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Published: February 20th 2010
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Bloco - Banda de Ipanema. Taking a break!Carnaval can be summed up beautifully in one word = CRAZY!!
Seriously one of THE most incredible and surreal experiences of my life (I have a feeling I might use those adjectives alot so apologies in advance!) Rio is crazy at the best of times, but over Carnaval weekend it takes on a whole new level, there are people everywhere, music, parades, beer sellers, noise everywhere too, bit of a shock to the system to start with but soon got used to the crowds and started joining in. It's infectious, it's fun, it's drunken, it's crowded, it's slightly intimidating. We were staying with Harry's parents; two friends Abi and Horia, and their friend Allana, in apartment in Leblon for the 5 days of Carnaval. Harry and I would never have been able to afford to 'do' Carnaval, so I am enormously grateful to Harry's parents Chris and Anne-Marie for giving me such an amazing opportunity and experience.
I have a premonition this is going to be a long entry.....!!
CARNAVAL SATURDAY
I was lucky enough to be given the opportunity to spend the Saturday nigth in the Caras VIP Box thanks to Chris and HSBC! The term
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Monday - Portela 'Box' doesn't really describe it adequately it was more of an enclosure, with plenty of free drink and food. Mine and Harry's backpacker wardrobes were in no way suited to such a high class event so thankfully all the guest were all in matching bright red Caras t-shirts - although in typical brazilian style they had people who would style and adjust them to your requirements. Caras magazine is the Brazilian equivalent of 'Hello' magazine in the UK, unfortunately our pictures aren't in the magazine though, yes we have checked!! Celebrity visitors included Nicole S from pussycat dolls and Gerard Butler (watch me name drop!) and a whole host of Brazilian celebrities that neither you nor I have heard of! It was a great experience and I was made to feel very special, you can't really beat watching the schools samba pass sipping on champagne! The box was right at the edge of the street in centre of the Sambadrome, we were so close we could have touched the participants if we had wanted, was amazing to see all the costumes and the intricacies of the floats close up. Often the participants would dance, smile and pose for phots for
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Abi and Horia dressed to join Sao Clemente us. On the Saturday night it is the lesser schools in the access group that parade but I would never have guessed they were incredible! The winner of the group is then promoted to the special groups the following year. The format is the same for all - the schools parade to one song and are split into different groups - flag bearers, old twirling ladies called Bahian women, samba dancers, floats, bateria (percussionists), and groups of people in costume acting as a sort of backdrop. We also had the excitement that Abi and Horia where in the parade for Sao Clemente dressed in absolutely hilariously bright and extravagant costumes as parrots - an added bonus was Sao Clemente won so they will be in with the top schools next year!
CARNAVAL MONDAY
We went to the Sambadrome at night again, this time for the Special Group Samba schools. On carnaval Sunday and Monday night the top samba schools in Rio compete, with the last placed school relegated to the Access group. This time we were sat in the arquibanco of the sambadrome for a more 'real' carnaval experience. The seats (the concrete steps!) were so
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Monday - Grande Rio much higher up it gave a greater panoramic view and sense of scale - the floats are enormous (the people get put onto the top of them by crane up at the start!), huge numbers of participants - up to 5000 in each of the school parades lasting no more than 80 mins. We saw Porta da Pedra, Portela, Grande Rio and Vila Isabel - probably not going to mean alot to many of you but never mind! Each school presents a certain theme - Grande Rio telling the history of the parades in the Sambadrome, Vila Isabel illustrating the life of samba composer Noel Rosa for example. Grande Rio was my favourite for the floats - especially the ones of the tiger, and wolves, and one illustrating poor to riches, and also for its bateria; although my least favourite song. However, Portela was my second favourite with amazing choreography, and different modern theme.
As soon as we arrived out of the metro we were instantly bombarded with people selling beer, pot, caipirinhas, food, and coke (not the cola variety)! Me and Harry both commented how we felt alert but neither of us felt unsafe or scared, in fact
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saturday - flag bearers throughout all of carnaval I felt the safest I ever have in Rio. There are huge numbers of people outside the Sambadrome - people who didnt get tickets, and members of the schools who continue the party.
When people said to me on Saturday night that the schools on Sunday and Monday were even more spectucular I couldn't imagine how that were physically possible, but they are. As cliché as it sounds, there really are no words to describe the noise, the colour, the sheer scale and spectacle of it all. Pictures and videos just don't do it justice. I periodically had to pinch myself as I couldnt believe I was actually there - very surreal. Being amongst the crowds is an insane experience - the atmosphere very similar to a highly-charged packed out football match here in Brazil. People wear shirts supporting different schools and sing the school song at the top of their lungs. During Vila Isabel we were surrounded by a group of fans 'singing' (using the term lightly!) their song - highly entertaining if not damaging to the ears! As grim as this sounds; I have never sweated so much in my entire life! I did
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Monday - Grande Rio not heed warnings in the guides that it gets very hot, and I still dont understand how it is physically possible to be that hot outside in the early hours of the morning!
BLOCO
There are two sides to Carnaval in Rio; the paradesof the samba schools at the sambadrome at night and the more informal street parties all over Rio known as Blocos or Bandas during the day into evening. Each one consists of a bus or truck with a samba band on top driving through the streets followed by hoards of people in fancy dress - from the outrageous drag queens to people with a few feathers in their hair. There are street sellers everywhere selling costumes and accessories, so its impossible not to join in! Non of the Blocos are particularly well advertised - they are organised by the Cariocas (people from Rio) for the Cariocas; they seem to spring up spontaneously all over the place. We joined Abi's friend Lilliani for Banda de Ipanema one of the biggest and most famous - which may have been an error in hindsight as it was absolutely rammed. Estimates of about a million people on the beach
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Saturday - Bahian Lady not wrong! So it was a pretty raw experience with heat of sun, noise, and energy mixed with the smell of urine - streets running with the stuff in places! We managed to keep going for a short while but it was insane so we gave up and drank caipirinhas instead; while harry and her parents went back to Leblon. Again drinking in the heat, in hindsight, was probably an error on my part as ended up going to posh dinner at churrascaria Porcao that evening fairly trashed - highly embarrassing!
BEACH LIFE - 'AGUA, AGUA, AGUA!!'
Most of the days we spent on the beach, in the glorious sunshine with not a cloud in the sky! (jealous yet?!) Brazilians really know how to beach, none of the lugging half of your home to beach - you let the food, the drink, the chairs, the parasols come to you! Many of the people from the city's favelas come to the beach to work and sell everything you could ever want - clothes, bikinis, sarongs, sunglasses, jewellery, food, cheese (like haloumi) bbqued on a stick, and every kind of drink. The sun was so hot and strong that
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Monday - Grande Rio I had to spend most of the time in the shade with my milk white skin. Interestingly the Brazilians on the beach dont sit out in the sun for long either, everyone has umbrellas so its only us crazy europeans that feel the need to roast ourselves to get a tan. The sea was as crazy as last time, its not proper surf its just massive waves that break on the beach, they dont roll in like they do it Oz, so getting in and out of the sea is a little difficult but once you're in its fine! I got wiped out by waves a number of times, but the locals do as well so its all ok, unbelievable how much sand you can collect in tiny bikini bottoms! On the subject of the sea Brazilians don't seem to grasp the concept of tides - on a daily basis we would watch people sit practically at the waters edge, and when a big wave came up the beach everyone just shouts 'agua, agua, agua' and lifts their stuff and remain seated....they dont move until this has happened at least 5 times!
Well, as I won't be back in
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Saturday Brazil until July I thought I'd leave you with a few of my thoughts on this crazy, fantastic country!
• Every meal is served with at least two Carbs - why have rice alone when you can have fries too?
• 'I' is the most important thing - becomes difficult in situations such as queues or traffic
• Nothing is impossible - if the tide is coming in and half your belongings get washed up the beach just turn your back to the sea and refuse to acknowledge the situation.
• Despite inventing one of the most delicious and addictive cocktails - the caipirinha - Brazilians cannot hold their drink.
• Make as much noise in any situation and wherever possible
• It's all about cheese
• Playing 'guess the boob-job' on the beach soon gets boring
• Every overwieght, middle aged man is accompanied by a stunning, slim, pampered woman
• Middle Class Brazilian children are spoilt rude brats
• It doesnt matter what your shape/size/colour - you gotta love it and flaunt it. Us Brits could do with taking a few lessons
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Bee
non-member comment
Wow!
Looks absolutely amazing boo! Glad you're having a fantastic time.... Very entertaining read, keep up the blogging! lots of love, bee and mumsie xxx