Virgin Party

Fiesta de la Virgen del Carmen in La Tirana is not necessarily something I am marking on my calendar for next year, but it was definitely well worth the visit. I had no idea the event was even taking place and just happened to be passing through the northern Chilean city of Iqueque when the climax of the festival was about to go down. La Tirana is in the middle of the desert, where its hard to believe anyone would want to live. A barren wasteland, blisteringly hot during the day but bone chilling cold at night where vegetation doesn't stand a chance at survival and chapped lips are inevitable. Its actually pretty hard to imagine what was going through that first group of people's head when they stumbled upon this particular plot of land and decided, wow, this is the home I have always wanted. Anywho, this little pueblo, that can't possibly support more than a few hundred year round, brings over 100,000 during the famous fiesta that commemorates the Virgin Carmen who converted to Catholicism after falling in love with one of those dashing Spanish conquistadors. People dance in the street nonstop, 24 hours a day for 10 days straight all boasting elaborate costumes with loud, festive music to match. I have to say its pretty strange rolling into a gathering of such magnitude with no alcohol involved. Its definitely something I have never experienced before. They held a full mass during the hour or two before midnight, and when 12 hit it was like mardi Gras minus the beads and breasts. The crowd got so enamored with enthusiasm that it was physically impossible to move, you could only follow the direction of the masses - I think my feet actually left the ground at one point as I hoovered above the ground unable to dictate my next move completely at the mercy of the crowd. I haven´t felt that sensation since UGA triumphed over Tennessee in 2000, everyone mob rushed the field and promptly paraded the battered goal posts downtown - luckily no one was trampled in either instance. Anywho it was pretty crazy and a bit more terrifying dead sober but a solid cultural experience that I will not soon forget.