Saturday, December 15, 2007

Parranda or noise pollution


One parranda - especially one I participated in (see post: Yet another car, another cat and another dwelling) - was fun. But today a parranda at a beach bar and camping - three properties away from mine - started at noon with such an incredible noise volume, that not even ear plugs are able to help at this distance. So instead of a deserved weekend rest, at the beach, at a hammock, reading, I was forced to hide from that noise pollution in my office. And I wonder: are ALL Puertoricans deaf? They must be, if nobody protests either the construction noise (see post: I am moving... again) or a perpetual parranda in a quiet residential area. I certainly can't stand it without a permanent damage not only to my ears but my brain, as well.

The day would be glorious... if only the natives could celebrate Christmas a lot less noisily!
To listen to some parranda music (at a decent volume) go there: http://www.magiealbumpr.com/parranda.htm

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Just want to say I totally understand. I recently moved from the states to the next town over from Rincon, Aguada, right on the beach. When it is quiet, this place is heavenly. When, as is often the case, it there is loud noise, from the open bar on the corner, the boom-cars, the amplified trucks spouting political and commercial nonsense at volumes that cause my cement-construction rental house to shake at the foundations; this place becomes noise hell. Frequent calls to the police have done little good. I heard from the neighbors that the owner of the bar actually lost his license because of the noise pollution he spews over the neighborhood, and that he simply got a new license and was back in business again within a few weeks. What is going on here? And the Puerto Rican government says it wants to attract tourists? Who will want to come for a relaxing visit to the Caribbean, only to be subject to sleepless nights and teeth-gritting days of loud, obnoxious noise?

John

Minerva said...

I wonder if it is the same beach bar...