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Travel Brazil  » Preparing for the Rio Carnival

Preparing for the Rio Carnival

So, this is the Brazil. This is what Rio de Janeiro is really all about. When the

Carnival

arrives, companies close down, shops shut their doors early, and

streets are closed off to make way for dancing, parties and

parades. This awe inspiring festivity not only provides

entertainment for the thousands of people attending the

Carnival, but also for the millions watching it on their

televisions, giving them a chance to learn about the true

culture of Brazil.

The next Carnival starts on Saturday 25th February 2006, and

ends on Fat Tuesday leading up to Ash Wednesday, the beginning

of Lent in the Roman Catholic calendar. This happens to be

during the hottest time of the year in the Southern Hemisphere,

when summer is at its peak. When that Saturday arrives then it's

Carnival all over the place, in the streets and squares, bars,

clubs and other venues, taking over the whole city of Rio and

culminating in the Rio Carnival Parade also known as the Samba

Parade.

The Rio Carnival is an event of mere days, but the result of

months of preparation. The most giving and hardworking hands

during the months before are often the ones most overlooked by

outside eyes. These are the people who make the Carnival what it

is, they add an ingredient that couldn't possibly be replicated

by the largest tourist operator, most experienced guide or multi

million dollar sponsor. They are the people from Rio de

Janeiro's poorest neighbourhoods, the so called favelas or

shanty towns.

So where did you think all the magic and thrill Carnival is

famous for started? From the production of the elaborate

costumes to the performance and choreography of the costume

bearers, residents of the favelas are deeply involved with every

aspect of the Carnival. More often than not, this is done

through their participation and membership to a local samba

school.

The samba schools, with members reaching the thousands, will get

together on a regular basis throughout the year for rehearsals

and samba nights. All the samba schools have rehearsal spaces,

called samba courts, or locally known as quadras de samba. They

open, in most cases, at weekends for anyone, including tourists

like you and me, as long as you pay the small fee at the door.

To anyone who's not been to one of these places they can only be

described as nightclubs with samba.

This is the best way to make contact with the real samba and

people of Rio de Janeiro. The nights are totally informal, and

members of all ages including many old people can go to the

party of any school. Most are quite far out of from the main

parts of Rio de Janeiro and some of the areas they are situated

in can be rough. To this end I would recommend going with a

group in a package including a local escort, and round-trip

transportation. Once you're inside, it's very safe. I would

recommend not going flashy or having anything valuable with you

except of course your camera. This is only due to the high

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density and energetic atmosphere of these events and you are

more likely to lose or damage such items rather than have them

stolen.

So maybe you are planning to come to the Rio carnival, or maybe

not and you just want to sample some of the rich carnival energy

that lasts all year round in this city. Either way, visiting a

Samba school is a great pre-Carnival excursion.

If you are coming for the main event then remember it also means

a bit of preparation on your part too. You should not only get

your flight, but do a bit of research on your Carnival tickets

in advance. Try to plan your Carnival activities ahead to sample

the immense variety on offer. Include in your must-do's the

Samba Parade, street parties, and balls. You should also really

organize your accommodation for the carnival well in advance.

The best hotels, especially around Copacabana and Ipanema, are

booked up early, so it's advisable to make your hotel

reservations as soon as you have decided to attend this

spectacular event.

The next article in this series is titled 'Rio Carnival - The

Main Event'.

About the author:

Ally Colquhoun has travelled extensively throughout South

America, particularly in Brazil and visits Rio de Janeiro on a

regular basis. He runs a website at Riolocal.com where tourists can find more

information and resources about Rio de Janeiro.