Carnival in Mexico

Okay, so this post is about a year overdue, but we enjoyed this experience so much...it is about time to blog about it!

Last Winter when living in Lake Chapala, we visited Parque La Cristiana to attend a Carnival that was visiting town. It was fantastic, and only cost us perhaps $3 each (and came with a free movie ticket at the local theater)!

Rides for children were purchased separately, but very inexpensive (although now I fail to remember the price), and Ella enjoyed some of the kid-friendly rides. They also had many adult rides, but we did not indulge ourselves!

The only unpleasant thing about the Carnival was the BLASTING music/speaker systems. It was sooo loud that I walked around plugging my ears (and the girls' ears!). Next time, I will take earplugs for all of us!

There were many food choices, including this one (perhaps Carne Asada?). Since we really didn't try much meat in Mexico, we failed to learn the name of this style of cooking. Reminds me of the Brazilian Tucano's Restaurant in Utah, though!

We ended up settling on some cheap hamburguesas for dinner, and I was disgusted that the hamburger actually tasted much like a HOT DOG. How is that possible? I don't know...but I wasn't impressed. It's hard enough for me to like a hamburger...and nearly impossible for me to like a HOT DOG!

We stumped upon the crown jewel of the event by accident. We were walking on the outskirts of the carnival, and saw a large tent (I think it was labeled "Dreams on Ice"), with a few people going inside. We entered, and found some fun bleachers (skinny boards held together with ropes!), and sat ourselves down...waiting (painfully) for something. Anything. Heck--we didn't know WHAT we were waiting for. But the crowds grew, so we assumed it had to be something worth waiting for!

Finally, the lights dimmed, and the show began. Out came jugglers, clowns, and even "dancers" on "ice skates." Please keep in mind these girls were certainly not on real ice (in Mexico?! Outdoors? Hah!)...it is some special synthetic flooring that doesn't look nearly as smooth! I feel particularly bad for the girl on the front left...she must have been new?...

There was also a fantastic balancing act done by a gentleman, and an assistant who I think was his sister (again--limited Spanish--who knows?). If you don't have patience to watch it all...at least fast-forward through it to see his crazy stunts!

And my personal favorite, a girl whose talent was dancing with hula-hoops! Very impressive!