CAR-NI-VAL !!!

Rio’s main carnival celebrations are spread over two days, usually 6 samba schools performing each night. On the first night, the Sunday, four of our friends were actually dancing for the Beija Flor school, so we all gathered to preview their beautiful costumes:

The next night, Monday, we all went over to the Sambadrome to watch from the stands. Despite hearing all about it from Mick 6 years ago, and seeing it on TV the night before, nothing had quite prepared me for the spectacular display, the size of the floats, the huge numbers of dancers – 2-3,000 in each school, and the  simply fantabulous costumes!

There were floats:

We loved this British float – the street-sweeper with the Queen is a genuine cleaner who was clearing up behind one of the schools a few years ago, and broke into a great samba as he swept – he became a crowd favourite and now appears every year!  On the right are Freddie and Amy (with wings) with Elton below.

There were dancing troupes:

Alice in Wonderland

                                         

And there were lots of fabulous feathers:

It was a fantastic night that I will never forget – a splendiferous ending to an amazing 5 weeks in South America. Now to start planning the northern sector – Chile up to Peru and Bolivia, then up to Cuba.

 

Watch this space…..