Quien lo Vive…

So as I may or may not have mentioned, I made up for my (lazy, broke, bad-at-planning, unmotivated) omission of last year and made sure I spent the second weekend of this past February in Barranquilla for Carnaval. Obviously a big part of this was the fact that Brighid lives there now, so it was a great excuse to go visit her, but it’s also one of those things that you just have to do when you live in Colombia. Or, judging from the number of gringos in attendance, even when you don’t.

Barranquilla, normally your typical mid-sized industrial port city, goes all-out for its Carnaval, which they never hesitate to tell you is the second-largest in the world (after only Rio, which, if you’re going to be second to something when it comes to Carnaval festivities, is really the only option). The city essentially shuts down for a whole week, during which time everything is covered in decorations, paint, banners, and anything red-green-and-yellow, the Carnaval colors. The people undergo a similar transformation — everyone is dressed in outrageous, neon, sparkly, bedazzled, insane festive clothing or costumes and covered in wigs, face paint, more sparkles, hats and other peculiar hair accessories. As if this weren’t enough, the two major spectator pastimes of Carnaval are drinking and throwing maizena (flour) and espuma (foam) at both friends and strangers until everyone in attendance looks as white as an Indiana frat boy on his first trip out of the country.

The days are filled with parades, dancing, music and celebration, and the nights — are pretty much exactly the same. We spent 2 hours one night just wandering from one block party to the next, weaving between neighbors dancing together and changing songs as we passed from one set of blaring speakers stacked higher than the surrounding houses to the next. People always talk about how joy is contagious, and this is one of the best places to see that in action — sure, we’re all sweaty and dirty and covered in flour and glitter and our feet hurt from standing and dancing, but we are all having one hell of a good time. Barranquilleros were, without fail, warm and welcoming and delightful people, and I couldn’t think of a better group to serve as my festival guides. For four nights straight, Brighid and I rolled into bed past 2 a.m., filthy and exhausted and probably dehydrated — and then the next morning, we got up and did it again. Because that’s what you do when it’s what everyone else is doing. We were just following the motto of Carnaval, after all:

Quien lo vive, es quien lo goza (S/he who lives it, enjoys it)

And enjoy it I did. Who’s up for 2014?

[full disclosure: I did not bring my fancy camera to Barranquilla, because beer + intense sunlight + flying foam + copious opportunities for robbery = disaster, as far as I’m concerned. So I’m sorry these photos don’t look so nice, but it’s the price we pay for caution. And it’s worth it]

Special Carnaval t-shirts: check! We are so ready

Probably the most effective chair salesman I’ve ever seen. Yes, people rent out spots on chairs to see the parade

I wonder if this is the only day of the year this guy gets to wear this outfit

I HOPE this is the only day of the year this guy wears this shirt

I wasn’t kidding about the foam, you know

The Batalla de Flores is the biggest parade of the four days of parades. You have to get there really early to get a good spot. We obviously did not get there early

The Queen of Carnaval! Quick, everyone blow her kisses!

This is almost as good as if Princess Kate were here throwing flowers!

I think the king was on this float, but I was too busy ogling the SABER-TOOTHED LION

Seriously. Foam. Everywhere

Obviously Aguila has its own float

Pants designers must hate Carnaval. Absolutely nobody is wearing their products

Some attractive singing dude, typical

This is too creepy for me to give any good explanation of what’s happening here

Not to be outdone by Aguila, Red Bull also has its own float. Get it? GET IT??

These are some of the symbols of Carnaval. They’re more delightful in float form than if the beasts were actually wandering the streets

The downstairs neighbors are totally ready for the season. It’s like the coast’s version of Christmas decoration madness

Oh yeah, let’s just put some snakes on people’s heads

Wearing only feathers and glitter has never looked so good

I love this outfit so much I don’t even have anything else to say about it

EXPLOSION OF FEATHERS

SO MUCH ENTHUSIASM

But really, they’ve been walking for like four hours in those outfits. In those shoes. In this sun. I can’t imagine.

I’m not sure how I feel about this color scheme, but they certainly seem to be having fun

Definitely better than how I feel about this one, though. What, even. Pink Panther, anyone?

THIS IS THE BEST COSTUME EVER. EVER. EVER.

Oh why look, there’s actually a person under there!

Two of them, in fact! And still not a pair of pants in sight!

As if we needed any more sunshine

Marimondas! The peculiar, dancing, penis-faced, strangely charming Carnaval symbols! (seriously, their noses are giant dicks. I’m not joking about this)