Carnavales de Cádiz 2012

I'd like to preface this blog entry by saying: Nothing can prepare you for Carnival. It's not something anyone outside of Andalucía could easily understand unless you have already experienced it, and I feel that Americans in particular have so few public festivals apart from Mardi Gras that it's hard for someone (like me) from the States to wrap their mind around all that this annual, 10-day celebration entails. In the same league as Rio de Janeiro, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and, of course, Notting Hill, the Cádiz Carnival is one of the world’s best, and it’s also the biggest and most extravagant anywhere in mainland Spain. Add in the fact that Cádiz was the first town in Spain to be granted its own Constitution and coincidentally celebrates its bicentenary this year, and you've got a raucous, riotous, satirical, colourful and exotic party the likes of which this American has never seen, dreamt of, or could even begin to expect.

...not for lack of trying, however. In the day or two prior to Carnival I experienced multiple waves of concern wash over me as my teachers at UCA, our incredible director Rita, and my host familia expressed two core principles regarding the event: "For the love of God be careful, but if you need anything at all, no matter what time of night or day, don't hesitate to call. I mean it. Anything," (not foreboding at all, right?) and, "Watch out for all the piss and shit in the streets. It happens." Hypothetically, if you had nine people tell you these things ad nauseum, wouldn't you be moderately concerned, too? Where is my Carnival informational pamphlet? Why doesn't Rick Steves write about these things?!

Friday

Although Carnival is advertised as having officially started on Friday the 17th, my fellow Dawgs and I had heard through the grapevine that the following night was "the best," and Sunday "even better." However, from what I saw on Friday night this unofficial itinerary didn't deter the locals nor the Washingtonians from getting the party started right away. As is Spanish custom, no one really planned on much happening before 10 or 11 PM. By then, the excitement in the air was so thick I could have drizzled it over pancakes. We eagerly congregated in the Plaza de Fragela, otherwise and appropriately referred to as the Plaza Teatro for the Gran Teatro Falla that dominates the square. This is apparently a popular place for day 1 of Carnival to take place, because until dawn the judges of a very large and important music competition** deliberate on the outcome, while the locals diligently wait, mingle, and drink outside until sunrise to hear their verdict.

I, however, did not make it until sunrise. The temperature rapidly plummeted and although I was bundled up in boots, two sweatshirts, a scarf, gloves, and my heavy winter coat, my hands turned a nasty shade of blue and I'm pretty sure I was on the brink of frostbite. Ultimately, it was the cold that drove me home at around 1 AM, but admittedly I wouldn't have lasted much longer than that had it been a balmy summer night. For one, at 10 PM the ridiculous costumes that everyone adorns were interesting and clever. I spotted everything from a herd of cows, to smurfs, tin soldiers, wizards, comic book characters, cops, Nazis, and Waldo from the popular kids' eye-spy book series. Even Gaddafi and Obama attended the festivities! A few hours later, however, the crowd had tripled in size and a large group of men dressed as condoms (with the invitation, "¿Te quieres probar?" or, "Would you like to try?" stamped across their chests) was getting a bit too rowdy for me. For my first impression of Carnival, I was just too overwhelmed to fully enjoy myself, but the rest of Carnival stretched promisingly ahead. Maybe that's why they make it last ten days?

Saturday

Although I went home Friday night feeling a little in over my head, I really, really enjoyed myself with all that Carnival had to offer Saturday night! My friends and I dressed up in our disfraces as well; a peacock, a candy cane, Cleopatra, a Cheshire cat, a chef, and Jason and myself in awesome (his was a little creepy...) Venetian masks! The evening started with another huge mob scene-- this time in Plaza de San Antonio, where a huge stage had been erected.

BOOM!

See that cannon in the photo above? The stage crew had managed to get several atop the buildings on either side of the plaza, so when the lights dropped and the spot light shone...

...it was as though the French were actually attacking! Cannon fire and gunshots rang out overhead, while an MC on stage prefaced the Siege of Cádiz of 1812 over the sound system. The rest of the show was equally exciting, complete with great light effects, full choirs, and a cast of actors depicting the birth of Cádiz's constitution. Most importantly, all of it was imbued with a very empowering sense of gaditano pride, and while I'm obviously not a native it was fun to join in the anthems that I knew and celebrate being a part of this incredible city.

After the show, the rest of the night was a blur of excitement, crowds, and cheap wine. Street vendors lined the streets offering cheap bocadillos for hungry party-goers and everywhere people crowded around in indistinguishable groups talking, laughing, and making friends with whomever (inevitably) bumped into you or asked you for a spare cigarillo. Thanks mostly to these crowds, it was IMPOSSIBLE to mobilize, but also in part due to the condition of the streets. Remember those warnings I had received? Easily the least glamorous part of Carnival was everyone's blatant disregard when it came time to use the baño. Girls squatted in doorways, while men peed on everything from cars to trashcans all in spite of the fact that the city had taken measures to place temporary bathrooms and port-a-potties in every plaza. I cannot get much more graphic than tossing the words "puddles" and "sewage" out there. Ugh.

Sunday

Sunday was another wonderful day, not solely for the fact that I was finally able to Skype my family, but also because I was able to Skype my family right before seeing an amazing fireworks show on the beach, as well as an amazing nighttime parade that words cannot describe. Fourth of July, eat your heart out.

The overall quality and creativity of these floats was ASTOUNDING. I didn't think to get photos of some of my favorites until it was too late, or else they came out too blurry. Regardless, I wish you could have seen the life-size Asian elephant, the HUGE mechanical man, the giant lumbering dragon, and an amazing float of showgirls dressed like Napoleon atop a  French naval ship. Waves, dolphins, tridents, and huge heads representing the gods of the wind and sea adorned them. Even the people who accompanied the floats on foot were dressed to the nines in incredible and elaborate costumes; a spectacle all their own!

Al fin

Although I had my reservations in the beginning, Carnival has proven to be an amazing experience! Now I understand why no one can ever really prepare you for its festivities (although I wished someone had warned me to bring muck boots...). As it turns out, my favorite parts of Carnival didn't include staying up until all hours of the evening drinking just for the sake of drinking, but instead were focused on the actual reasons behind the celebration. I would be overjoyed if the US or even just our nation's capital could put together some of these extravagant displays of patriotism and shows for our own Independence day! At least I'll always have the memory of celebrating my gaditano pride in the biggest, raucous way possible.

Foot Note

**The Falla's Contest is a music festival held in the Gran Teatro Falla before Carnival and, to a certain extent, is a relatively serious competition as the show is televised across Spain. Competition is keen, and contestants spend months in preparation (we got a preview of some of the acts back in January during Erizada and Ostionada). The most popular type of group is the chirigotas, choirs normally of ten unison or close-harmony singers that dress alike in ridiculous costumes and for the rest of Carnival clog up the streets with the crowds of people who stop to watch and listen. Some are accompanied by bombo, caja (anything to be used as a percussion instrument), and guitar. My host madre explained that their repertoire is exclusively satirical, but you have to speak really, really good gaditano to appreciate the nuances (dammit).

Going Abroad While Being Abroad

Andalucia’s historic and cultured capital, sultry Seville, is the soul of southern Spain. Moorish legacy and Catholic ceremony rule the city: once you’ve explored the enormous cathedral, climbed the Giralda and admired the Alcazar, feel welcome to unwind in the sun at the Plaza de España, and wander leisurely amongst the re-imagined 17th-century casitas that stand over the winding labyrinthine streets of the old quarter. Post-siesta, dine on gazpacho with prawns and filo-dough wrapped cola del torro at one of the city’s tapas restaurants before catching a fiery, foot-stamping flamenco performance (and try to accomplish it all in just two days!).

Although I've recently passed the one-month mark since my arrival to Spain, I still consider myself a complete and utter novice when it comes to traveling abroad. However, we do have a few pro's here with us; my friend Nolan has previously been abroad with the León program, and Taylor has had some incredible adventures back-packing through Europe with her older sister. For our two-day stay in Sevilla, they both did an incredible job of taking the reigns and I can't tell you how wonderful it is to have two private tour guides with you!

First, we explored the Real Alcázar de Sevilla.

The Royal Alcazar of Seville is the oldest active royal residence in Europe and I can vouch for my tourist-phamplet's claims that the structure's exceptional architecture is that of unmatched beauty. It was commissioned in the early 10th century by the Muslim kings that ruled the city, then rebuilt and enriched with new palaces since its recapture by the Christians. From the Alcazar's historical description alone, you can anticipate the kind of breath-taking beauty that we were privilege to enjoy. Both inside...

...and out. The gardens here have understandably been recognized as one of the largest and most beautiful in Europe, and feature nearly two hundred difference species. Imagine 50,000 exceptional square meters featuring an expansive mixture of architecture and nature under the permanent presence of the murmur of water. While we explored the palace and its gardens for nearly two hours, I still feel as though I could have spent the entire afternoon there and still not see everything. Although of everything we managed to get to in the time we were there, my favorite part wasn't, in truth, the incredible gardens. Although impressive in their size and beauty, there was a frigid Iberian wind blowing through all of Sevilla during our entire stay. The gardens, more or less unprotected, were insufferably cold and unfortunately diminished by random scaffolding left there by re-furbishers. Instead, my favorite part was wandering into a large, otherwise un-notable room off of one of the palace's many patios. There, incredible tapestries soared from the floor upwards to vaulted ceilings and were composed of staggering detail. Their historic, religious, and artistic value literally left my mouth agape. Although I considered trying to capture a few photos, in my heart I knew my little digital camera wouldn't do them justice. Here is an image I pulled from Google, just to give you an idea:

While I may have been able to remain there for a few hours more, when I witnessed a few members from a French tour group stretch their greasy hands across the velvet rope and start tugging at one of the incredible tapestries, I knew it was time to go. How do you say, "Didn't your mom ever teach you to keep your hands to yourself," in French?

The Plaza de España was a great stop before lunch! To one side is a fantastic park in what's apparently called a 'Moorish paradisical style' with a half mile of: tiled fountains, pavilions, walls, ponds, benches, and exhedras; lush plantings of palms, orange trees, Mediterranean pines, and stylized flower beds; and with vine hidden bowers. Unfortunately, like the gardens at the Alcazar, the park was rendered much less impressive by random construction tape, broken ground, and (inexplicably) several tons of melting ice (your guess is as good as mine!). The Plaza, however, did not disappoint. The complex of the Plaza itself is a huge half-circle with buildings continually running around the edge, accessible over the moat (complete with hirable gondoliers) by numerous beautiful bridges. In the centre is a large fountain which is almost IMPOSSIBLE to photograph without random smatterings of people running through the frame. Such is life. By the walls of the Plaza are many tiled alcoves, each representing a different province of Spain, where people laze about in the sun and people-watch.

To Be Continued... (excuse another interruption! In about twenty minutes a few of us are going to attend a free Flamenco show, accompanied by free cerveza and bocadillos! I'll be sure to write about the Cathedral, and Giralda later this afternoon.)

The Cathedral of Sevilla is not only breathtaking, but awe inspiring. You can't miss it. The cathedral dominates the old town center, sitting on the site of a mosque dating from the 12th century. Outside, the sunshine, oranges, fountains and fresh air mingle with the chatter of horses’ hooves on the stony streets. However, the closer you get to the threshold, the more ominously the structure towers over you; foreboding. Not only is the cathedral the largest in Spain, it is the third largest in the world.  Its 80 chapels reportedly held 500 daily masses at one time. 

Inside, shut away from the fresh air and sunshine, I had an unexpected emotional reaction. When it came to first impressions, the inside of Seville’s sprawling cathedral left me cold. I saw gloom and scaffolding, dust and darkness, while the dreams and shadows of the Spanish Inquisition lurked behind locked gates and doors. The eleven of us quickly split off into small groups, or else wandered freely by ourselves to take in the impressive architecture, astounding laborious statues, divine alter pieces, and other works of art.

One of the most famous sites inside the cathedral is the gold altar piece, Retablo Mayor. It took 44 years to complete the 36 gilded relief panels that depict scenes from the Old Testament and the lives of saints, a culmination that claims the title of largest alter piece in the world.

Another spectacular find in the cathedral is the Tomb of Christopher Columbus. It is believed that the bones of the famous explorer are in the raised casket. According to my handy-dandy informational brochure, DNA testing is currently underway to find out if they really are. The suspense is killing me!

It would be a photographer's dream come true to be able to capture some of the incredible sites encompassed under the soaring vaulted ceilings of the cathedral. Most of us had issues with low-quality resolution, ineffective flashes, or otherwise inconsiderate French/Canadian/French-Candian tourists who seemed determine to leap into the frame a millisecond before the shutter clicked (do you know the term "photo-bombing"?) as we tried to document everything. I swear, it would be easy to waste a lifetime there following these simple (and unavoidable) steps:

1. See something incredible

2. Take a moment to react and reflect

3. Decide to take a picture

4. Attempt to take said picture

5. Wait a moment until people move out of the way

6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 about three times

7. Give up or get lucky

8. Move approximately two feet away from where you were

9. Repeat steps 1 through 8

Outside is the famous La Giralda, the cathedral's bell tower. Originally built at the end of the 12th century as the minaret of the mosque, it stands as one of three remaining minarets in the world (the others are in Marrakesh and Rabat, Morocco). During the building of the cathedral, the Giralda was preserved, although Christian symbols were added to the top. Inside the tower, a 34-story ramp (wide enough for a person to ride a horse to the top) will take visitors (like meee) to the top of the tower for SPECTACULAR views of Seville.

I took a few laps and promptly elected the best side.

Not only can you see some more of the cathedral's structure and Sevilla's compact layout, but that arena in the center is another historical landmark that we, unfortunately, didn't have time to see. While some of the other Dawgs are looking forward to the opportunity to see a live Corriente del Torro here, I would have been just as happy to visit one of the impressive arenas where the bull fights are held! Considering all the incredible things that we were privy to see, and those that we were unable to, I might just have to find some friends to accompany back to Sevilla for a day trip (they DO, after all, have a Starbucks there).