While I dreamed of celebrating the Day of the Dead in Mexico and seeing the cherry blossoms in Japan, Antony wanted to experience Carnival in Rio and enjoy the Costa Verde.
So, as Morgan did with his feedback on the ecovolunteering project we did in Merazonia, I thought I’d leave the keyboard to my darling to tell you how he lived his dream.
Here is his story:
Don’t ask me why the Rio carnival was a childhood dream for me! I don’t even know why. Maybe it’s simply because for me, this event represented the pinnacle of festivity, the world meeting place for samba lovers and an extraordinary festival of color and joie de vivre.
And after experiencing it, I was not disappointed, quite the contrary. I’d never seen such an atmosphere. For at least 5 days (if not more), the city’s streets are packed with festive events, almost day and night. After all, Rio Carnival is all about parties in the neighborhoods (the blocos) and, every evening, the official competition between the samba schools in the sambodrome.
Block parties
During Carnival, each of Rio’s neighborhoods organizes its own festivities. An appointment time is given for a parade through the streets to the sounds of musical floats.
We dress up, we dress very lightly, we expose our bodies and our good moods by unchaining ourselves cheerfully. The songs are sung in chorus. Which makes the party extremely popular and good-natured.
We particularly enjoyed the festivities in the Santa Teresa district, with its typical streets and small village atmosphere.
Beware of theft in the blocos, as this is a favorite playground for pickpockets.
Official competition in the sambodrome
Every evening of carnival, between 10.00 pm and 10.30 pm and 4.00 am, the samba schools compete against each other. On the first days of carnival, the less prestigious schools compete, finishing with the samba elite at the end of the caraval.
Prices go hand in hand. The later the carnival days, the higher the prices.
As this was our first time at the event, and as we weren’t insiders, we decided to buy our tickets for the second day of carnival. We used the carnivalbookers.com website to buy the precious sesames, which were readily available right up to the last minute, even at the sambodrome entrances on the evening itself (scalpers).
The show is really worth it. Each school passes one after the other (with many delays) which means you can stay until almost 5am for the last school to pass!
For 85 minutes, thousands of dancers and musicians from each school parade before our very eyes. The music, the costumes, the floats, the light shows, the dances… everything is grandiose! The atmosphere in the grandstands is just as charged. In short, a truly popular festival.
As for the choice of seats, frankly, there’s little difference unless you take the seats on the runway, at the foot of the parade (but then the prices soar). We were in tier 3, which allowed us to see the launch of each school. Something you don’t see when you’re in the bleachers at the end of the parade.
But Rio isn’t just about carnival!
If your program doesn’t stop at wiggling your booty for a week in the blocos or sambodrome, here are a few ideas for visits:
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Beaches, of course
They are mythical, but nothing exceptional apart from the hills that frame these sandbanks: Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon. ..
To enjoy these beaches like the locals, there’s nothing like tasting Brazil’s flagship flavours:
– For a snack, treat yourself to acai ice cream, a super-vitamin fruit served as a sorbet,
– Enjoy an aperitif with the famous caipirinha cocktail , or try the alcohol-free guarana and abacaxi juices.
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A visit to a favela
30% of Rio’s inhabitants live in a favela. Some of them have even becomethe place to be”.
To find out more about how they work, we visited the Santa Marta favela thanks to the residents’ tourist association. You’ll find their information kiosk at the entrance to the favela (or you can contact them via WhatsApp, their phone number is +55 21 99102-0037).
The special feature of this community(a term used today and less pejorative than favela) is thatit was one of the backdrops for Michael Jackson’s “They don’t care about us” video.
Expect to pay 120 Brazilian reals per person, or around 22 euros, but the tour, which is supposed to last 2 hours, can be happily extended with the guide, a well-known local resident. She runs a number of community projects, the latest of which focuses on cleanliness awareness to prevent the proliferation of rats and disease. She works with many of the local young people we met.
Don’t be surprised or frightened if you come across a few groups of drug-smoking youths or favela watchers armed with weapons of war. Here it’s normal.
We also crossed another favela, Vidigal. Motorcycle cabs take you sportingly to the top of the favela to then do the 2 brothers’ hike(morro dois irmaos), which gives you a magnificent view of the beaches.
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Summit hike for Christ the Redeemer
Of course, the number 1 tourist attraction in Rio is Christ the Redeemer. The famous statue stands on Corcovado, a hill rising above the city. From up there, there’s a breathtaking view of the bay. It’s possible to get there on foot and pay less for admission.
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Rio’s Botanical Gardens
Last but not least, Rio’s Botanical Gardens are a nice place to take a stroll, especially for their magnificent palm avenues.
Please note that admission is by cash only. Be prepared, as there are few cash dispensers in the area.
The Costa Verde, between Rio and Sao Paulo
Imagine a coastline of turquoise waters, green hills and hundreds of islets… Welcome to the Green Coast!
For 200 km, the sea, tropical forests and a few towns offer some great moments.
You can travel along the coast by public bus with the Colitur company.
First stop after Rio, Isla Grande.
To disembark on this almost untamed island, you need to take a boat from Angras dos Reis. Most tourists stay at the main port, Abraao. It’s a pity, because the island is rich in wilder corners with superb beaches.
For our part, we chose to stay in the small, much more authentic village of Proveta.
From there, we hiked to Plage de l’aventurier(4h round trip) with its famous right-angle palm tree.
There are no motor vehicles on Isla Grande. You move from beach to beach on footpaths (not always marked) or by boat (beware, prices can be exorbitant for tourists who don’t know how to negotiate).
Second stop: the magnificent colonial town of Paraty.
As you make your way through the narrow streets paved with stones of various sizes (beware of sprains), you’ ll discover a very special atmosphere, with white-walled colonial houses, baroque churches and small shops.
At the port, you’ll find a wide choice of boats to take you out for a day in the bay to discover the coastline and underwater world. It’s very touristy, but a very pleasant ride all the same.
Don’t hesitate to negotiate rates directly at the foot of the boats, which usually depart around 11:00 am. Some have slides, others more space to stretch out and rest… Expect to pay around 50 Brazilian reals per person (around 10 euros), and the 4th person is free. Although the price is attractive, you’ll need to allow for a supplement for lunch and drinks on the boat (taxes and service charges are not included in the prices, so be careful).
8kms from Paraty, the Penha natural slide will delight young and old alike. At the entrance to a tropical forest, the polished stones of the waterfall have been transformed into an attraction. Public buses take you there from the Paraty bus station.
Third stop, Trindade, its beaches and natural swimming pool
27 kms from Paraty on the way to Sao Paulo, Trindade is a village with a single street in the center of town. But its beaches are splendid. Its bay is made up of 4 magnificent, well-maintained beaches with the rainforest in the background.
A stroll through the forest will take you to the natural swimming pool with its translucent waters surrounded by huge, rounded rocks.
Last stop: Sao Paulo
Brazil’s largest city is not a major tourist destination.
We enjoyed Paulista Avenue, Brazil’s Champs-Elysées, its botanical garden, the street art in Vila Madalena (with the “Beco do Batman” section) and the colorful municipal market(don’t buy anything as it’s a tourist magnet).
On the other hand, part of the city is not safe. It’s distressing to see so many people on the streets and under the influence of drugs. Social inequalities are particularly visible in this megalopolis.
These 3 weeks in a tiny part of the great Brazil have left me wanting to see more. Brasil, eu voltarei!
And there you have it friends, I hope this travel diary has inspired you to buy your ticket for the next Rio Carnival. In any case, we promise we’ll be back to relive the excitement and discover new cities like Salvador de Bahia, for example.
If you have any questions about the carnival, please don’t hesitate to ask. I’d be delighted to answer them.
Kisses and see you soon for new adventures 😉
