Yesterday’s big carnival parade in the Dominican Republic’s second city was a sight to behold. According to the governor’s office, the new parade route, while confusing some, enabled a larger number of people to take part and allowed even more spectators to watch the parade. The entire area around the Monument was used for the carnival and prizes were awarded to the best groups, the best typical costume and the best of the devils (“lechones”), those elaborately costumed individuals who go around whacking people with inflated pig’s bladders in order to drive the devil out during Lent. Carnival happens every Sunday in February with the main celebrations in Bonao, La Vega and Santiago, peaking with the National Carnival Parade along the Malecon of Santo Domingo as of 3 pm on Sunday, 4 March.