That Other South American Carnaval: Barranquilla
By Joel Chusid
Mention “Carnaval” and people think of Rio de Janeiro, New
Orleans, Trinidad, and Venice. But Barranquilla, Colombia? Yes! Actually the
city actually claims the place as the second largest Carnaval celebration in the
world! Taking place for the four days preceding Ash Wednesday in February or
early March, the event features parades, costumes, contests, and other
festivities in this city of about 1.7 million inhabitants.
Barranquilla is Colombia’s fourth largest city, located on
the banks of the Magdalena River, and is only about less than three hours from
Miami or five from New York by nonstop flight on Avianca. It’s Shakira’s home
town. While the downtown is bustling and hectic, the city has charming
neighborhoods and is convenient geographically as it’s only an hour or two away
from Colombia’s photogenic and colonial walled city of Cartagena and the beach
resort area of Santa Marta. Known as Colombia’s Golden Gate, it is different
from other cities in the country as it’s been a melting pot for so many cultures
from Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. But the real attraction and uniqueness
is the fact that multi-cultural Barranquilla also has Carnaval, and it’s worth a
visit just for that. The city’s residents spend the year before Carnaval
preparing for it!
 The event starts on Saturday with La Batalla de Flores (the
Battle of Flowers), a float parade, and suffice it to say that Colombia is one
of the world’s largest exporters of flowers, so this is spectacular. On Sunday
thousands of people don costumes and fancy dresses for La Gran Parada. Monday
the El Festival de Orquestas, a non-stop musical extravaganza runs. The last day
is a four hour parade through one of the city’s better neighborhoods and
symbolically commemorates the burial of Joselito Carnaval. It is this last
parade that I was able to enjoy fully, and one that is easier for tourists to
enjoy because of its location and easy access from tourist hotels outside the
city center.
 The streets are lined with stands and seats go for a few
dollars each. Most are uncovered, but some are under tents. Barranquilla has no
winter and summer and generally the climate is always warm, either with
oppressive humidity and torrential rains or luckily, at Carnaval, generally dry
with cooling breezes. The parade starts in the mid-afternoon and ends just after
dark. People are in a jovial mood, and children and adults alike enjoy spraying
canned foam or sprinkling powder on each other. These don’t stain and are
non-toxic, but wear minimal clothing, have sun protection, and be prepared to
get sprayed. It’s all part of the fun. Oh, and it’s not unusual to do a little
dancing in the street with the performers, although the atmosphere is not
totally crazy.
The party generally goes on around the clock in some areas,
and urban transport can get pretty tricky. But blocks away from the parade
route, it’s not hard to get around. Hotels no doubt offer some kinds of
excursions to the parades. A lot of drinking goes on, beer and aguardiente
mostly, but people are generally well behaved and a lot of foreigners attend.
Vendors sell the canned foam, drinks, and plenty of snacks.
The parade is colorful and fun, with characters such as
people dressed as controversial personalities such as George Bush, Hugo Chavez,
and mourners for Joselito, who himself is portrayed by people. The 2007 parade
even had a bespectacled Harry Potter impersonator complete with an eagle and
fellow Hogwarts students. Groups of dancers in beautiful costumes parade
through, with recorded and live music. Age wise, the participants range from the
very young, totally adorably dressed toddlers, to senior citizens no less
elaborately attired, who are showing their enthusiasm, vigor and prowess at
dancing. Age is irrelevant in this festival as the photos on this page show.
There are even transvestites in tight skirts dragging suitcases, acrobatic
dancers, and in general, a lot of fun.
 Getting to Barranquilla from the U.S. just prior to
Carnaval can be problematic. In addition to service from intermediate points
like Panama on COPA and their Colombian affiliate, Aerorepublica, there is
nonstop service from Miami and New York on Avianca, and connections are
available via Bogotá, but you can be sure that the week preceding Carnaval
demand is high. Still, I arrived on Monday evening on a sparsely filled Avianca
MD-80 from Bogotá and was able to enjoy a full day of Carnaval on Tuesday.
Hotels will be in equally high demand status. Barranquilla is not flush with
accommodations, but the best ones from a tourist standpoint are in the northern
part of the city. These include the new Dann Carlton, adjacent to the Buena
Vista shopping center, the more traditional El Prado, the nearby Royal, and the
modern Barranquilla Plaza on a pleasant tree-lined street.
The multicultural diversity of Barranquilla assures there
are plenty of restaurants, with a variety of cuisines from Italian and Arab to
Chinese and Chilean. Colombia’s coastal cuisine is Caribbean-influenced, and is
delicious, featuring plantains, yucca, coconuts, rice, tropical fruits, and
seafood. Although not specifically barranquillero, ajiaco and sancocho,
Colombia’s well known main course dishes and my own personal favorites, are also
available. The local beers are Aguila and Colombian Club, and the former
dominates the Carnaval scene. There are plenty of souvenirs to buy, from the
traditional hats, chivas (little clay models of the buses), jewelry, Carnaval
masks, T-shirts and the fabulous coffee. (Alas, my favorite Juan Valdez can only
be found in the supermarket here, but stock up at one of their two stores if you
happen to transit the Bogotá Airport. They also have stores in Washington, DC
and New York!)
Is Colombia safe? A few years ago, Colombia was considered
unsafe for tourists due to guerrilla activity and widespread crime, including
kidnappings. Things have improved dramatically and the country is now considered
one of the hottest tourist destinations in the Americas. Still, visitors should
use caution with valuables as petty street crime still occurs and take care as
they would in any large city. It’s best not to wander alone, particularly with
camera and valuables in full view, in the southern or downtown neighborhoods,
although this is not a problem in the northern areas or at the parades. But with
the Carnaval crowds, it makes no sense to take valuables to the parade and dress
as casual as you wish. Americans don’t need a visa to visit Colombia. Taxis are
plentiful and not expensive. Colombians are friendly and helpful, and many do
speak English, although if you do speak some Spanish, that’s always a plus.
Colombian Spanish is reported to be easier than some other variations to
understand, although the coastal regions have some of their own unique words.
So plan for next year now and be the first on your block to
experience that “Other Carnaval.”
Helpful websites:
www.avianca.com
www.carnavaldebarranquilla.com
www.carnavaldebarranquilla.org
www.juanvaldez.com
www.turismocolombia.com
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