Here’s a Carnavál song we’ve loved since last year and couldn’t find out who did it. Here it is, complete with awesome video. It is sure to help you get psyched for the coronation, the burning of bad humor (the Mexican justice system/Florence Cassez), and the Combate Naval fireworks tonight!!! If the first two coronations are any benchmark, this is the best Carnavál ever!
Felicidades y gracias, Diego Blackie!
If you read this blog you know how much we love Mazatlán, and Carnavál. The best part about Carnavál? It’s such a community event. Sooooo many families, people of all ages, and from most every socio-economic level of society, participate in this event and have a great time. It is truly a family and community affair, and traces the history of our port city.
Today, Thursday, we are working hard and also looking forward to the coronation tonight of Iván I, the King of Joy 2013. Amidst that anticipation, what should arrive in my inbox? A note from a new friend, a friend of a friend (remember Marco’s incredible maqueta of Mini Mazatlán at Christmas time?)!
It seems his aunt, Sodelva Rios de García, is a seamstress. She and her taller team made the costumes for tonight’s coronation. Now we know that the theme will be “The Three Musketeers” and that Iván will be D’Artagnan!
She and her team make most of the royal costumes, including those for Carnavál Queen, Queen of the Floral Games and La Reina Infantíl. This year’s gorgeous vestuarios are nearly ready for their debut!
Be there or be square, people!
Here is a more thorough reporting in El Debate, including a terrific video interview that has now been added to the VidaMaz YouTube channel.
Are you ready? Remember that the fun starts this Thursday night (Feb 7th) with the coronation of the King of Alegría, starting at 7:30 pm in Olas Altas in front of the statue of the Mujer Mazatleca.
Main parade is Sunday, and closing parade will be Tuesday the 12th. Here is a teaser from parade preparations last year, to build your party momentum!
This morning as we rode our bicycles on the malecón, city drivers were moving a few of the carrozas or floats from the taller on Ejército Mexicano towards El Centro Histórico. The city workers were having a blast, waving like Kings and Princes of Carnavál. Here’s a little taster to whet your appetite for the parade next Sunday. It’s easy to see the theme of this year’s Carnavál, but can you tell us which movies or movie stars are represented in these pictures??
Can you run up the Mazatlán lighthouse in four minutes? The last running contest at the Faro that I know about, the winner got to the top in about six minutes. So what’s up with these new signs? I know I’m not in the greatest shape, despite climbing up twice a week for the past 18 months, but come on!
The guys who work there who walk up that hill every day tell me it takes them 21 minutes on average. Of course, they lug all those water and soda bottles in their backpack as they climb, and they don’t run up.
I found the sign rather demotivating, because I fell into the “second to last” of five categories. It was a great lesson for me in my cultural programming. With five categories, I would have expected the third/middle category to be the “average” user, the norm or central tendency. I also know that, having grown up in the US, we give “false positive” encouragement all the time. “Great batting, Jimmy,” we tell the Little Leaguer who strikes out. So what I would have expected on this sign might look something like this:
I might even add a sixth, humorous category:
If you are able to get to the top of the lighthouse in four minutes, let me know, would you? I don’t take the shortcuts, but I know many people do. But I don’t think those shortcuts shave that much time off…
Since I took a photo of the sign above, I took a few others, also (slideshow below). If you visit the lighthouse you know the bathrooms have been installed now for months. They are gorgeous, very sturdy. Trouble is, no one thought to run any sewage lines to the sewage treatment facility next door. Or, at least that is what we have been told. The public sanitarios remain closed because they apparently do not function. 😦
They also put a beautiful plaque in, with a few historical points on it. Trouble is, someone has planted a large plant right in front of the new plaque. Hopefully that will get moved a bit soon.
Recently Irving Fregoso sent me some documents to translate from Spanish to English, saying they are planning to do a photo exhibit about the history of the Faro. What I translated was really interesting. I’ll tell you more as I hear about the exhibit.
¡VidaMaz! 