I don't know where these guys get the energy from. Just two days after completing the Grand Parade, an alcohol- and Tumba-fueled procession which lasts over nine hours, they're back out on the streets dancing and partying for Carnival's Grand Farewell Parade. I was nearly unable to endure it, myself, and that was as a spectator!
Events related to Curaçao's Carnival, such as the Tumba and the Horse Parade, had been taking place throughout the months of January and February. And they were all leading up to the Grand Parade: a long procession of music, costumes, drinking and dancing, and a celebration of pure joy.
After the Tumba Festival comes to a close, the next event on Curaçao's crowded Carnival calendar is the Horse Parade, which takes place along Breedestraat in Otrobanda. Is there a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon, than watching harlequin-costumed men and women ride horses? Well, of course there is... but this will do in a pinch.
The first major act of Curaçao's Carnival celebrations is the Tumba Festival, held every year in late January. This is a week-long competition to choose the official song of Carnival, during which dozens of songs battle it out to be the top jam, all performed live in front of a big crowd.
Playa Kanoa, on the windward side of Curaçao, isn't what comes to mind when you think "idyllic Caribbean beach." Like the rest of the eastern coast, it's subject to strong winds and rough water. But although big, consistent waves make swimming more difficult, I can think of at least one thing they're good for. Surf's on!
It's always fun to see how people around the world celebrate the holiday season. Every culture that recognizes Christmas has its own traditions, and New Year's Eve can be wildly different depending on the country you're in. We suspected that Curaçao would turn New Year's into one big, loud, outdoor party... and we weren't wrong!
