It seems this carnival has fallen in bad times. Last Sunday it was practicly rained out, so everyone who missed last Sunday jammed packed La Vega's streets for nothing. The Diablos went out very late(5PM), so people who had to go back to their towns spent more time travelling back and forth than watching. Everything now is much more expensive. Bus fare has gone up from $120 to $160 and up. Driving by car is madness. You'll have to pass by military roadblocks, police harassing drivers for money, long lines at gas stations, slow pace returning home and worst of all Duarte Highway is full of potholes(so bad you can hardly miss one). It is sad commentary on a country where its main thoroughfare is in such deplorable condition.
The Diablos have fallen in hard times themselves. I hardly saw any new outfits(costumes) as they usually do. Most diablos looked outworn from previous years' costumes. Even the new ones did not improve much and they were not very fond of having their pictures taken with you like previous years. It seems more and more that Diablos are now paid employees and not hobbyists anymore. I used to relish the years when this was a sport for people who spent their own money to join a "comparsa" because they love being a diablo. These new diablos look tired and discontent. They take off their masks often and the result is a real "nasty looking chopo tiguere del barrio" wearing the outfit with no manners and little class.
Promoters and sponsors should take a close look at this. I may not go back again unless this gets better organized. One thing that was impressive were some Brazilian like girls walking the runways there. But they were nearly untouchable and hard to look at because their bodyguards rushed them and did not allow anyone to get close. Of course, with so many tigueres trying to grab their nice buns, who blames them. They were terrific looking.
Stay away from the so-called Expreso Vegano Bus Line. Their buses are in such desrepair that you find them broken down full of passengers on the highway. Then the next bus has to stop to help them and carry their strung up passengers. But the worst is that the Express isd not an express. It is a LOCAL!! It stops everywhere a campesino wants to get off. Then it takes about 5 minutes to pick up speed. Stay away from the back of the bus. You'll regret it.
Golo
The Diablos have fallen in hard times themselves. I hardly saw any new outfits(costumes) as they usually do. Most diablos looked outworn from previous years' costumes. Even the new ones did not improve much and they were not very fond of having their pictures taken with you like previous years. It seems more and more that Diablos are now paid employees and not hobbyists anymore. I used to relish the years when this was a sport for people who spent their own money to join a "comparsa" because they love being a diablo. These new diablos look tired and discontent. They take off their masks often and the result is a real "nasty looking chopo tiguere del barrio" wearing the outfit with no manners and little class.
Promoters and sponsors should take a close look at this. I may not go back again unless this gets better organized. One thing that was impressive were some Brazilian like girls walking the runways there. But they were nearly untouchable and hard to look at because their bodyguards rushed them and did not allow anyone to get close. Of course, with so many tigueres trying to grab their nice buns, who blames them. They were terrific looking.
Stay away from the so-called Expreso Vegano Bus Line. Their buses are in such desrepair that you find them broken down full of passengers on the highway. Then the next bus has to stop to help them and carry their strung up passengers. But the worst is that the Express isd not an express. It is a LOCAL!! It stops everywhere a campesino wants to get off. Then it takes about 5 minutes to pick up speed. Stay away from the back of the bus. You'll regret it.
Golo