
I'll start with New Years Eve in Rio de Janerio. I arrived 3 days before the event, in time to do some serious sightseeing. Be aware that everyone else thought the same as me. This resulted in queuing for a total of nearly 4 hours to get the top of sugar loaf and back in the 40ºC heat...
The city was buzzing with everyone arriving and preparing for the big event. I had already brought a white dress to wear for the occasion. The night arrived and so did the other 2 and a half million people.
At 10pm me and a group of friends arrived at the heavily packed Copacobana beach. We danced for hours to the incessant drums and Brazilians beats whilst taking advantage of the street vendors selling capirinhas :)

Carnaval however, is another kettle of fish. First and foremost, it is not a one night affair, its a 6 night fiasco. Thus be prepared to be tired for a week, maybe even delirious by the end of it.
![]() |
In the Camarote |
Also, you are not limitied to white attire, this is the all colourful, all crazy party!
I must also add that there is a huge difference in Carnavals across the country, held in the three biggest cities; Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Salvador. I went to Salvador.
Carnaval in Rio is more of a parade, with dancers and musicians performing down the long streets, lined with seats for spectators to sit and watch the sequins and feathers go by.
![]() |
Trio Elctrico |
Salvador is not quite so glamorous... Nearly 3 million people pile into the streets to drink, dance, and sing and be a part of the parade itself. Here famous Brazilian artists perform on a 'trio eletrico'- a large truck transformed into a brightly lit, moving stage.

The atmosphere I cannot describe. Colourful, cramped and crazy is a start. My ears were ringing for a week, my feet ached every day, my liver also moaned a little. However, Carnaval is without a doubt one of the greatest experiences of my life so far.
I unfortunately must add that tourists are easily spotted, and with a few too many capirinha's in me, I was not as careful as I should have been, which resulted in the loss of my camera-including all Carnaval and New Years photos and videos. A major loss that I am still mourning. Yet I feel that despite this, I have the most important memories in my mind that no one can steal from me!
Thankfully my friends also had cameras so I have a few to show... Please don't miss this event, and please get camera insurance!
![]() |
Copacobana, New Years Day |
No comments:
Post a Comment