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Published: March 1st 2007
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Carnival in Oruro, Bolivia
After a typical foam fight So the mission was nearly complete - accommodation had actually been sorted out for us (thanks to Bella and Glen, old friends we had met in Buenos Aires, who had booked and paid something for us - legends), and we were on the bus from Uyuni. We arrived at about 6am in Oruro, and the festivities had already commenced. The town was a sea of colour, and everyone was dressed up to the nines.
The carnival is actually officially known as the La Diablada carnival and is celebrated in honor of the patron saint of the miners, Vírgen de Socavon (the Virgin of the Tunnels). Over 50 parade groups dance, sing and play music over a five kilometre-long course and the participants (of which there are 10000´s) dress up as demons, devils, angels, Incas and Spanish conquerors. The parade winds around the streets for the 5 kms, and everyone watches from makeshift stands that have been erected along the streets. It truly is a full on experience, and the costumes and get-ups that these guys and girls have on has to be seen to be believed. Plus, everyone involved watching the parade gets involved by purchasing silly foam, and water
bombs and pelting them at each for around 10 hours. But more of that later.....
We got off the bus at 6am, and made our way to our digs. We had been warned in advance that this wasn´t the nicest location in the whole of Oruro, but it was the cheapest (all the prices tripled around this time....still not bad seeing as though we were in Bolivia and not Rio) and the only one that still had room available. Still, i don´t think the email i received prepared us for what was in store. Now, i have stayed in some pretty shitty places whilst over here, but nothing compares to this. Dingy, dark room, foul bathroom (talking vomit and exrement over the floor), horrible staff, and worst of all, 3 poms sharing our room! But hey, we weren´t bothered at all as we actually had somewhere to stay and we didn´t intend on spending too much time there anyway!
As there was so much happening outside, we decided to only sleep for a few hours and then head out and meet up with the others and get involved. Our friends had gone all out, buying black ponchos, black
Carnival in Oruro, Bolivia
Beginning of the festival, for us anyway gangster hats, and hardcore water pistols, so we decided to go ahead and do the same thing.
We arrived in our seats at around midday, and the show was already in full swing. And so were the water fights. With silly string in both pockets, a bag of water bombs by my side, and Josh holding his Spiderman limited edition water pistol, we were ready for action. However, so were the hundreds of Bolivians eagerly waiting to get one back on a gringo, and we got well and truly annihilated. We tried our hardest, and Glenn and Stew (English roommate) put in reasonable efforts for UK citizens, but all in all we did get done. One guy had my number, and continually hit me in the head with waterbombs that hurt so goddam much, that i have my suspicions on their authenticity (i think they may have spent abit in the freezer). Such a good laugh though, and the kid who i was buying my already filled waterbombs off (at 15c for 10 waterbombs you cant complain) must have made a right killing!!!
As darkness hit, and we all began to shiver from the cold, a truce was
Carnival in Oruro, Bolivia
Cutting sick in our outfits called on all water related activities as it just gets too damn cold. This didn´t stop the silly string from getting used and abused, nor the carnival from heating up. It was out of this world. Guys with tamborines covered in dead armadillos, costumes with all array of masks, and every colour under the sun, definitely made it a sight for sore eyes. Everyone in the crowds were singing and dancing (apart from the people in one stand that collapsed midway through the day - watching that was like watching a car crash - i just couldnt look away. The fact that noone was hurt, yet alone killed, was a miracle) and the performers were all getting super involved. Josh made good friends with this little girl and we bought her treats all afternoon. She must have thought that all her Christmas´s had come at once as she received numerous cans of silly string, Josh´s water pistol, and my hat.
For us, the evening wound up at around 11pm after about 10 hours of standing in the stands when my wallet was stolen as i danced with this kid on my head. No biggie as there wasnt much in
it, but annoying nonetheless. We then tried to find somwhere to go and party on, with Karaoke lasting around an hour, before we succumbed to our tiredness and went to bed.
The next day really was more of the same - more water bombs, more silly strings, more physical abuse. I had to report my wallet stolen (which the policeman charged me 10 bolivianos for the privledge of getting this report), and in there were about 10-15 gringos who had all been similarly treated. Both the thieves and the police must have made alot of money that day!
We went out for a few drinks that night but once again we had to call it a day early as we had unfortunately left ourselves in the position of having to catch a 6am bus the following day out of there to Peru. Our mission continues, as we now need to make our way north to Lima in around 7 days or so, which is abit rushed but im sure it can be done.
Oruro was well worth the visit, and we are so glad we put in the effort and the hard yards to make it as
its an experience i will never forget. Such a laugh - we managed to catch up with old friends and make some new ones which was great, and it´s a carnival that surely cannot be beaten for creativeness.
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sara
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aaaaaaaaaaaaah si?!
hello boys!!!! just a quick one to say that I usually HATE reading travel blogs, but this one is actually PRETTY DAMN GOOD!! Happy travelling, enjoy peru and looks like u´ve had an awesome time since rio! lots of loving,- some Pom u met in floripa....(otherwise known as sara...)