Would They, Should They…Kill Carnaval On Ambergris Caye?

Greetings from Merida.

Carnaval 2014 in San Pedro, Belize is coming to an end.  I was there for the first day (Sunday) of painting and comparsas but missed Monday and Tuesday to fly with Tropic Air on the inaugural flight from Belize to Merida, Mexico.

Carnaval is great fun.  So unique to the island and messily beautiful…

 

Kids being kids…

 

And adults getting their party on.

 

People drink.  Alot.  And paint gets everywhere…whether purposely or accidentally.  Eggs are hurled.  Belize Tourism Board posted this picture yesterday to celebrate San Pedro’s Carnaval.

Beautiful, yes.  But that’s a public bench in the Central Park!

Has the vandalism outweighed the fun?

It’s interesting to me that Merida, Mexico is asking similar questions right now.   And like San Pedro, it has taken precautionary measures for years.   BUT for 2014, they made a big leap.  One that has been whispered about in San Belize, Belize for a while.  The huge Merida five day carnival parade and party has been moved from the city center (El Centro) to a fair ground on the edge of Merida.   Or as the Yucatan Times heralded this year’s move – “The Day the Carnival Died”.

Not very popular.  At all.

Don’t mess the fun!  As my cute guide, Josue, here in Merida from the Yucatan Tourism Board succinctly stated “It’s what it is.  IT’S CARNIVAL.”

EXACTLY.  It’s supposed to be a crazy, slight hedonistic PARTY before we enter into the 40 days of Lent.   For some, 40 days of restriction and piety.  It’s celebration time.  And yes.  Parents should be more on top of what there kids are doing (not just for these three days) and the police should be out cracking down on offenders and enforcing the guidelines but I hope they never change this festival.  Or try to move it to some field outside of town.  That would ruin everything.

I’ll say it again.  It’s Carnaval.  It’s not supposed to be neat and tidy.

Here are some more photos of the celebrations – of Carnaval being Carnaval.  Some are mine, some from my friend Finn from Rojo Lounge and some from Maya at Conch Creative.

Gorgeous.

 

 

I’ll just end it with a picture and quote from Niki…a tourist visiting San Pedro for Carnival.

She says:  “The best day EVER” was the quote of the day!!! Thank you to the locals for showing us such great hospitality!!!

See?  Get in there and love it for what it is.

Kill it?  NEVER.   We should work on enforcing the rules and then promoting it to the world.