Carnaval

Carnaval isn't my favorite time of year, but it is a 4 day weekend.  I mostly don't enjoy it because it is an excuse for most adults here to be drunks for 4 days.  Meanwhile, the kids take to the streets with water balloons and paint.  Everyone who dares to step out of their house can be sure to come back a rainbow of colors.  It gets so bad in the center of the city that all store fronts are covered in plastic.  The buses are covered in mud so the paint own't stick if they get hit with paint.  

We took an extra two days off at the front end to travel with some friends who traveled to visit from Santiago, Chile.  From Santa Cruz, we went only about two hours away to a delightful town called Buena Vista.  There we spent one lazy day walking around the small town, sitting in the plaza, and eating ice cream. The next day, we spent in a pool overlooking a coffee plantation.  It was a wonderful way to get away for a short vacation.  

Since coming back, the weather has been rainy and cold, which is not conducive to having water balloon fights.  Today, the last day of Carnaval, the sun has come out a little bit.  I don't think it would have mattered what the weather is today, the kids weren't going to waste their last chance to throw water balloons and paint at anyone they wanted.  So, as you can see below, they came and found Drew and covered him in paint.  He doesn't mind it one bit.