Alan, I was hoping you would chime in at some point.
Gay ain't a problem, he's been to Halloween in the Castro so that's really not a concern.
I'm not concerned about a boob here and there either (I was kind of hoping for some for my own benefit, actually
)
I guess my concern was CROWDS - is he going to be overwhelmed, will he be able to see, etc.?
Unfortunately, we won't be arriving BCN until Saturday, so the first day we can really do anything is Sunday the 18th.
I was also thinking of staying in Barcelona and doing Carnaval as a day trip or two, any reason not to do it that way? As I recall it's a very short train ride.
Thanks for your help.
Originally Posted by
alanw
I hosted an FT do during Carnaval a couple of years ago. Despite some people's concern about all the GAY! here, Sitges is actually a very nice quiet family village during the 9 months of the year it isn't overrun with tourists.
Carnaval is a religious festival, and there are lots of activities for kids, including a children's parade. There are scads of kids in that age range that live here and will be participating. I think the only activity you might want to consider carefully is the parade on Sunday night (the Debauchery parade), which can get a little racy. Personally I think any six-year-old whose parents are exposing them to culture and travel at that age is probably going to be adquately prepared for the occasional open-air boob and the notion of an emergency drag repair service, but that's a call you guys will have to make.
To get the entire experience, you need to be here Thursday the 15th for the arrival of the king and queen of carnaval, who come in from the sea on a fishing boat. The mayor will read a statement naming them royalty and declare Carnaval officially started. It will end on the following Tuesday when the king and queen die and are buried on the beach, bringing an end to the festival.
There are kids parades on Sunday and Tuesday afternoon, followed both days by the appearance of the
Diablos and the
Balls Populars, and then the big parades at night.
Carnaval is also about eating, and throughout the festival restaurants in the village will hold xatonadas, a celebration of the town's official dish, el xató. It's a fish salad that I really don't like, but others are crazy for it. It's also calçot season (do a search on FT), and there will be no shortage of great food to be had.
Come. Bring the kid. It's a wonderful experience in a special place. Book your hotel now (Subur, San Sebastian or Calipolis if you want to be in the center of the action, Subur Marítim, Meliá, or Estella if you don't).