Carnival – Barranquilla – Day Trip

Of all the things I’ve done thus far in Colombia, this is by far the one I’m the most excited to write about, not because it was particularly amazing, but because the stories will never be forgotten…

First off, last year I spent 5-days during the Carnival / Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans, so I’d like to think that I know a thing or two about how such a celebration should unfold, or so I thought.  Barranquilla Carnival is supposed to be world class, second only to Rio in South America, and one of the best in the world.  For that reason, hotels were incredibly over priced, so my ‘smart’ friends and I elected to just do a day trip – you know, drink all day, and then make it back home, right…

Even with no planning what-so-ever, we managed to hop a door-to-door charter bus over to Barranquilla, about 2 hours south along the coast.  Some of the highlights after we arrived:

Matt after getting attacked by the foam

• Dropped off in the ghetto, the chance of finding the hotel vs. getting stabbed and robbed is neck and neck
• Grabbing breakfast with Mitch (dressed as a pirate), Helen (his girlfriend), Mattis (from Sweden), and Lesley (whose head was recovering)
• Got beers from the market, only gringos in the place, distinguishing ourselves even more by drinking in line
• Full on party in the hotel lobby (lobby party!!), and we joked we could just sleep out there, worst case
• Hit taxis to the parade, the city was going crazy
• At the parade, massive amounts of people everywhere.  The grandstands made it impossible to see, and we were ticket-less, so we partied in the streets from a limited vantage point
• Foam getting sprayed everywhere, all the time, flour also
• The crowd behind (the rough crowd) would throw the empty foam containers and red snow cones at the people up front, with umbrellas, and you know, tickets.  My shirt was a victim of the red dye

Then the robbings (yes the s is accurate) started.  First Belinda and Leon had their camera stolen, while the little wrist strap was still around Leon's wrist.  Then Mattis had his wallet stolen, like 200 thousand and his credit card, while inside his Velcro pocket.  After this I was a little concerned about my camera, I used a belt loop and my camera’s wrist strap to make sure the camera was permanently attached to me, then this happened:

I was walking through a crowd of people (though there was a crowd basically everywhere), I felt a guy hit me and something sorta felt off, I reach for my pocket but it was empty, however the camera was still attached to my pants.  I look back and this Colombian dude is holding the camera saying, 'this fell out of your pocket.'  I just gave the look of ‘really?’ hoping he wasn't about to stab me, and walked off, chanting, ‘not my first Carnival!!’

This scam was also tried on me, but luckily to no avail.  Again I was in a crowd, and I felt someone going through my pockets, but right when I realized, I got sprayed in the face with that foam stuff, becoming completely disoriented, and allowing the attempted thief to get away unnoticed.

We started to formulate ways to undermine thieves, next time you walk down a dangerous street at night, I suggest one the following:

• mouse traps - in every pocket
• carry like 6 wallets (all fake) filled with simple notes like, ‘what do you think, I’m stupid.’
• Chinese finger traps
• syringes filled with incurable diseases (that one did seem a little over the top)

Now, I don’t deny that I wasn’t at fault a little, I was wearing a super bright hat and sun glasses, drunk, flashing money everyone, speaking English (oh yeah, my Spanish virtually disappears when I’m drinking), and white.  The target of choice from the thieves was mighty easy.

I wouldn’t have minded all the robbery, danger, and fear if the show was amazing, but sadly, it was just ok.  The floats did look super cool (even from afar), with lots of bright colorful costumes, but after each one there was like a 10 minute break.  I also had a friend who got there really early and had a good vantage point.  He said the same, ‘parade was really slow, way too much time in between.’

The parades ends at like 6pm, and then everything goes crazy.  Lots a street parties outside of bars, people everywhere, but also at that point it’s nearly impossible to stay with your friends.  Our group split in half, but I was lucky to remain with the guy who lost his wallet, as he quelled his frustration by dancing and making out with a local girl, who we were all convinced was 16 tops.  It was hilarious (and dirty I guess).

As night was rolling around I realized that I had no idea where Anna, Gary, or Lesley were, and we were all planning on heading back to Santa Marta that night.  We got back to the hotel (after about 30 minutes searching for a taxi) but unfortunately our other friends were nowhere to be found.  I was drunk, so I took a ‘power' nap, as I was becoming convinced I didn’t have a place to stay or a ride home that night, and I would need to stay awake until morning. 

An hour later the others arrived, except for the group headed back to Santa Marta, as they were already on their way.  Then there was also the disturbing news that there really wasn’t much of a party going on, just some people sitting on the street drinking, and a few potential bars, but not the all night crazy street party I’d need to make it through the night.

The main group wasn’t going to head back out that night, so the choice became simple: sleep on the hard stone hotel floor, or get creative with the 100 thousand that Mitch, Helen, and Mattis pooled together, and my last emergency 50 thousand I had stashed in my sock.

Barranquilla and Santa Marta are about 60 miles apart.  At that distance, trains and buses are certainly the transportation of choice; I never imagined taking a taxi.  One time I had take a taxi from SFO to Mountain View, it was over $100.  Yet this 90 minute ride (plus the driver would have to turn around and drive back alone) ran the four of us 150 thousand, or just over $75.  It was well worth it.

Overall I was glad to get out of Barranquilla.  Carnival was worth checking out, but I certainly wouldn’t plan a whole trip around it, or even consider a second night.  But it certainly was an experience.