"Dirty Mas...."

It has been Carnival Week here in Grenada.  According to the locals, you don't  'go' to Carnival; you 'play' Carnival.   After playing Carnival, I have a whole new definition for the word "party".  Grenadians have raised partying to a fine art as the entire country plays and plays and plays some more !!

In the wee hours of Monday morning,  Grenada plays "Dirty Mas".  We arrived shortly after 4 AM to play with the locals.  This is a huge street party where the party goers are covered in paint (water based body paint)  and a few douse themselves in used motor oil.  Many locals carry chains and have salted fish in their mouths as a reminder of the days of slavery.

I cannot possibly describe Dirty Mas....I will let the pictures tell the story:

Here is "Captain Carnival" blending into the crowd:

As dawn breaks, the partying continues:

 
                       Captain Carnival hang'n and chill'n (note the chains in the background):

           

         Covered in used motor oil:                    Behave yourself ??!!

                                       
                                             Eric from "Compass Rose"....

From left to right:  Andrew (a boat boy from Dominica), 'IB' from "Passport", Dawnelle and John from "Celtic Dream", Eric from "Compass Rose", Captain Carnival himself from "Persephone", and Lynn from "Silverheels III"