I was lucky enough to be in Barranquilla for the first day of the 2013 Carnaval, though I had to fly home to New York the second day so I couldn’t participate in the rest of the week’s festivities. That one day gave me enough of a sampling of the event that I can’t wait to go back sometime and stay for the whole thing! We went to the parade and partied all day, then took a quick nap before partying all night. I caught a private shuttle at 7am the next morning without sleeping that took me straight to the Cartagena airport for my flight home.

Here are just a few photos to give you a taste of the madness: