the new year toad
So every year for New Year, people in La Plata construct these huge "dolls" and then light them on fire. No, there's no reason for this, except that seeing large structures burn seems an appropriate way to usher in a New Year... don't you think?! Well, the doll that we went to see was a giant frog. Actually, it was more like a toad, but it was enormous! It took up an entire intersection. So we went to go watch them light it on fire, us along with half of the people in La Plata. It was absolute craziness, because the crowd was so big. When they lit the toad on fire, everyone started moving backward (because although watching a toad burn is fun and exciting, watching one's self burn isn't such a great experience) and it was absolute mayhem. I rarely find just the right context for that word (mayhem), but here it fits perfectly. I'm not even kidding - picture a mob scene - hundreds and hundreds of people all trying to move backward through a somewhat narrow street at the same time. I don't think anyone was trampled, but it certainly could have happened. It was just crazy. Thankfully, we all got out safely once the toad was completely burned, but it was an alarming experience! I hope your New Years was a bit less dangerous.
posted by Courtney @ 2:30 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home