Last weekend I was lucky enough to attend one of Spain's most famous carnivals in the city of Cádiz. You can only understand how it is one of the most important carnivals in the world after seeing it for yourself. Literally everybody I saw, of all ages, was fabulously fancy-dressed from top to toe, making me feel like I was in a fairy-tale world with singing and dancing all around the city centre.
Almost instantly after stepping off the train in Cádiz, we were filled with joy, as everyone was in high spirits for fiesta. The number of people parading through the streets playing traditional music filled people with happiness and craziness like I have never seen before. As we wandered around and took in the animate atmosphere, the creativity of some costumes was incredible! From Shrek and Fiona to sumo wrestlers and hippies, the imagination and effort put into fancy dress was remarkable. You could really tell that people put a lot of time and energy into making some amazing costumes.
Then there were the groups dotted around the city of mostly old men who would be passionately singing some traditional songs. This gave the carnival a pure essence of originality, as I could tell they were singing from their heart with such sentiment and excitement. Furthermore, the fact that I was not able to understand the inside jokes did not matter, as I was transfixed by the actions and expressions they provided. These mini street shows were a true taster of Spanish culture and set me up for a fun night.
As the night progressed, the streets got more packed with people prancing around feeling the good vibes flowing. A moment that felt quite surreal was when we were dancing outside a convenience store with music provided by the owners booming through their speakers! It was a big spectacle for sure, as everyone who passed would be jamming along to the music. Afterwards, we went to the main party at El Puerto and it was a marquee with a DJ set inside, literally like a mini festival. After this wacky weekend of festivity, it is true to say that the Spanish know how to party!
Occasionally, people need something like this that will move them out of their daily routine and divert their thoughts from everyday problems.