Carnival in Rio

Considered one of the most awe-inspiring and grandiose spectacles in all the world, Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, the marvelous city, is a feast for the eyes as well as the ears. For five days, the 14 samba schools (escolas de samba) parade through the famous sambadrome in quest to be the best samba school for that year. Besides being a spectacular display of costume, color, and dance, the percussion coming from the thousands of people playing in each schools battery literally lifts spectators out of the seats. It is during Carnival that the powerful and beautifully seductive rhythm of Brazil truly manifests itself. Samba is the soul of Brazil.

Carnival in Rio dates back to about 1723, which is the earliest record to be found. Immigrants from the Azores and Cabo Verde introduced the first festivities, which were mainly intended to get people wet. People reveled in the streets, tossing buckets of water and limes at anyone they saw, even emperors. This activity was called an entrudo, intended to purify the body. As time went on people began to dress up, parade, dance, and play music for all to hear. At the beginning of the 19th century, the parades began to take on a more central role in the festivities, and with the sponsorship of a brewery called Hansetica, each parade group (called ranchos then) began to organize competitions from year to year. After a brief hiatus during World War II, the parades kept getting larger and more grandiose as the years went by. In the eighties, the sambodromo was built to fit 70,000 spectators and provide for a more organized procession of the schools.

Nowadays, a typical samba school will spend two-thirds of the calendar year preparing for Carnival, for which each school performs one song. Besides having thousands of dancers, percussionists, musicians, and singers, each school also has a team of songwriters who work and compete with each other to compose the best song possible: the one that will bring the school victory. The competition is fierce within the team of composers. Whoever wins is sure to receive much acclaim and fame that year, as his song will be released on the years Sambas de Enredo CD, a recording with all the 14 schools songs that is released shortly before the arrival of Carnival and is always immensely popular. A typical school will easily spend 1 million dollars a year on Carnival.

DiscoverBrazil offers three separate Carnival packages, each one with a different hotel option. Each package includes all transfers, tours, and breakfasts listed. A city tour is also included, with stops at Corcovado, Tijuca Forest, Sugar Loaf, and other Rio hot spots.

5 nights at the Caesar Park Hotel (from February 03th to 08th, 2005). This world class hotel is wonderfully located right on the famous Ipanema beach, and is walking distance from restaurants, bars, boutiques, shopping centers, nightclubs, and cinemas.
5 nights at the Miramar Palace Hotel (from February 04th to 09th, 2005). Situated right on Copacabana beach, Rio de Janeiro is literary at your feet when you stay at this traditional and elegant hotel.
5 nights at the glamorous Copacabana Palace Hotel (from February 04th to 09th, 2005). The Copacabana Palace is among the greatest hotels in the world. Perfectly located right on the famous Copacabana beach, this Brazil landmark will make your stay in The Marvelous City a memorable one.

Tickets to the Sambodromo are optional. Flights are not included, but if you are interested in quotes for international or domestic flights, please contact one of our travel agents. Price quoted is based on double occupancy.

For more information and price quotes, contact one of our expert travel consultants:
From North America, call toll free: 1-800-495-8211
From all other locations: (55) (71) 3113-4206
Or, send us an email at customersupport@discoverbrazil.com
www.discoverbrazil.com

About The Author

Jason is a recent graduate of Amherst College, where he received a degree in Music and Political Science. He is currently living in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, working for Discover Brazil and enjoying the wonderful music and culture Bahia and the rest of Brazil have to offer.

patricia@discoverbrazil.com.brCarnival in Salvador Jason Blynn

Deemed by some as the wildest street party on the face of the planet, Carnival in Salvador, Bahia is the place to be during those five crazy days in February or March. Different from the more spectator-oriented Carnival in Rio, Carnival in Salvador puts you in the middle of the music, the dancing, and the rhythms of the some of the most energetic bands in the world.

Once the center of sugar cane production and accompanying slave trade, Salvador, Bahia is Brazils capital of African culture and Religion. Carnival is the time of year when this Afro-Brazilian culture truly shines, with every music group in the city, from traditional afro-percussion groups to more contemporary axe bands (axe is a modern mix of afoxe and other contemporary rhythms), performing day and night. Bands perform on enormous trucks (loaded with thousands of watts of sound) which crawl through one of three principal Carnival Routes. The trucks are called trios because the first was a 29 Ford which carried a driver and two musicians, Dod and Osmar (today the original car is in the museum at the Lagoa da Abaet in Itapoan). In the years following the first trios appearance in 1950, the bands stuck to the trio format, but have since evolved into a much more grandiose spectacle, complete with enormous bands, costumes, and dancing. All around the trucks is a roped off area called a bloco, a type of VIP area with security and refreshments. Outside the cord, usually deemed quite a bit more dangerous on account of the petty thieves and pickpockets, is where the pipoca, or popcorn (named for the synchronizing jumping of the crowd) dances and carries on. Another option is buying a ticket for one of the many camarotes, which are VIP lounges in hotels and restaurants along the carnival routes.

The Music

Carnival in Salvador offers so many options for different types and music, it can be a bit daunting. If axe music is what you are interested in, check out Margareth Menezes, Ivete Sangalo, Daniela Mercury, Timbalada, or Chiclete com Banana. For more traditional afro-percussion groups, Olodum, Ara Ketu, Muzenza, and Il Aiy are great options. For a look at some traditional samba, check out Terra Samba, and for a not-so-surprise visit by Brazils Minister of Culture Gilberto Gil (also one of the most famous MPB artists and a leader in the Tropicalia movement), follow trio Expresso 2222.

Packages

DiscoverBrazil is proud to offer four different packages, each with different camarote and length of stay options. Please keep in mind that any of these packages can be customized to concord with your time and budget needs.

8 day/7 night or 6 day/ 5 night stay at the Tropical Hotel da Bahia - This hotel is located in Campo Grande, the Carnavals epicenter, and near Salvadors best attractions - the Historic Center, the Pelourinho, churches, shopping mall, theaters, the Mercado Modelo, and Porto da Barra. 5 nights pass for the exclusive Hotel Camarote (Feb 3-8) included in both packages.
7 day/6 night stay at the Bahia Othon Palace Hotel. This hotel is located in Ondina, considered the best place to see the Bahian Carnaval parade. The Othon offers all the amenities of a five star hotel and an amazing ocean view. The only difference in these two packages is a choice of 4 or 6 nights in the Hotel Camarote.

An abada, a specific shirt needed to enter into one of the many blocos, is also available for a separate price. Please inquire. Price quoted is based on double occupancy. Flights are not included, but if you are interested in quotes for international or domestic flights, please contact one of our travel agents.

About The Author

patricia@discoverbrazil.com.br