I've been told the marshmallow candy I bought on the street is called gelatina de pata. Thank you to my sources.
Gangnam Style truly is a global phenomenon. I can't tell you how many times I've heard it on the radio down here and seen Colombians dancing along to it. It's quite amazing.
Today I woke up early to go check out the Batalla de Flores. The main parade of Carnaval. Got up at 8:30. Got out of the hotel at 9:30. Made it down to the parade route by 10:30. Paid for a great seat. And then waited....and waited....and waited until 2pm for the parade to start. The program said 11am. Even by Colombian standards they were running late. This put a bit of a downer on the whole thing.
The parade was full of life and colour and music, when it was going by. But there were large gaps in time where no one and nothing came by. It was weird. Maybe I just didn't get it, but it seemed that there was no theme or anything to the costumes and floats. At one point you'd have Mr. T, then dancers, then Avatar, then the Queen of Carnaval. It's in the pictures and videos below. Sitting in the crowds, there are these things called "espumas" which squirt out suds and cover everyone and everything. They also throw powder. It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye.
At one point, the guy who sold us and the people around us the seats tried to take the roof off of the gazebo thingy, but there was gonna be a riot, so he promptly stopped. Around 3pm people from across the street were coming to our side for some shade. But they were sitting right in front of us and people were yelling at them, throwing garbage at them, and other things. It was not very nice. Another thing that isn't too nice is the garbage that piles up after everyone leaves. There is just so much of it, and no trash cans. Or people just don't bother.
At the end is some pictures of the market I described yesterday. I hope you enjoy the pics and videos.
Mr. T, why?
That's soap on my face....Matt.
Suds on everyone
Predator...or is it Alien?
200 years of Carnaval!
Queen of Carnaval's float
Her Highness
Avatar?
Videos!!!
They sell any and everything here. Grilled meats. Hats. Piles of poo. Ice cream. Fruits. Clothes.
Chips
Decorative Plastic Poo! Great for the coffee table...
I would've enjoyed something like this. Maybe one of the few times you with you weren't travelling alone? All that waiting by yourself... Unless you made friends in the stands with you!
Looks like fun! Everything is so colourful. And again the market looks like something I would like. I'm surprised it says 'lumpia'...that's totally Filipino!
You look great in your carnaval shirt...very festive!! :D
I would've enjoyed something like this. Maybe one of the few times you with you weren't travelling alone? All that waiting by yourself... Unless you made friends in the stands with you!
ReplyDeleteLooks like fun! Everything is so colourful. And again the market looks like something I would like. I'm surprised it says 'lumpia'...that's totally Filipino!
ReplyDeleteYou look great in your carnaval shirt...very festive!! :D
So it turns out that the gelatina de pata is not marshmallow but actually cow's hoof with some natural sweeteners like vanilla or sugarcane.
ReplyDelete