Rio De Janiero , Brasil- Carnaval Culture

I'm sorry that it took me so long to post an update for Brasil. I have been in Brasil since Jan 30th. Joanna and I flew from Lima to Buenos Aires just to transfer and then get on another plane to Rio de Janiero. We were met a few days later by Tiffany and Miguel . The 4 of us were packed in tight quarters but had a ball non-the-less. We rented a one bedroom studio room in Copacabana across the street from the beach. Now , Rio was leisure but I still took so much from my experience there. It is still hard for me to digest being away for only a few days.
Currently it is the hot, humid and wet season in most of Brasil. When the weather provided it possible, we would go out and even in the rain we went out as much as we could. All week during Carnaval there are "blocos" . Blocos are essentially street parades of various samba schools and organizations. Some are more traditional , some are more contemporary in theme. One thing that I would like to stress about Rio during Carnaval is it's electric energy. Men dress up as women at any given time at any place, children walk around as characters , girls are dressed up as butterflies and fairies. The samba schools provide the body moving rythms and people come out of their houses and into the streets! Amen for solidarity.

Leo, a friend I had made through Couch Surfing had given us allot of the 411 on "Cariocas" that is what people from Rio de Janiero are called. He said that many of his friends leave Rio during Carnaval because they can't take the pace, the chaos, the disorder. I could see how it could get a bit annoying when your trying to sleep and there is a BLoco outside your house. But, oh my , how fun ! We went to Lapa many nights. A neighborhood in Rio, that is a bit artsy, a bit young and progressive. There were blocos , clubs blazing samba, hip-hop, ska and everything else. People dressed up making a rakus with instruments, vendors selling everything from beer, caipirinhas (Brasilian drink made with Cachaca, lime and sugar) earings, shirts, etc... You are allowed to walk around with your drink as long as its in a cup , or it really dosent have to be.

The one thing I remember about Carnaval culture is the atmosphere of tolerance . It was the feeling of being able to explore your dormant self, your other half, the sides of ourselves we repress.

Music is the largest element of Carnaval. A good friend once said to me, that music was a one of the highest forms of communication. Samba rythms beat inside my head for the whole week during carnaval, communicating to me the African influence in popular Brasilian culture. Carnaval stems from a celebration after lent, but in Brasil samba comes from the history of African slaves holding on to their traditions and musical heritage.