Always a Celebration in Merida

We always have something to celebrate in Merida. This week has been no different. Sunday was El Dia de Candelaria,  Monday was Dia de la Constitucion, and Wednesday the weeklong Carnaval began. Amongst all the festivities we also got in three days of  beach time to celebrate the absolutely beautiful weather we are having.

The first nighttime Carnaval parade was last night and we went to that. It works out very well for us as the parade route ends in our neighborhood. So we are able to walk up the 4 blocks to San Juan Parque and watch from there. All of our neighborhood streets get closed off so it makes it rather nice.
Of course I took pictures and of course they didn't turn out great...very difficult to work with lighting, distance, and moving objects when I don't know what the heck I'm doing...but I gave it my best shot. What I didn't get pictures of included some very elaborate floats, lots of stilt walkers (and dancers!), lots of jiggly, dancing young guys and gals, and lots of colorful and elaborate headdresses. Ok...read on -

This following picture was of my favorite float. Not because it was the most elaborate or colorful, but because the young boys that cut out the styrofoam horse, unicorns and other intricate objects, painted them, and then constructed the float have been working diligently on it for quite some time. They did the work in a vacant house just a block away from us and we passed by them almost everyday. Of course, I would always be the peeping Tom and peek in the door and exchange a few words with them.

Terry and I talked later and we discussed how we enjoy watching the crowd of families gathered to watch the parades as much as we enjoy the actual parades themselves. Kids seem so content and well-behaved, and we found it endearing when the dad paid for his two young daughters to have a front row seat while he hung back in the free section and watched. We chatted with a young mom with her young son and 4 month-old daughter who patiently stood right beside us. We saw nothing but smiles then sleep from the baby. We had to laugh at the father and son that had waited as long as we had for the parade....over two hours. And of course, just prior to the parade starting the little boy had to use the bathroom. Dad tried to get him to "just go" next to the big tree, but the little boy was a little too shy for that. About that time, a teenage girl hit the ground from what we presume was a heat-related faint, and all eyes were on her and the bomberos that came to her rescue. When we all turned back around Dad and his son were walking back to their spots. Perfect timing!

 

 

 

 On our way back home traffic was starting to roll again down our street....kinda. A car was stalled in the middle of the street and the drivers behind him were doing what they normally do in those situations....honking their horns. Terry jumped in there and helped the driver by giving him a push to the side of the street.

He was responsible for giving the drivers behing the stalled car one more reason to celebrate in Merida!