Carnival Part One - The Key to any Successful Endeavor is Preparation

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New signage set in the sidewalks.

Well, it has been quite awhile since the last post, welcome posts to new readers from around the world notwithstanding. Needless to say we have been busy.  Busy buying our supplies and making sure we did not run out of anything.  Busy making new friends while exploring and enjoying Carnival.  It was our first ever Carnival celebration and like Ano Nuevos, there are a lot of people coming into our small parish.

Unlike Ano Nuevos there does not seem to be a whole lot of tradition involved.  There is a whole lot of preparation involved though. I know everyone always wants the juicy stuff first but it would be very unfair to forget or gloss over the things Ecuador does to make Carnival possible.

One month prior to Carnival kick off, my wife and I were enjoying a bowl of ceviche on the Malecon.  Pretty normal stuff really.  Then we notice an entourage coming down the street.



You know, the "suits" just as seen all over the world.  You do not see that a lot in Crucita and they might as well have had "POLITICIAN" written on there foreheads. They scurried about taking photographs, scribbling notes in their notebooks, talking loudly and importantly on their cell phones.  All except one.  He was clearly in charge.  His entourage obviously.  The one hombre pointing and telling everyone else what to take photographs of, what to scribble in their notebooks, who to speak with on their cellphones.

Curbs and storm grates are painted.

"That," says the proprietor of Restaurante Motumbo "is the Mayor of Portoviejo."  As he says it the entourage is passing in front of us, snapping pictures of a portion of missing sidewalk claimed by the Pacific.  The Mayor looks up and waves at us. We wave back of course.  "He is here to make sure Crucita is ready for Carnival.  To fix things."

Seems fitting.  For one thing this time of year, December through March (summer), brings the highest tides.  The tides get so high the sea covers the Malecon.  Business owners on the strip clean up the sand and debris every morning but the Pacific does more damage.

Sections of road and sidewalk can disappear overnight.  Large boulders, protecting the Malecon roll out to sea.  The surf is so big it sounds like thunder throughout the night.  Fisherman move their boats across the roads and tie them to buildings to keep them safe.

Paint is naturally sandblasted away.  The salt spray devours metal.The Mayor has his hands full.

A section of road and sidewalk the Pacific ate is repaired.

The next day, work crews start rolling in, CNEL is the power provider here and they do not mess around.  New lines and light poles start going up and their trucks are everywhere.  The Government workers are painting curbs, storm drains, and light poles.  There are also hundreds of volunteers.  Businesses are painting, cleaning up sand, and getting ready in general.  This is a daily occurrence but now their efforts are redoubled.


Over the next few weeks the police presence escalates.  Fire and rescue too.  Life guards are training on the beach.  Medical tents are erected.  Safety is clearly the priority.

A new look for a beachfront nightclub.  Karaoke here! 

Delivery trucks are everywhere.  The tiendas ensuring they have plenty of stock.  Front end loaders run through the streets moving shipped in materials about for repairs.  They also go down every side street, leveling and clearing them.  Any lingering trash or construction debris is removed.

On the north end of the beach a huge stage is erected along with high definition video boards and light shows.  Concerts will be held nightly.

Stage gear.  Could it be?  Yes!  Concert time!

It is becoming obvious this holiday is much bigger than Ano Nuevos.  It is also obvious that Portoviejo knows what they are doing when readying the Parish of Crucita. It seems undeniable that Crucita is the Carnival city of choice for all other parishes of Portoviejo.  The people here know it and they are ready.  The houses are filling up.  The hotels are filling up.  The restaurants, the Malecon, la playa, the bars; all filling up.  The revelers are streaming in.  The music is booming. Four days of Carnival in a place where the bars don't close until 03:00, allegedly.



We are finally here.  The workers have stopped.  It is Friday night and the time has come,  Time to find out what Carnival has in store for us.  Chao!

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