Glitter, Botellon and 300 Minnie Mouses (minnie mice?): Carnival in Cádiz

For those of you who don't know me, my favorite holiday is a tie of Thanksgiving and Halloween. Presents don't mean much to me, I really only like food and costumes, especially costumes that are just an excuse to wear way too much glitter. This past halloween I walked down the stairs of my house dressed as a "greek goddess" and the first response I got was "What are you? Why is your chest sparkly?" I also somehow made up some excuse to be sparkly as a pumpkin. Moral of the story: I effing love glitter, probably more than an (almost) 21 year old should.

When I found out that Spain, specifically the city of Cádiz was known for Carnival, I was ecstatic. Here is a holiday that, unlike halloween has a somewhat wholesome purpose (trick or treating and such), the point is to dress in costume and drink in the streets. SIGN ME UP! Also, to my utmost joy, the cheapest costume in "Fiestamania" was pink fairy wings. Tell me a fairy that wasn't sparkly? It was my JOB to be covered in glitter, Carnival was already my favorite holiday and it was still a week away. I got to the bus stop with some girls on my program to see a sea of pirates, hippies, matadors, fairies, and one orange tree. The group of 10 coach buses (about 400 people, probably more) made their way to Cádiz, about a 2 hour drive from Sevilla.

Basically, Carnival is a huge party in the street. Thousands of people dressed up in insane costumes are walking around the streets with their respective botellons (outside drinking). It was a madhouse, and it was an experience that I'll never have again, and probably never forget.

Before I list my favorite costumes of the night I feel like I have to say this. My friend Kaitlin, who is turning into one of my closest friends on the trip dressed up like Minnie Mouse. She ended up a free day trip with the tour group we went on, because she made her own costume (ears, etc). Besides that, she met about 40 minnie mouses (mice) because there were huge groups of girls all dressed in the same costume, and ALL minnie mouse! Los españoles le encana Walt Disney.

Favorite/Most Popular Costumes:

--Cows

--Scrambled Eggs

--The Ghost Busters Crew (complete with a guy dressed as a logo!)

--Duff Man (yes from the Simpsons)

--Toilet

--Ronald McDonald

--Green Army Men

That's all for now! This weekend we're going back to Alfalfa, an area with outdoor bars and to a club to see a local band play.

Hatsa Luego!