It's Almost Carnaval Time

 

Took this photo at the Gran Plaza Mall

February 2014 - Mazatlan Mexico

You can feel the town heating up in anticipation for Carnaval. Everything is getting spruced up, holes are getting fixed, signs painted and so on.

Last Friday we happened upon the Parade for the Queen candidates.

It runs from February 27 (the day we leave town) to March 4. This tradition has been carried on for 116 years. This year it is titled Litoralia: The Sea´s Skin.

  January we caught two of the statues being carted around town on a truck and then they were put in the middle of the roundabout near Valentino's at the beginning of the Malecon.

We managed these photos from the bus!

 They were only there for a day or so and then disappeared until they materialized last week.

I found the following information online but can't remember where.

The staff of Instituo de Cultura and Arte de Mazatlán began installing the annual parade of giant caricatures (manigotes) along the Malecón de Mazatlán last week. The giants stand eight meters (26.25 feet) tall.


We have some photos taken from a pulmonia. I will be back with more.

This year’s caricatures represent the four major carnivals throughout the world; those in Brazil, New Orleans, Havana, and Venice.

You can get an idea of the size.

The first of the giants was installed next to Valentino’s and is an African-American representing New Orleans’ famous Marti Gras.

Havana’s Carnival is celebrated on Malecón’s North Beach at 5 de Mayo, where a giant replication of the revolutionary Ernesto “Che” Guevara has been placed.

There are currently four statues in Plaza Machado which we saw earlier this week.

I love this shot John took!!!