Las Llamadas Part Two

GG did a fantastic job describing the Llamadas! And to compliment the priceless pictures and scrumptious summary, we thought we would share some video footage of the evening...

The videos speak for themselves...

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Las Llamadas

Fantastic! Great fun! Excellent night! So glad we went!


...were just a few of the comments ET and I exchanged as we got out of the cab at 3:00am Saturday night. We attended Las Llamadas, a yearly event as important to Carnival in Montevideo as is Mardi Gras is to New Orleans.*

This year Las Llamadas, was split into two nights, the 8th and the 9th of February. On both nights groups of registered Candombe groups performed in barrio Sur and barrio Palmero on the block of Isla de Flores. Recall that Candome players are groups of drummers, playing afro-brazilian rythms accompanied by both female and male dancers as well as other performers. (described below)

We had the fortune of viewing the whole parade (yes, we did make it until the last group at 2:00am) from the comfort of an apartment on Isla de Flores. The locale had a outdoor balcony one flight up and a roof top two flights up where we could view the parade of dancers, drummers, etc. while we nibbled on picadas and pizza. We were especially grateful for our location, which was offered to us by my former Spanish tutor, when at 11:00pm it started to rain !!! It was questionable whether the performers would continue, and indeed several dozen people in the streets left the show to find shelter and warmth. Lucky for us the rain died down, and though there were a few soggy looking feathers, the groups continued for a few more hours.

Each group has the same type of performers, but demonstrate variety in their colors and costumes.

Each candombe always has a few large stars and a moon at the front of the parade.



The next traditional role is the Escobero, whole carries a broom without the brush part and uses it as a sort of juggling baton.



Each group also has a "Mamavieja" and a "Gramillero" or herblist. I was told they represent the culture at the colonial times when Carnival started. Some of the females will carry parasols, while some of the medicine men will carry suitcases with "yo-yos" (herbs) and/or a cane.




Of course one of the most beautiful and showy parts of the performance are the female dancers, dressed in elaborate feathered and sequenced costumes, paint, and high heels. Their hips do the majority of the moving, as their feet keep up and their arms dance along. Again, all the members in the group keep the same color theme. So everyone coordinates together. I loved seeing the costumes!!



The drums follow. The rhythmic drumming honors the "calling" of the spirits of the ancestors by the African slaves in colonial times.

This picture captures the movement of the drummers as the crowed stood back and watched.




Speaking of the last set of characters....the crowd!! The narrow streets were packed, both with people sitting on rented seats and those standing. These little girls were dancing all night! Candombe dancers in training!!



I hope you enjoyed this little recap of the Las Llamadas! ET should be putting up a U Tube video shortly.



*every year since 1956 has the contest between the drumming groups been institutionalized. There are judges scattered in the crowds, and winners will be picked from both nights. The second night is said to host the better performers.

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Tablados

Another notable part of the Carnival celebrations are the various tablados, or public performances which happen around Montevideo in different open air theatres. They start about 9:00pm and run until about 1:00am. The entrance fee is very affordable - about $3.00 U.S.
Each night in various neighborhoods (as well as barrios outside the city center) various groups of Murgas and Parodistas will perform. What the aforementioned groups, you ask?

We start with my preference of the two - Murgas - which are large groups of men and women dressed in brilliant costumes who sing, dance, drum, and act. The group may include about 20 people, three or four being background drummers or tambourine players while the majority sing and dance. The theme is usually political, and often comical. I love watching the expressions of the murgas. Their painted faces emphasize the exaggerated movements they make with their mouths and eyebrows as they sing. I have included some pictures below. You can see that the costumes are very "court jesterish" in nature and the dancing tends to remind me of movements one would make with a puppet on a string. (Think Pinocchio. Hey, do kids even know who that is anymore??? ;)






The second type of group at the tablados are Parodistas, which are composed solely of men. They perform synchronized dance routines (think Back Street Boys or Nsync) with pauses in the midst of their performances for skits. Again, usually political in nature.




I should mention there is a third group called Humoristas, though one of these types did not perform when I attended the tablado in Parque Rodó last week. Alas, for now I have no description for you.

The tablados are less formal then the performances at the Teatro de Verano, which is a large open air theatre seating thousands, also located in Parque Rodó. We have not made it there yet, but the standards are set higher for the performers there, so the best groups are bound to perform. I´ll keep you posted if we attend one.

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Yemanja

Feb 2 marked the celebration of Yemanja, the sea goddess of a afro-american mythology of the Yoruba people, which has found its way into Brazilian and Cuban culture. In Uruguay the celebration and veneration started on Feb 1st, just before midnight.

We went both nights to the celebrations on the beach. Hundreds of people (mostly from the interior of Uruguay, outside of Montevideo) came to shore with boats. In the boats, which ranged anywhere from one foot long to 3 feet long, they filled all sorts of gifts - food, jewelry, perfume, photos, etc - that would be launched off into the water as an offering to the goddess. Some offerings were more extreme....we saw some chickens carried out into the water. I commented "OH, I feel bad for the chickens...they can't swim!" Our friend mentioned....I don't think the chicken will make it to the point of having to try to swim."
I'm sure you get the point!


Shrine in the sand



Dancing circle around shrine, complete with wailing.



Candles at night in the sand.



All in all an interesting night!

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Carnival in Uruguay

Though the parties in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil maybe bigger, Uruguay boasts of the longest Carnival in the world. This past Thursday was the kick off of Carnival celebrations, with a 5 hour long parade on 18 de Julio in downtown Montevideo.


We arrived around 9:00pm and we're able to rent seats to watch the show. The parade opened with the Queen of Carnival and the Queen of the Llamadas on a large float. (They had been crowned on Tuesday, and I believe they are chosen based on how good they can dance. More on "Llamadas" in a couple weeks). Following were various candombe groups (drummers), ladies in sequence and feathery costumes, a few more floats, and many, many advertisements for local large companies. The entertainment itself was enjoyable, but there was about a 10 minute lag time between each group. We ended up leaving around 12:00 midnight, though the performers and floats went on for a few more hours. I am glad we went and saw it, but truthfully...I think I am still a sucker for those parades at Disneyland. Come on, you know you like them too.

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Imports

Or exports, depending on what side you are looking from. =)

Any food items imported to Uruguay are relatively more expensive than the local goods, as is the case I would imagine in most countries. Lucky for me, I was able to make a few requests and have some flavors sent from home to my kitchen.

I was missing peanut butter which is not part of the Uruguayan palate. There is one kind you can buy here, which has been imported from Germany and is terribly expensive. Worse offense is that it contains hydrogenated oils, which as you all know by now, I am not a fan of.

I have been experimenting with making homemade chicken stock, but really...can you expect a girl to do that every week?
"Better than Bouillion" has made it's entry into my fridge and my dishes are more tasty and savory because of it. (Both items are from TJ's in the states)

Finally, the large bag of MASA. (Thanks, mom.) Ahhh.... corn tortillas. I may even be tempted to try tamales. Hey, maybe with my spare time I should put up a little Mexican food stand at the Farmers' Markets!!! ;)

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Higos

I haven't mentioned the farmer's markets in a while, but it is worth noting that they are in full bloom with all the fruits of summer. Berries, plums, peaches, nectarines, melons, and grapes. I can't get enough! One of the best finds has been the higos (figs). ET and I love them. Pictured above are green figs. You may be more familiar with the dark ones, which when dried are mashed up and used as part of the filling of the ubiquitous fig newton.


Check out the link, it is good for some interesting facts about the good Newton. Who knew there was a dance move called the "fig newton pose"!? Stop reading when you get to the part that reads "Regional Regulation." I dare say, it may ruin it for you.

As for the fresh figs, I am wondering if any of my foodie friends have some interesting recipes to pass along???

Cheers,

-GG

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The last about our beach vacation - Cabo Polonio

Cabo Polonio was the last stop on our little tour of Uruguayan beaches. It is a special place, attracting more of a bohemian or "hippy" (description from the locals, not me!) crowd. It is true, you should prefer the rustic life if you are staying in Cabo Polonio, as there is no electricity and in most cases no running hot water.

I got a big kick out of seeing the cows grazing on the grass alongside the houses while just yards away was the beach. The houses were all unique, some very new and kept up while others were more rustic and underdeveloped. A few decades ago, infrastructure on this land did not exist. Slowly people started discovering this special spot and started building small summer residences. Soon the government caught on and made people pay for the land. That did not stop people from coming and soon more houses, cafés, and little mini grocery stores were built. But as an effort to hinder more construction, the government has not permitted electricity.

To get to Cabo Polonio beach side from the road, you must leave your car and either catch a ride ( about US$5 ) in the back of a large truck, walk, or hire a 4X4. Though we did see people walking the 8 km across the sand dunes, we decided to take the more common route and go in by truck. The only downside was that it started raining the moment the truck started off. For a good 15 minutes we were in a the midst of a pretty substantial wind and rain storm, whereas just moments before it had been bright and sunny. We arrived to the beach freezing, wet, and windblown, but ET and I kept up sunny dispositions and laughed it off as adventure.

Here are some picture that sets the scene a little a more.....

Rain clouds approaching as we set off....



Stuck in a storm as we drive across the sand dunes!



El Faro (Lighthouse)



Cool shot from the inside of the light house. Can you see ET???



Sea lions chilling out regardless of the strong waves.



Art shack in the little beach town.



Picturesque restaurant in Cabo.




Heading back across the dunes...will this truck make it another summer?

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La Pedrera

The Saturday before we left the La Aguada, we took car trip to a nearby beach called Cabo Polonio. Along the way we also stopped at La Pedrera which is pictured above. La Pedrera reminded me a little of Isla Vista, the college town attached to U.C.S.B. Mostly young people come here and camp or rent houses, as it is significantly less expensive then the neighboring beaches. There are many little cafés and restaurants scattered among the houses and along the coast. At the edge of this little community, you come to a cliff, marked off by the simple white and brown fence (left photo). You can walk down some make shift steps and enjoy the water, either sitting on the shore or on one of the giant rocks.


This last picture was specially taken for a certain friend of mine in California. You should know who you are!!

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Tigers in Punta del Este?

I had heard of the models on the beach wearing gold bikinis and trendy cowboy hats, but I did not know I would see tigers in the streets of Punta del Este. Turns out there was a circus in town, and these felines were being carted along the main road in this small cage. We drove up right next to them, and it was a little odd to know that they were just a foot away! Sorry the picture is a little blurry, but it is hard to ask a tiger to say "cheese."

We didn't spend too much time in the famous Punta del Este - a beach well known for its gorgeous occupants, trendy restaurants, million dollar homes, and of course...high prices. It was just an evening trip, and in that time we drove to the downtown, which reminded me of Third Street Promenade in L.A., looked around an artisan fair, and dined at a beach side restaurant. We did not go to the beach there, but what I could see from the road it was absolutely packed with people. You would of thought they were all waiting for someone to emerge from the water handing out dollar bills. Ok, maybe I am exaggerating, but it was PACKED.

We did take a interesting route to Punta del Este from La Aguada. We had been driving close to the coast for quite a while with the beach on our left. It was pretty deserted land, with no housing development on it. Just as we were wondering why there were no beach houses or apartments, we came up to a body of water on our right side as well. Our host, J, slowed our 9 seater van down to a crawl as we approached what would be our "lift" across the water. We were little speechless at first, as we silently wondered if the water taxi would support our car, a second car that arrived before us, and all the passengers. Well, the Titanic was not relived, and we all made it safely across. We then realized the reason there was not any development in the area we just passed. All materials would have to be brought in they we had just crossed - Mark Twain style.








After we crossed we did enjoy the scenery, not only of the beach, but the large million dollar homes in José Ignacio ( a private beach and gated community inhabited primarily by Argentines), and in Punta del Este. The other highlight of the trip was tasting my first scoop of ice cream from Popi. Mmmm....banana split helado.

It is probably unfair of me to say this, because I did not experience much of Punta del Este, but I think it is a little overrated. I prefer the less populated spots, the affordable snack shops, and the smaller beach side homes.

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