Bacchanal Jamaica 2016

Back to Bacchanal Jamaica (my 2nd favorite carnival) for the 4th year.  Just like last year I said that I wasn’t going this year, but was easily talked into going last minute by a friend, it doesn’t take much to talk me into having fun. JA carnival has grown substantially in the last few years.  My first year, we only went to 3 fetes and spend the rest of the weekend fete'n by the hotel pool.  This year there were nonstop fetes and no time for pool partyz. Unlike carnivals past, the parties start earlier in the week and there are several boat rides. My compadres arrived early in the week and I flew in on Thursday evening.  On the flight was a couple of the fellas that I met Carnival 2013 and they have been my carnival bodyguards ever since. Carnival has created plenty plenty BFFs worldwide.

Thursday was the usual Frenchmen Blocko fete, we were really hoping that Pandemonium would return, but sadly it did not.  Blocko is a street/block party in an upscale neighborhood with an open bar. I don’t know if it was food inclusive because my mission is usually to drink drink drink and plus we were going to Vale afterwards which was food inclusive.  Vale was not that fun last year, I don’t think I even discussed it in the 2015 blog, but I decided to give it one more try this year.  Le sigh!  No offense to the Vale promoters, but the vibe is all wrong, some of the Vale Vybz from Trinidad or Miami need to be incorporated in Jamaica.  It’s basically just a late night club fete with a couple food selections. 

Friday morning was a hustle and bustle of costume and Caesar’s Army package pick up, then I had to assemble the collars for our costumes

Early Friday evening it was off to Scorch Duck Work pool party.  LOL at it being a pool party.  They moved it from the pool location of 2015, this allowed them to accommodate more feters. They had a sad pop up pool that looked like it would have given any swimmers listeria.  Being that I didn’t plan on swimming any dayym way, I enjoyed the new location and had a frekkin blast.  Shout out to my inflatable cooler for coming in handy, nothing worse that being at a cooler fete with no cooler. 

Would you believe I met every chica in this photo at different carnivals?

After Scorch we power napped until 2am and then headed off to Caesar's Army AMbush, always the highlight of every carnival weekend.  Just getting on bad bad bad in di bush! Honestly I don’t need to say much about AMbush... you already know!!!  For reasons I don’t understand, Ambush had a small Heineken stage, carnivalians just love a stage. I didn’t cross the stage at all in Trinidad so it felt good to get on the stage on Get On Bad for no reason and especially since there is no need for judging at jouvert. It was fun, thanks for allowing me to FINALLY cross the stage! 

I do have to take a quick time out to shout out the homie Winston who was determined to do both AMBush and Sunrise breakfast fete.  I warned him that it was a difficult feat and one must be very disciplined as to not get Tore Up from the Floor Up at Ambush.  He assured me that he could do it and would make the breakfast fete...  Did he make it?  NO!!!   He was M.I.A. all afternoon.  He later told me that he is sure he was ROOFIED. *side eye*

Mr. Bose and I had likkle pool lime Saturday afternoon while I pushed back delicious daiquiris laced with yummy Wray & Nephew.  Cause after drinking all morning and before drinking that night, I had to be sure to get in some drinks!!!

Saturday night it was off to Frenchmen Bazodee. Bazodee always has a fine selection of food from around the globe and plenty bars so you don’t have to wait long for a drink. Kes and Voice touched the stage and blessed us with some chunes.  We rolled out kinda early around 1am to get our lives together for the road march.  Didn’t want a repeat of Trinidad where I woke up at 6am, but didn’t touch di road till 5 hours later for no dayym reason.  I am apparently getting old and have less to give to di road.

As I have done since my first JA carnival, made to the road march just as they were having lunch.  Jamaica decided to incorporate costume judging this year. They kept asking everyone to get in their section and you could see that no one gave a Hot Dayym about sections.  Sorry Bacchanal JA, it’s just not that type of party, leh we be free!!! I didn’t even make it to last lap this year. It started raining about 5pm and after dancing in the rain for about an hour, the road march passed our hotel... PEACE IN DA MIDDLE EAST. Like I said, "My old azz has less and less to give to road marches."  (Ima take some multi vitamins for my next carnival!)  I accomplished my mission of drinking, having no behavior, linking up with old and new faces, and having a blast.  6 hours on the road was cool with me! And just like that, Jamaica carnival 2016 was a wrap.  

I wanna share a convo I had with my driver on the way to the airport.  He said that he has never participated in carnival events before because like a lot of Jamaicans he doesn't care for Soca, but decided to join in this year because it’s a rare opportunity for regular people to party with "the elite".  Which is true I guess, how often in the US do you find yourself at a party, having a good time with your favorite celebrity?  Them just mingling in the crowd, not sitting in a VIP section for their paid 30 minute appearance?

I leave you with the usual recap video

I also wanna give a shout out to our driver for the majority of the weekend.  Coming to pick us up at crazy hours of the day, waiting for us during the long costume pick up, letting us get in his car DUTTY after jouvert.  Link him if you are ever in Kingston and need transportation.