What’s it’s going to be like for Mardi Gras today? Degrees in Fahrenheit, current conditions at 7:30 Eastern Time and expected highs.
New Orleans – 36 (feels like 27) High 51
Rio de Janeiro – 84 (feels like 92) High 89
Las Tablas, Panama – 79 (feels like 83) High 90
Bocas del Toro, Panama – 73 (feels like 73) High 89
Dolega, Panama – 73 (feels like 73) High 90
Boquerón (my house) – 73 (feels like 73) High 89
The reason I listed Las Tablas is because it’s where the biggest, most elaborate Carnival celebrations in Panama are held. They rival New Orleans and Rio.
Dolega is there because it’s the closest town that goes whacko over the Carnival Weekend. It would be a two-bus ride to get there and take a bit over an hour, but it’s just too nutso.
In Las Tablas –
Las Tablas in the day time –
In nearby Dolega. The spraying of water here and at many of the Panamanian Carnival celebrations is because it’s HOT under the broiling sun when you’re just 8 degrees north of the equator…
It’s a bit different over in Bocas del Toro where the Antillian culture is stronger than the Latin.
There’s a line in this song that says “throw the baby out the window” but it doesn’t mean a REAL baby.
There is a Mardi Gras tradition of having King Cake Parties during Mardi Gras Season (most people don’t realize how long that actually is. It begins on Epiphany, the 12th night after Christmas and continues until today, Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday.) Hidden in the King Cake is a tiny plastic baby doll, and traditionally the person who gets the baby is supposed to throw the next party. So, some people who get the baby and don’t want to throw a party have been known to surreptitiously palm the baby out of their mouths and throw it out a window. Some, more desperate have been known to actually SWALLOW it.
Everyone loves the Mardi Gras Indians in New Orleans.
But for most of you suckers it’s just another TUESDAY!!!
One More Good Adventure 