Archiv
CW 09 2003
24.02. - 02.03.2003
This week everything is abuzz in expectation for the big carnival at the weekend in Barranquilla. The trip is planned for Saturday as I have, to my great surprise, received an invitation to the 43 International Cartagenas de Indias Film awards on Friday evening. Therefore, a shower and change of dress, I am going to strut my stuff.
| The film awards are a cultural highlight in the city. Many speeches
are presented and a film is screened that shows the harsh realities of
life in Columbia. In the coming days, the cinemas and conference centers
will be screening countless international films, amongst them also works
from France and Germany. Midday on Saturday, we take a taxi to Barranquilla. The one and a half hour trip costs around 40 Euro and is is often interrupted by the many checkpoints set up by the Military and Police. In Barranquilla too, the security forces are putting on a show of might. On virtually each corner, heavily armed soldiers can be seen. |
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The impressions are also tainted with the multitude of hawkers and a ceaseless stream of food and beverage stands. The parade itself is rather sparse and the crowd is forced to amuse itself by throwing flour at each other. According to the telling by many of the locals, Barranqilla is Carnival Nr 2 in South America, after the Rio Carnival. This is a highly inflated view and bias.
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| To put it plainly, after the really vibrant carnival in Trinidad last year, this was as exciting as a glass of luke warm tap water. The dis-organisation continued during the night. In this city of a million people, one big festival was planned. To enter, one has to queue for over two hours. We really did not need that and therefore we visited relatives of my charming date in another part of the city. Here we truly celebrated. Tables and chairs were placed, as is the custom, in the streets. There was laughing and dancing and we were warmly welcomed. In the end it still turned out to be a wonderful carnival. |  |
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On Sunday the "big parade" takes place in the city center. Here the impressions of Saturday are perpetuated; the parade consists of numerous solo performances (pic 133) and the only float that had any feel of a south American carnival was actually advertisement for a cigarette brand.(pic 086) It is really a pity, so I am rushing back to the beautiful Cartagena, and more about that next week if you line Until then, everything of the best TOM |
