It seemed like every @#>£*€? horse in central America was here for it. Essentially it is a parade of horses and riders form everywhere, and they ride through the streets of David getting drunk! Awesome!
Some people said they were over 5000 horses taking part - it certainly felt like it - bit it is a pretty cool event. Tens of thousands of spectators line the streets for hours beforehand, then offer drinks to the riders as they pass. And there are utes and trucks in the parade dispensing rum to any of the riders who want it (all of them). Whenever there was some sort of break in the parade, it usually meant that the next thing to come along was a rum truck, with a hundred or so riders following closely.
Respect though to Olga, my host mother, who at 74ish also rode in the event. It was a very hot day, and a long one, so it was a great effort.
Last night I went back to the fair with my sister Geovanna, and cousin Jose, to have a few drinks at one of the two nightclubs that operate for the duration of the fair.
As per my usual, the first thing I did when entering the Club is look around and hopefully find someone older! But it's harder here, I'm at a genetic disadvantage. All the Latinos look at least 15 years younger than they are. Geovanna and Margarita look in their 20's, Jose looks the same as he did when I was first here (ok, maybe three feet taller and 70kgs heavier - he was only about 7), and even Olga would pass for 50's. Eventually I did spot someone older though and could begin to relax (who brings a Zimmer frame to a nightclub anyway?).
The music has changed here. No longer dominated exclusively by merengue, but as everywhere American style hip hop now rules. I gotta say though that the Latin hip hop to me seems far better, it doesn't seem to have the 'tude or the agenda. Of course I couldn't really understand what they we saying, they could have been threading to kill every cop in town and smack dozens of bitches for all I knew, but it just seems better...
After a few rums (only a dollar US for a can of rum and the local equivalent of red bull - $0.90 Australian!) though I was even trying to sing along, and even tried to see if the beat suited "Song for Argentina" (see earlier post), but I think that is more of a ballad. If only I had google, a printer, a laminator, and my shower book!
Anyway, suffering for it now, and need some rest before some white water rafting tomorrow.
Hasta!
Oh and here are some pics of Las Cabalgatas...
Location:David, Chiriqui
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