Yesterday was Shrove Tuesday, or "Mardi Gras" as it is known in French. In Spanish, the pre-Lenten celebration is known as "Carnaval". In Mexico City, the revelry cannot compare to the festivities in New Orleans, Rio de Janeiro, or some Mexican cities such as Veracruz. However, in some neighborhoods there are groups known as "comparsas" which dance through the streets in costume.
The "colonia" where Alejandro's family lives, happens to be one of those neighborhoods. Every year, if I happen to be at their home on the final days before Lent, I will see a "comparsa" parading down the street. Monday evening, we could hear the band playing as it approached, and we went outside to see them dancing. The women are dressed in fancy ball gowns, and the masked men wear top hats, poking fun of the wealthy.
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