Carnival: one of the most amazing things in this world and I was lucky enough to experience it twice, the first and best which has now been rated the best carnival in the world, according to Bolivia was in Oruro, which is only 4 hours from Cochabamba. Along with the water guns and espuma (sprayable foam) attacks of which a group of about 40 gringos was the best target for all of the children and their parents in the city, we arrived on Friday safe and happy. The festivities started on Saturday and went on all day and night! The dancing, music, atmosphere was so incredible and you just have to admire these dancers who dance for about 8-10 hours, in amazing costumes, (the best have to be the osos, the bears and ositos, little bears) without stopping for out enjoyment! It was just incredible, and as the carnival progressed, so did everyone’s intoxicated level, which just turned the carnival experience into one big fiesta! The espuma fights got bigger, and we started fighting one another, to a state in which I couldn’t see due to the amount of espuma of which I was covered in! and dancing god wilder, with me almost falling of the benches many times, we carnivaled right into the night! Another rather traumatic event , in which we were trying to dance behind the dancers was being tear gassed, for the first time in my life, an experience I would not like to repeat, and then my camera got stolen, so no more pictures, sorry!
So it was a mixed experience but I just cannot explain how amazing it was, carnival is a must experience for everyone, and the Latinos do it best so just come over to this wonderful continent, I’m sure I’ll be up for it next year!
Then there was Cochabamba carnival which was on a different level to that in Oruro, the first group I saw were the tigers and babies, in which fully grown men were dressed up as babies, rather twisted but comical nonetheless! After my attempts at dancing in the carnival failed, I was still there to support my friends, who managed to make it to the practice! The Tinkus dance which is one of the oldest and most cultural dance from the Potosi region was performed wonderfully and all we could do was support them!
Since all the carnival festivities I have been trying to organize my life, which is no more organized here than in London, and therefore saying goodbye to my kids who I have been with was a difficult experience, probably more for me than them, as I was the one weeping! As well as my host family who with all the ups and downs have been lovely and I was accepted completely into their family, so that was also difficult to say goodbye. Although I have left a collection of my belongings in cocha, which is probably just a excuse to go back to my Bolivian home! I arrived in Sucre this morning after a 13 hour bus ride not made better by the crazy bus driver who kept bumping into everything, including another bus while reversing out of the terminal, and the intense rain , which delayed us even more, and the man who was sitting next to me, who would not stop snoring! All part of the Bolivian bussing experience, I am now in Sucre, which to my enjoyment is famous for its chocolate! Not sure where or what I’m doing next but it’s all part of the Adventura de Rosa which is now very much in swing!
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