Carnaval and Fruit Cake, The Homestretch

As we enter into the last week here on this beautiful island, things are really gearing up for Carnaval. The colors, the sounds, the smells, the people, the tourists, and the constant rythym of the drums enfold the city every sunday night leading up to Carnaval on the Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Ash Wednesday before lent. Four days of insane dancing, colorful costumes and a wild freedom of spirit take place during Carnaval. Last night I got to experience what my host family called a little taste of Carnaval. If that was little, I can't imagine big. There were so many people the whole town of Fort de France was shut down, no buses, no stores, no need to be anywhere but downtown with the everyone else watching the never-ending parade of drums and dancers and drag queens all singing and shouting. It is unlike anything I have ever seen.

There were many things about last that were unlike any parade

I have ever attended. For example, as a kid a sno-cone was a

treat that came in flavors like bubblegum, cherry and blue raspbery. In Martinique the flavors have bit more of a caribbean style such as mint, grenadine, canne and passion fruit. Of course you could always find beer, coca cola, juice of all kinds, and rum somewhere along the crowded streets, as well as peanuts, popcorn, banana chips, sweet smelling eau de coco, and canne juice. Carnaval seems to be a whole new world, which lays dormant in the hearts of the people here and builds quietly every week until it erupts into a blaze of colors and energy.

Not only did I experience a "little bit of Carnaval" but I also attended a birthday party last night. I wasn't really sure why we were buying all this food yesterday morning, I was assuming there was going to be another Sunday feast with my family, but when my host dad pulled me over to help him pick out a gateau I knew there must be something more to this. The gateaus were all beauitful and fruity, as they should be on a tropical island. My host dad was trying to explain to me what a gateau was, and so he asked me the english equivalence. When I said cake, he replied "no no no no!" and he pulled me over to another isle to show me something. Searching between the cookies and thin chocolate wafers he points down at something and says, "that is cake!" I burst out laughing because indeed he was right, it said cake on the package, but he was pointing at a loaf of fruit cake. I tried to explain that fruit cake is like, a small exception to the world of cakes in America, but he was convinced that the gateau he bought was not a cake. I had some later that night, and just so you know, it was indeed what we call in english, a cake.

The final week here in Martinique will be a busy and exciting one. With final projects, a final exam and sun to soak up at the beach I look forward to the final few days here. Although I will miss the energy of Carnaval, the language barrier and the all the great hand motions I have discovered to overcome it. And most of all my host family and all the crazy adventures they have led me on this month. This island is a fantastic place and the greatest adventure I have ever had!

à plus tard!

Mary