It’s been awhile since I’ve found time to sit down and write about what’s been going on in this new lifestyle. Carnaval has come and gone and it was everything I wanted and expected it to be. There were so many people gathering at different blocks and places in Rio to come together and have a good time.
There were parties that started at eight in the morning and my god were they parties. The convenience of vendors was impressive, every ten feet “Cerveja!” “Cerveja” Água” ”Cerveja!” the costumes and colors people dressed in were just as impressive as all the music. Tons of guys dressed up as women, tons of girls with barely anything on, tons of drunk people, Mona Lisa......
The music was so great, it kept everyone bouncing, smiling, and moving to the beat. People here are good at pissing in public, I’ve never seen people piss in public right in clear view of everyone else. You could always tell the designated piss zones by the rank of piss in the air and the huge gross puddles. But when you’ve been drinking since eight in the morning shit happens. It was great dancing with strangers and lip syncing to music I barely understood. Being on T.V. dancing in the Samba parade the second day of Carnaval was probably the highlight of my Carnaval experience. I’ll never forget walking to Sapucaí in that rediculous costume. Getting on the metro and having Fabiano tell everyone how much of a gringo I am and explaining my lack of communication. That hurt my feelings a bit but it was good to hear to understand how I had to step it up with the language process. Another major highlight of Carnaval was when Juliana captured me and took me up the mountains on a beautiful trail rapping around a mountain right behind the statue of Cristo. We were so far up and were looking right over the city and could hear all the different block parties going on along with all the drums and cheering. That was very cool hearing all the celebrating rummbling up the mountain from the city. When Carnaval was all done with I felt like I had been holding my breathe for four days. So much excitement, astonishment, joy, surprise, shock, so many feelings all at once. That is the essence of Carnaval to me. All the expectations instantly met and fulfilled, yet fulfilled beyond the brim, overflowing with a new understanding for what it truly means to celebrate.
There is a general understanding here for all that Carnaval encompasses and stands for. Just like the Vegas logo “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” The way people cut themselves loose in Carnaval can be very extreme. But now that Carnaval is over with everyone is back on track being productive and living it up. Carnaval was the only time I’ve seen the street we live on bare with no parked cars, now it’s back to being jam packed. Every neighborhood and all the blocos celebrated Carnaval as separate groups. Although everyone was acting the same and participating in their intoxicated cheers and dances, there was a big sense of pride coming from the different neighborhoods and blocos as if everyone was showing one another who really knew how to party. Up until Carnaval I’ve never seen so many dressed up Babies! and Babes!
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