sudamerica 2009: best fun ever, carnaval in oruro
22nd-feb-2009 - posted by dtra
ok, late post i know, but i didn't manage to post on friday because i had to get a taxi straight after my last spanish class to oruro (which is a hole btw) for carnaval (i'm in la paz now btw, gonna be a crazy few days i think). anyway, wrapped up spanish classes on friday, just in time to get to oruro for the second biggest carnaval in south america. earlier in the week, last saturday to be exact, i joined a bunch of drunken bolivians in a march down the road with a marching band in tow. it was the birthday party of one of the daughters of my host, and they know how to party here in bolivia. traffic had to make its way around us very slowly as we danced and avoided water balloons and water guns (it's a bolivian tradition before carnaval). here are a couple of pictures of sucre that i took last week, the boring pictures, all the carnaval pics are the ones you're interested in (though i do have some better pics of both of the following subjects).
other than that, didn't do that much last week other than go to the karaoke bars a couple times, and drink a bit too much. so to carnaval, it's full of bolivians from all over the country dressing in outrageous costumes and marching for hours on end (about 16 hours). then there's the water fights, foam sprays, and of course, a lot of drinking, and crazed tourist dancing. anyway, my group (people i met in sucre) got there about 10am, i stayed till about 6.30pm (some stayed longer, some left earlier), before most of us headed off for a break. after a nap, i was woken up to go out and party the night away. we also loaded up on water bombs throughout the day so that we could throw them at people strolling down the middle of the street (not the dancers), it's what they deserved, and also what you get (i also received a bit).
we went in with the intention of dancing with the dancers. we managed to do that for about three hours, as well as posing for many photos with them. all i can say, is that is an experience that everyone should do at least once, i'd definitely go again if given the chance. i'm in la paz now, and just had the hottest curry (or any kind of food for that matter) that i have ever eaten. the only reason i finished it, a free t-shirt, hopefully we'll have a picture of it soon enough. some other crazy stuff in la paz to do before i head for cuzco. it's also carnaval here, there are more people, but i'm a bit like, i've seen enough of carnaval and water fights, foam spray for this week. anyway, enough of the boring stuff, here are the pictures (loads more to come when i get back to australia, these are just out of focus ones that i thought would be a waste not to post somewhere).
picture of some very colourful dancers in oruro.
tags/bookmarks
notes
I went to that curry place in la paz. didnt order the vindaloo. If your in the bar in adverture brew 1, asn theres an american girl working there called laurnen, ask her did she get her card reader back. i left it in reception for her
Phil -
16:06 23rd-feb-2009
i wouldn't recommend the vindaloo, i got the t-shirt, but shit, it was hotter than that 96% alcohol, i think i'd prefer the madras, but the t-shirt is cool, death road on wednesday. i'll see if she's still there, you're so sweet phil...
dtra
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20:32 23rd-feb-2009