Carnival time.
partying it up before Lent.
Salta City, Argentina
February 13th, 2026
Dear Reader,
I am sitting at my neighborhood café writing to you. It’s about 7pm, and the people at the neighboring table are having tea with carrot cake and tortillas - round and square shaped salty, flaky biscuits. Of course, dinner won’t be till 10pm or later!
Last night rain crashed down, and when I woke this morning it was still pouring. By 8am it had dissipated so I went for my usual walk. I saw a dark green vintage Mercedes truck parked on the street. I don’t know much about cars but I like and appreciate them.
The Mercedes truck.
Later, from the café, I saw a man on a motorcycle with a little girl in front holding onto a large round stuffed animal to use as a buffer over the handlebars I guess. She wore an oversized white helmet, a pink dress, and pink slides.
Man and little girl on motorcycle.
Yesterday Adrien had to go back out to the valleys - there was an urgencia he needed to attend to. This weekend is carnaval, several days of partying leading up to Lent which starts on Wednesday.
In Cafayate and Humahuaca, a town north of Salta people go around the streets throwing paint, eggs, and flour at each other. This practice is called carnavaleando.
There’s music and dancing for days. A lot of babies are typically born nine months later. “Hijo del carnaval” they say, if the father is unknown. Son of the carnival.
A couple of years ago we went to Cafayate during carnival weekend. Not on purpose, the event just happened to be going on when we went. We stay at a house in the center of town. I did not venture out but Adrien did. Here’s a photo he took of himself with our friend Tom Dyson and his kids.
From left: Adrien, Tom, Dusty, and Miles.
All night long you could hear the boom boom boom of music, and people laughing and talking. Sometimes shouts and screeches went up as people were ambushed by a spray can.
When I stepped out the next morning, there was a young man wearing a white tee shirt (remarkably it was still white) jeans, and sneakers asleep as if in his own bed on the sidewalk.
More to come. Have a great weekend.
Abrazos,
Mariah





Too much fun was had by all!
Thanks Maria. South America have so many festivals . Thank you for sharing.