We are men in tights, we roam around the arena looking for fights.
On a Sunday night in La Paz, Bolivia you have various options of what to do. Like any night you can go to the cinema, go out and have a nice dinner, go to a bar for a few beers or you can do like me and my companions did - go on Chicolita wrestling.
For 75 bolivianos you get the transport both ways, entrance, popcorn and something to drink. We got there, sat on the second row and what started out as fun got pretty boring after two hours. It was like repeating the same story over and over again, no matter if it were guys or girls. There was the good ones and the bad ones. The bad ones always started out strong, then it turned around and the judge helped out the bad guys turning the game around once more, leading it up to the grand finale where always the good one came out winning. Every game was about ten minutes and all were the same. For two - three hours. It was fun entertainment and definetly something different to do on a sunday night, but I was pretty sure I would not go to another wrestling competition again.
Then, five months later, I arrive in Mexico City where I and Keely are staying with a host through couchsurfing named Emmanuel. One of our first nights here he drops ideas about what we can do and he tells us about different museums, cinema and OH we have to go to the Luchas Libres! A little bit sceptic, with the Bolivian wrestling pretty fresh in my mind, I agreed and he got tickets for the three of us.
It was Friday night, the subway was crowded and so were the streets outside the arena. Well maybe this wasn't going to be like the Chicolita wrestling that took place in a barn in the outskirts of La Paz. After all, the arena where the games were held is the biggest in Mexico and in the beating heart of the city.
We went in and took our seats. Drinks wasn't included here, and tickets a little bit more expensive, but the service excellent opening a tab for us and bringing beer after beer, we didn't even have to get up from our seats. Then the competition began - and it wasn't the same at all. With enthusiastic spectators and experienced wrestlers the whole experience was a lot different. I couldn't stop myself from joining in in the shouting and screaming, something I dont know if I blame the surroundings or the beer on. Anyhow, we had a great time. And you know what? Even the bad guys won every now and then.
I left the arena, a little tipsy, with a whole new approach on wrestling. I do prefer a proper boxing (or of course kickboxing) match but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy an evening with men in thights jumping around pretending to fight.