictures from Carnaval, a video of the guys above singing, and more pictures from my Belgium trip on my facebook: facebook.com/katie.collins.l