Somos America

We are America. Mmmmmm, with that as the Carnaval theme it  seemed like the USA part of America was kinda under represented except for us parade followers , I mean even Miss Barstow California wasn't even there like she'd been in the past. But I guess the emphasis was on Latin America and this wording rang through out.

To Victory and Freedom of the peoples of Latin America

And it was a very impressive float, I'd vote for the best.

We got there early so we could get a good place to sit on the seawall , MP's new knee as good as it works doesn't like to stand still. So we were early enough that we got to see the traditional pre parade parade of business floats. The Fresca guys had the bubble machine going pretty good but it didn't seem to bother the army.

We picked out a great place and as the crowd swelled and we were out of location options we see a banda looking for a home...yup, they sat up right next to us. Oh man, a cacophony of sound, my ears are ringing just like they did when I spent 2 hours in the front row of a Bachman Turner Overdrive concert. Now you know I'm a music guy but this was over the top. As the parade got closer more and more Banda's were looking for Real Estate to augment all the other bands from floats, crazy....here's our Tuba guy and Banda.

As I dwelled on our good fortune I started to see Tuba's everywhere....mmmm....it's like the Tuba capital of the world and I actually like the soft bass thumping of the instrument, it's that bugle that kinda gets to me....throw in a little banjo and you got the trifecta of obnoxious instruments. We even got imported Tuba guy from Culican.

After about an hour and a half I could sense they were running out of gas so at a short break I got the horn guys have a beer and then they were so awe struck by the float carrying Banda Recodo ( the most famous Banda in all of Mexico ) that they finally shut it down....amen...

The Bano's is big business during Carnaval. Most generally to get rid of your Pacifico it costs 10 peso and a short line at any of the water closets up and down the Malecon. We were on the ocean side and MP was the first with the urge so she went to a Mariscos restaurant down the stairs on the beach. Well, their price for the Banos was 20 peso but if you were a customer it was free so for a 15 peso Pacifico you were a customer and everyone was happy, especially MP.....she's feeling like she'd pulled off a business coup with that beer she's holding. So for helping us out Marisco's Fisherman, we'll see you soon, I promised to come back and drop some real lettuce for helping us out.

Here's a pic of the Queens float, no Miss Barstow ( I miss her ) but we had our own Queen of Sinaloa. One thing I really like is the way they always honor the past Queens, my pictures didn't turn out but I love the salute to the elders. I remember at an Alaska Board of Fish meeting years ago one of the more dufus Board members asked about what it takes to be an honored Elder...he said if you're older you're elder...I like that now that I'm an elder myself.

I hope all you Mile 14ers know about the Knights Templar. I'm finding out they were and are everywhere. Of course they were responsible for the buried Treasure on Oak Island and there's a rumor that Knights Templar artifacts were found by Apollo crews on the moon, that is if you believe the moon landings really happened. So I shouldn't have been surprised to see them sail right into Mazatlan Carnaval 2020. 

My favorite float was the dragoons. I don't know what the Game of Thrones has to do with the celebration of Latin America but I like it, makes sense to me. Amazing how intricate the work on these guys was, I'd love to buy him for the boat launch, be kinda cool to have him next to that 6 foot long salmon I got sitting on a tree stump.

My really favorite float even before my other favorite was Cuba, They had all the cool Cuba stuff, Baseball regalia, Rum and Cigars, dancers and a real, and I mean real 57 Chevy. The Chevy was a 2 door of course and it was all decorated in Cuba motif. The rumor was that it is powered by a Dodge slant 6 motor hooked to an Alison tranny with a Pontiac posi traction rear end.  The dashboard is Volkswagon and there's a Bose 400 watt speaker in the trunk....what a ride ! Hows about those daylight headlights, safety is no accident .

This float is coooool. I don't know what the message was so I'll just add my own....it's the bird of peace.

Here's a pic of our adventure crew....Ruben and Candace are great world travelers, no sniveling, adaptive and curious. And it doesn't hurt that Candace has pretty good Spanish. 

We are always impressed on how mellow and wonderful the Mexican people are. Banda blaring in your ear, no worries, kids standing on a 20 foot drop off seawall, no worries. We've never seen one problem at any of the 15 Parades we've gone to and for the first time we saw our first presumed criminal. They walked this guy handcuffed by us and even he was about the most courteous hand cuffed guy I've ever seen...those things always make me kinda mad, but not this guy.

As we walked out we ran into Green Woman and I really wanted my pic with her. But she was just to tired, she'd had her pic taken close to 400 times and she just couldn't go for anymore so maybe next year Green Woman....and thanks Mazatlan for a Wonderful Night !