By Cabodavid - Mexico Photojournalist

Centuries ago the first carnivals were held in Italy just before the first day of Catholic Lent – a 40-day period of abstinence before Easter. Carnevale – means literally – “to put away the meat.” The tradition spread throughout Catholic Europe and into the New World with some of the most famous carnivals being in Rio and New Orleans, with La Paz holding one of the larger ones in Mexico.

Many cultures contribute to the excitement of a carnival – Brazilian, Caribbean, Latin European and African influences color the festivities with masked dancers adorned with feathers, beadwork, and sequins wearing everything from bikinis to spoofs on the extravagant gowns of royalty. Carnival is cross-culturalism, cross-dressing and wild devil-may-care fun for all who attend. In La Paz, one can participate in the parades, dance under the stars at a dozen stages featuring Latin musicians from famous pop rock entertainers to Banda.

The annual carnival held mid-February attracts tens of thousands of mostly Mexicans from throughout Baja. But few tourists. La Paz remains relatively off the tourist track like the more widely known destinations of Cancun and Cabo. The town of 200,000 slept peacefully for over 2 hundred years when author John Steinbeck and scientist Ed Ricketts came ashore in 1940 while on an expedition collecting specimens for a marine biology collection. Steinbeck’s subsequent books – Log From The Sea of Cortez and The Pearl helped put the town on the map.

But some would argue - little has changed from when they visited. Many of the same colonial buildings they encountered remain along the waterfront, and a university now exists that is famous for… you guessed it – marine biology. Ask any locals what La Paz is known for besides incredible big game fishing, scuba diving in the Sea of Cortez and magical Espiritu Santos island just off-shore and they’ll likely answer – Carnaval! (Spanish spelling)

La Paz Carnaval extends for 2 kilometers along the waterfront malacon (walkway). The whole region looks forward to this annual party. Cowboys from rural villages and ranchos appear in their finest white leather jackets, matching cowboy hats, Levis and fancy boots, their pickups washed and polished ready to impress the senoritas. Local families with kids in tow, on shoulders, in strollers and backpacks crowd the game booths, and amusement rides. Vendors from all over Mexico sell moving vans full of acrylic blankets printed with cartoon characters, Mexican leather goods, sombreros, cactus candies, enamel ware, toys and plastic kitchen containers from China, heavy pastries, homemade potato chips, specialty tacos and burritos from different regions and… beer – aka “Mexican water.”

The street becomes a river of beer and Tequila drinks with beverage vendors booths seemingly every 100’ of the parade route. The major beer companies have beer tents, beer gardens, their own stages with bands, D.J.’s, sexy cha-cha girls, 30-foot inflatable beer cans, walking beer bottles, competing beer company floats, and toys for the little ones. Public drinking is permitted, and drunks are speedily whisked off by the vigilant police to the tank for pickup the next morning by whoever comes up with the bail. The local authorities keep the streets safe and Disneyland clean. A dozen stages along the route feature popular musicians from ranchero and Sinaloa bands to heavy metal where a man can dance the night away – beer in one hand, senorita in the other. At the grand pavilion the king and queen were staged amid much hoop-la with comical music parodying a drunken coronation. Drop-dead gorgeous Baja beauty queens wearing extravagant gowns embellished with bangles, beads, feathers and enormous headdresses were escorted on stage by Mexican naval officers in elegant white uniforms. This year (2009) the ceremony seemed so serious and dignified compared to the hair-pulling that occurred at previous coronations and the chaos that prevailed at the swearing in of our last Mexican President. Where were the beer companies when the nation really needed them?

One can drop out from the intensity of the carnival at any time to go for a walk and decompress on one of two piers, take a rest under a palapa on the sandy beach, or disappear into any one of dozens of clubs and fine restaurants along the way. Just remember if you do, you might miss Oaxacan taco vendor Marisol’s quesadillas con gusanos de maguey (melted cheese tacos with worms from the maguey cactus). A regional specialty sure to bring out your inner Mexican. Down a shot or two of Mescal (Tequila’s big brother) and you’ll be talking to your Mayan ancestors. In Mayan.

Flatbed truck trailers dominated the parade each one carrying a different load of participants – Carnival Queen, King, the Fool, transvestites with boobs and bottoms the size of watermelons, bands and one Gothic float featuring teens break dancing and head spinning while the truck moved along. There were marching Hawaiian dancers one meter tall, and troupes of costumed imitation Trinidad dancers in blackface paint. Pandemonium was never so much fun!

During the parade plastic eggs filled with confetti were thrown, Silly String squirted, candy and bead necklaces tossed. Along the malacon walk Kids rode mechanical bulls and were launched 25-feet into the air on reverse bungee cords. Ma-maaaaaaaaaaaa screamed an 8-year-old girl as she bounced and boinged up and down while the crowd below laughed. Cotton candy on-a-pole walkers, helium balloon vendors, and vendors with live birds in bamboo bird cage towers on their backs strolled among the throngs of happy partiers.

A mile down the malacon past the carnival in the Palenque arena (cockfighting venue), a succession of bands played on each night until the wee hours of the morning. A little further beyond on the waterfront – I discovered the tranquil La Concha Hotel. Located under a canopy of towering palms amid grassy lawns, and a private beach, the quaint 40+ year-old institution has its own pier, sport fishing boat fleet, and dive shop. Steinbeck and Ricketts would have been in heaven had it been around for them. The laid-back ambience, pool, spa and restaurant headed by a former New York Forty Forty Club chef will introduce you to another side of paradise. It’s not the Marriott. It’s the real deal that everyone looks for when they come to Baja – but few find. And while La Paz may go loco during Carnival – peace and tranquility by the bay will always prevail here.

Contact Info & Facts:

La Concha Beach Hotel: www.laconcha.com  USA 800 999-2252

Travel Writer David Mandich: yachtdorado@yahoo.com