Rio Carnival 2012: Backstage at the Sambadrome parades

by Jessica Marati on

“Follow the feathers” was my strategy for finding the Sambadrome stadium in Brazil this past Sunday, the first evening of Rio Carnival‘s famed samba parades. The metro exit was packed with crowds moving in all different directions, so I had little choice but to follow the handful of people wearing large, extravagant costumes in front of me. They were obviously going where I needed to go.

The strategy worked out, because my costumed friends didn’t just lead me to the parade venue — they headed straight for the backstage staging area where hundreds of dancers and participants were being outfitted for the main event. As the costumed gentry walked through the security gates, I concealed myself in their feathers and followed along. Backstage access, secured.

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The highlight of Rio de Janeiro‘s Carnival festivities, the Sambadrome parades are all-night marathon spectacles of samba school processions that take place over the Sunday and Monday of Carnival. The parades start at 8 p.m. and last until well past dawn, with about seven schools putting on elaborate shows of about an hour each.

Rio’s samba schools spend all year preparing for the parades, constructing huge floats, designing extravagant costumes, and of course, choreographing and practicing complex samba numbers. Each samba school chooses a theme and a story, usually related to some aspect of Brazilian culture. This year, for the first time, booklets were distributed to all guests that laid out each act of the parade, highlighted special celebrities, and listed the lyrics to each samba school’s signature marchinhas, or Carnival songs.


The work pays off. Thousands of people, Brazilians and tourists alike, pay up to $1500 for a chance to view the parades, and the results are followed as closely as the American Super Bowl. Schools are judged by ten categories, including theme, samba song, percussion band, harmony, flow and spirit, floats and props, costumes, vanguard group, flag carrying couple, and overall impression. This year, Unidas de Tijuca took the top prize, with a theme centered around folk singer Luiz Gonzaga and the culture of Brazil’s northeast region.

And the parades themselves? Breathtaking. The floats were massive, with mechanized figures and fountains. The costumes were gorgeous, and with the binoculars I borrowed from my neighbor, I could see the intricacies of the sequins and beading. The dancing was tremendous, and the 3,000 to 5,000 paraders exuded an energy that infected the entire stadium. Everyone was on their feet.

What words and photos can’t describe, hopefully this video can. Or, you could just start planning for next year.

Check out Gadling’s full range of Rio Carnival 2012 coverage here.

Rio Carnival 2012: Best street foods for partying all day (and night)

by Jessica Marati on

It’s impossible to survive consecutive days of Carnival blocos, parties, and parades without adding hits of nutrition to your daily beer diet. For this, Rio de Janeiro’s street food vendors have you covered.

Street food can be found everywhere in Rio de Janeiro, particularly during big events like Carnival and New Year’s. Mobile carts and stands offer cheap, tasty Brazilian eats — vital for travelers struggling to stay on a budget in a city where a side order of restaurant french fries can cost upwards of 25 reais (US$14). Though much of the fare isn’t healthy by a long shot, there are specialties that will fill you up without throwing you into a food coma that will render you incapable anything beyond a nap on Ipanema Beach. Here’s what’s kept me going all week.

Espetinhos
Brazil’s version of shish kabob, espetinhos are tasty morsels of barbequed meat on a stick. The most common are sausage and chicken, and many Brazilians add ketchup or hot sauce and throw some farinha de mandioca, a type of crunchy flour, on top.

Milho verde
After a few days at Carnival, you may start experiencing an intense craving for salad, greens, or any food that isn’t deep fried and over salted. Get your vegetable fix with boiled corn-on-the-cob, served with butter.

Quiejo coalho
For a shot of dairy, try quiejo coalho, a type of salty Brazilian cheese that is served grilled on a stick. Beware addiction.


Tapioca
If you’ve never tried fried tapioca, you’re in for a treat. Vendors cook the tapioca powder in a pan until it turns a pancake-like consistency, then they add a sweet or savory filling, like chocolate or dried meat. The Brazilian guys ahead of me recommended a traditional combination of coconut, sweet cheese, and condensed milk. Delicious.

Caipirinhas
Okay, so it’s not actually a food. And check out all that sugar! But ask your vendor to cut back on the white stuff and add extra lime, and you have a refreshing beverage that will keep you dancing in the streets late into the night. And that’s what you’re looking for, right?

Check out Gadling’s full range of Rio Carnival 2012 coverage here.

Video of the Day: Adorable little girls dancing samba at Rio Carnival

by Jessica Marati on

The scene outside the Sambodrome stadium on the first night of Rio Carnival‘s famed samba school parades was madness. Hordes of people moved in all directions while scalpers hawked tickets, street vendors fried food, and costumed paraders maneuvered in huge feathered costumes. As far as Fat Tuesday celebrations go, this was tops.

In the middle of the chaos, these two talented little girls attracted a crowd with their quick samba moves, coy winks, and adorable smiles. What showboats! If Rio’s samba schools are recruiting for future parades, they need look no further. These girls provided as much entertainment as the show inside the stadium.

Check out Gadling’s full range of Rio Carnival 2012 coverage here.

Rio Carnival 2012: Costume shopping and impromptu samba dancing

by Jessica Marati on

During Carnival, the streets of the Saara market in Old Downtown Rio de Janeiro are flooded with local cariocas shopping for wacky beer hats, neon-colored wigs, cheap plastic accessories, and the ubiquitous noise horns, which echo periodically (and loudly) in the air. If you’re in the market for last-minute costumes for Carnival’s parties and parades, Saara is undoubtedly the place to be.

Yesterday, on the Friday of Brazilian Carnival, the energy and excitement in Saara was palpable. Lively music blared from boom boxes, beer hawkers catered to long lines of customers, and on nearly every corner, children played in confetti while adults danced the samba. Check out the gallery below for a taste of the action.

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Check out Gadling’s full range of Rio Carnival 2012 coverage here.

Rio Carnival 2012: 10 best bloco street parties

by Jessica Marati on

If you want to feel the real essence of Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, look no further than the city streets. In the weeks leading up to Fat Tuesday, lively street parties and parades, called blocos, wind throughout Rio’s various neighborhoods, led by floats blaring live samba music. Crowds can swell to upwards of 200,000 people, many dressed in outrageous costumes and more than a little intoxicated.

This year, Rio’s tourism board approved 424 different blocos of all sizes and themes. With so many to choose from, where do you begin? This list includes some of the most popular.

Banda de Ipanema
Where: Rua Gomes Carneiro to Praça General Osório.
When: Feb. 18 and Feb. 21 at 6 p.m.
Why go: One of Rio Carnival’s longest-running blocos, Banda da Ipanema runs along the beachfront at sunset, providing stunning views to those who break away long enough from the party to enjoy them. Flamboyant drag queens come out in droves, so feel free to go crazier than usual with your costumes.Bangalafumenga
Where: Av. Infante Dom Henrique
When: Feb. 19 at 10 a.m.
Why go: The core band members are popular local musicians, performing year-round in venues across Rio. Expect the traditional Carnival marchinhas, along with some funk, pop, and rock thrown in.

Carmelitas
Where: Rua Almirante Alexandrino, winding through Santa Teresa.
When: Feb. 21 at 10 a.m.
Why go: This bloco is inspired by a local legend about a Carmelite nun who jumped the walls of her convent in Santa Teresa to join Carnival. Most revelers sport a colorful veil.

Cordão do Boitatá
Where: Rua do Mercado and Rua do Ouvidor, ending with a street party at Praça XV.
When: Feb. 19 at 8 a.m.
Why go: Inspired by Brazilian folk traditions, Cordão do Boitatá is slightly more peaceful and family-oriented than many of the other blocos.

Cordão da Bola Preta
Where: Largo da Candelária in Centro, going down Avenida Rio Branco to Cinelândia.
When: Feb. 18 at 9:30 a.m.
Why go: Reportedly Rio’s largest bloco, Cordão da Bola Preta is popular across demographics. Wear an outfit with the signature black polka dots on white to blend in.

Escravos da Mauá
Where: Largo de Santa Rita, going through Centro and finishing in Rua do Acre
When: Feb. 12 at 12 p.m.
Why go: This bloco‘s path takes you through the historical Saúde district, Praça Mauá and Morro da Conceição — the birthplace of Carnival street parties.

Que Merda é Essa?!
Where: Rua Garcia D’ávila and Rua Nascimento Silva, going along Vieira Souto in Ipanema.
When: Feb. 19 at 4 p.m.
Why go: Translated, the name of this bloco is “What the S- is This?” Enough said.

Monobloco
Where: Av. Rio Branco and Av. Presidente Vargas, ending at Cinelândia.
When: Feb. 26 at 9 a.m.
Why go: The Monobloco parade is so popular, it was recently moved to Centro so it could accommodate everyone who wanted to participate. Music is led by the popular percussion-based Pedro Luís e a Parede.

Simpatia é Quase Amor
Where: Praça General Osório, going down the Ipanema shoreline to Leblon.
When: Feb. 19 at 4 p.m.
Why go: The crowd at this bloco veers toward young and flirty, making it a great place to meet people.

Suvaco do Cristo
Where: Rua Jardim Botânico, going through the Jardim Botânico.
When: Feb. 12 at 9 a.m.
Why go: This low-key bloco goes through Rio’s botanical gardens, which should already be on your list of places to visit. Why not hit two birds with one stone?

Check out Gadling’s full range of Rio Carnival 2012 coverage here.