Carnaval, Oruro, Bolivia 2013

Yeah, I realized I never published this! !

Que locura, no because it is one of my favorite experiences here in Bolivia::)0

We stayed at the URUS clubhouse, they are the Tobas fraternity in Oruro, Bolivia home of the 2nd biggest Carnaval in South America (or so they say...) but it is the biggest in Bolivia for SURE
Between Dancing, we were able to pasear un poco, we went to the zoo and watched the parade!!

We didn't dance until the first evening, so we had all day to weave our way through the crowds, try our best to avoid foam throwers (at least this year the water balloons were under control) and water guns, see some cool costumes and enjoy the show:

Tinkus, a dance from Potosi Bolivia
Tinkus were people 

Saya, coming from the Yungas (the tropical area near
La Paz, a place where many africans were brought to work
and still work in the fields, mainly quinua and coca plants
this dance involves huge hats, huge sleeves, and fruit
the women where belly-baring shirts with frilly skirts

The Diablada, THE dance of Carnaval en Oruro, a fight between good and evil and protection of all good things. This dance involves angels, devils, and princesses jumping and dancing as each side fights to overcome the other, but as we all know Good wins every time!

                                            

On the second day we danced in the morning, only the drunks from the night before saw us, haha...well afterwards, a few

                                                          boys from my group just wanted to drink and drink and drink.

                                                         While we went to eat, enjoy the city, visit the church and the

                                                        mine of Sacavon, and watching the best groups' demonstrations

                                                      by the church, these boys stayed at the clubhouse and drank.

                                                  afterall it's Carnaval....well when we got back, they were having

                                                    water fights of course...now Oruro is not the warmest place in

                                                  Bolivia and I was already getting a cold from being out the

                                                       previous night dancing and singing to the music of the parade,

                                                       so was not excited to see them dancing in the streets half naked

                                                      and ready to get us. Jake and I hid, and the promised a truth, so I

                                                     went through fine until Milan grabbed me and got me in the chair

                                                       and they doused me. "HAPPY BAPTISM!!! WELCOME TO

                                                      THE GROUP"....awesome, well it was my first carnaval in      

                                                       Tobas Central so I suppose a little "hazing" is expected...oh boys.

                                        I was sick almost without a voice for the next two weeks

QUE VIVA EL CARNAVAL