Las Llamadas 2012: Day 1

So the "official" parade, the Desfile de Las Llamadas, was different than everything else I've seen and experienced here. Barricades, lights, tv cameras, falling trees, fireworks, even a fight. And the energy was amped up from the comparsas, and especially the people. The people, crammed together on the sidewalks, hungry and crazy for candombe.

This is everything I have worth sharing from the past two days (split into two posts). There's no possible way I can convey through words how it felt. The photos and video also don't do it justice, but here it all is in order of appearance (I hope!).

Pregame:

 

 

 

 Mundo Afro

 

Following Mundo Afro was all the filler before the main course:

And then there were the Queens of Carnaval (Llamadas, samba, and Carnaval):

And finally...LAS LLAMADAS:

Las Panteras de Benguela

Sinfonia de Ansina

La Dominó

La Llama

Kiamba

 Cenceribó

La Zabala

Villa Española

  

La Melaza

Serenata Africana

La Clínica

Tucurucumba

Snack break with Fellow Fulbrighter Megan Strom:

And back to the action:

 La 14

(that's catorce, not fourteen)

Sonidanza

That's all for Day 1, another post coming tomorrow with Day 2.