Finally I could find out what the famous Carnival in Brazil is all about - and realized that I had quite a few misconceptions. Nevertheless, Carnival is crazy, hot, crowded, fun and tiring at the same time, and probably something to do only once in a lifetime (unless you are Brasilian...).
Misconception 1: Carnival trucks and sexy Samba dancers all over the place
Reality: there is a purpose-built parade area, the Sambodromo, where samba schools parade for about 10 days competitively in front of a jury. In order to see this, you need to buy tickets priced from around 40 to several hundred Euros, depending on the sector. Of course, you are expected to remain in your sector.
I did not go to Sambodromo but enjoyed Carnvial on the streets. Even though people do dress up, I only saw ONE glamorous Samba dancer during all of carnival:
Misconception 2: Carnival is party all through the night.
Reality: "Blocos" (carnival events from outdoor concerts to moving parades) take place during the day, often starting as early as 8 am. At night it all becomes a bit seedy, lots of drunks on the streets and generally not too safe to stay around.
Misconception 3: You'll just find a great party around every corner.
Reality: There are hundreds of blocos all over town for several days, but you actually need to know when and where they take place (especially tricky with moving blocos). Some websites provide help, but it's best to ask a local for the really good blocos.
I spent one day of the carnival in São Paulo and got taken to a David Bowie tribute bloco by some friends I made. It was a nice finish of my trip (and it took me days to recover...).
Here's more pics:
Misconception 1: Carnival trucks and sexy Samba dancers all over the place
Reality: there is a purpose-built parade area, the Sambodromo, where samba schools parade for about 10 days competitively in front of a jury. In order to see this, you need to buy tickets priced from around 40 to several hundred Euros, depending on the sector. Of course, you are expected to remain in your sector.
I did not go to Sambodromo but enjoyed Carnvial on the streets. Even though people do dress up, I only saw ONE glamorous Samba dancer during all of carnival:
Misconception 2: Carnival is party all through the night.
Reality: "Blocos" (carnival events from outdoor concerts to moving parades) take place during the day, often starting as early as 8 am. At night it all becomes a bit seedy, lots of drunks on the streets and generally not too safe to stay around.
Misconception 3: You'll just find a great party around every corner.
Reality: There are hundreds of blocos all over town for several days, but you actually need to know when and where they take place (especially tricky with moving blocos). Some websites provide help, but it's best to ask a local for the really good blocos.
I spent one day of the carnival in São Paulo and got taken to a David Bowie tribute bloco by some friends I made. It was a nice finish of my trip (and it took me days to recover...).
Here's more pics:
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| Carnival - Rio de Janeiro & São Paulo |
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