On Sunday they gave us four options:
1. Attend Spanish church
2. Attend English church
3. Go to Carnaval (Marti Gras)
4. Stay home Like good missionaries, we chose Carnaval.
Before they went to church, they drove ten of us into La Paz to enjoy a festival they frown upon. We spent the first portion of the morning appreciating the architecture and taking photos while waiting for the parade. Well, we never saw the parade. Apparently there was a miscommunication about when the 48-hour parade started.
However, we didn´t miss another Bolivian tradition.
The first thing we noticed were the people wearing ponchos and garbage bags. We figured they were just prepared for the afternoon rainstorm. Then we saw the kids with squirt guns and knew we were in for an interesting day.
If its culturally acceptable to squirt people with water guns, why not hit the Americans? Easy target with bragging rights.
It wasn´t just squirt guns.
They had waterballoons and silly-string-like-soap-stuff too. Yeah, I took that to the ear several times. Luckily it dried really fast and didn´t stain my clothes so I was ok with it. Especially if it was a cute child who hit me.
By the end of the day, some members of our team were really into it. They bought their own spray and picked fights with the locals.
When we got into the van to go home, they gave their leftover spray to the little girl sitting with her parents and baby brother.
They unleashed a monster.
That precious four-year-old stood in the window shooting at everyone and everything. It´s socially acceptable. In fact, the first time I was hit with spray was from a passing van.
As we hit vehicles–and I don´t just mean the outside, I mean hit the open windows–the other passengers would shoot back.
At one point we hit another driver who looked very cranky. We thought our fun Carnaval festivities were going to turn into road rage. Until he pulled a spray can from his cup holder and nailed us.
Yes, inside the van we were getting drenched.
The trick is one hand on the spray, one hand on the window (to close it). Unfortunately, not all members of our team are quick on the draw.
When we´d run out of spray, we´d get stopped at an intersection long enough to buy more out the back window.
When in Rome…
While it was super fun on Sunday, it wasn´t as fun on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday when the weather was cold and we were still easy targets with a lot of bonus points.
(PS: There are a few other posts at KatieAxelson.com you´re welcome to check out)
