Spirit7 said:If you will be coming to the DR in February, go see the carnival goings-on in La Vega, 50 miles southeast of Puerto Plata. It is by far the best and best-attended, every Sunday in February (best are the 3rd and 4th of the month) and on the 27th which is the national independence day.
Puerto Plata has a carnival parade sometime in early March which is ok but the best one (in spite of the huge crowds) is in Santo Domingo.
marliejaneca said:but I thought the carnival was always held on Independence Day which is Feb. 27th (or is it the 28th - can't quite remember now) At least it always was when I lived there. Just watch out for the kids with the balloons that are filled with a mysterious black liquid!!!
Marlie
Spirit7 said:On independence day there is a military parade in the Malecon so they can't have the carnival parade on that day. The kids with costumes on carry pig bladders filled with air and they hit you with them. The mysterious black liquid is used engine oil that some of the poorer people put on to beg. That is, they are painted in black oil from head to toe and go around asking for money and if you don't 'cooperate' you risk them getting too close to you and dirtying you up.
By the way in La Vega many years ago they used to hit you also with bladders filled up with air and put into a cloth bag but now it has evolved into motorcycle inner tubes pumped up hard as a rock and the cloth bag they hit you with many times feels like a rock. It is being regulated but still most of those things are way too hard and it's really an ugly game. I have had my shares of black and blue thighs and butts as are most people that risk getting hit by the 'devils' in La Vega. Again, every Sunday in February.