he music is loud and the food was hot... "bacalaitos" as big as Frisbees and "alcapurrias" big enough to serve as the main course were the treat of the day. The Boricua novelty and curio booths are always crowded and the local CD vendors have a sound system so powerful that it sounded like a live band. Of course, all the congueros, timbaleros, cencerreros and bailadores come also to "enhance" the sounds, be at one with the "ritmo" and "parteé" like it was the last day on Earth.

All in all, from my ever-present analytical jibaro point of view, I expound the social context of these festivals with regard to such matters as cultural and historical value in an effort to assess things fairly. Yes. the intrinsic purpose of these events is self validation and expression, but such is much needed, especially when you happen to be so far from "La Isla del Encanto" and you have images of the tales that your mother told you when you were growing up far from home in Montana or The Bronx.
¿No te digo?