Carnaval 2016, the "Donald" Wins Big Time

Carnaval 2016  "Mazatlántida: la alegoría que emergió de las olas" is in full swing here in Mazatlán.  Every hotel room is full.  50,000 visitors are in town.  The king and queen have been coronated.  I am going to watch the best part of Carnaval tonight, so I'll have pictures when I get home at midnight.

Carnaval in 1910

Tonight is the naval battle "Combate  Naval".  It is the reenactment of an actual naval battle that happened on the Olas Altas beach.  A sailing ship came in and began firing their canons at the small town of Mazatlán.  In the end the local Mexican population fired back and the invasion was thwarted.

Tonights battle will involve a ship sailing into the harbor and blasting about a hundred thousand of us idiots standing on the beach with hundreds of fireworks and loud explosions.

But we are not afraid because we have four embankments of fireworks, rockets and aerial bombs ready to return fire.  After the ships fire power lessens all Hell will break loose.  Several hundred explosions will rain down on the ship until the ship goes dark and disappears until next years battle.

The last battle I attended was the best fireworks show I have ever seen.  Only in Mexico would they shoot fireworks at each other.

Still to come are two days of parades.  My favorite is the night time "lighted" parade.  Below is a picture of the parade strung out over the 4 1/2 mile Malacon.


Looking down the Malacon.

A poster showing last years nighttime parade.

A tradition at Carnaval is the event called "the burning of bad humor".  Each year they pick one person (usually a local politician) to be mocked by being "burned in effigy".  Somehow it is considered an honor to be chosen.  This year the committee has dropped tradition and gone international.

Tonight a 30' tall "Monigote" of Donald Trump will be burned.  I don't care about your political affiliation, this is one of the funniest things I have ever heard.

Somehow I believe that even "the Donald" would see the humor in this and be laughing his head off.  It will be interesting to see his hair go up in flames.

Only in Mexico, only in Mexico.

Life is good.  See you tonight Donald.