Carnaval!

Today is Shrove Tuesday, the last day before Lent begins.  In New Orleans it is known as Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday), while in Latin America the pre-Lenten revelry is known as "Carnaval".

In Mexico City there is no large celebration comparable to New Orleans, Rio de Janeiro, or even Veracruz in Mexico.  However, there are some neighborhoods in the city where the tradition continues to be observed.  One of those is San Juan de Aragón, where Alejandro's family lives. There are organized groups known as "comparsas" which dress in costume and dance through the streets the days before Lent.

I was at the family house yesterday.  Around six in the evening, I could hear a band playing.  As the music grew louder, I went outside.  The band and the dancers were about a block from the house.

The costumes were originally meant to poke fun at the upper classes.

The group turned the corner and headed down another street, heading away from Alejandro's house.  For a long time afterward, though, I could still hear the band as it made its way through the neighborhood streets.