Sunday, February 5, 2012

SOC: Carnaval can be ANNOYING


Carnaval season has arrived in Rio de Janeiro. While this used to be a fun event, I feel that it is a little out of control. Yesterday, 2 weeks or so before the actual start of Carnaval, there were 21 blocos (street parties). 21! And with the use of social media such as Facebook and Twitter, these blocos are not the small-ish neighborhood parties they used to be.

We are talking full on parties. Traffic stopped, loud music, government installed port-o-potties. It starts the calendar checking phase. During the weekends (and Thursdays and Fridays) I will be checking the Globo bloco calender. I will be checking where and when blocos are happening so that the boys and I don't end up getting stuck somewhere in the city. 

This kind of thing used to be fun. Mr Rant and I would randomly run into a bloco while out and join in. That or, since we were normally on foot or mass transit, work our way around it. Now with two kids in car seats waiting in a hot car, it sucks. Not only that, it's quite freaky to get stuck on foot in a bloco while trying to walk home from the grocery store. You don't understand, these blocos stop time wherever they are happening. 

And while I know it is all in good fun, it's sometimes too much. When living on Rua das Laranjeiras we had blocos every weekend preceding Carnaval and every day during Carnaval. 

Thankfully Mr. Rant will be returning from his snowboarding trip before the real festivities begin and we will be able to escape to the countryside. Until then, I will be spending these husbandless weekends first checking to make sure we can get out of the house and back without having to samba our way home.



#SOCsunday

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12 comments:

  1. Carnaval passes here without notice. I'm pretty sure I'd have to escape to the countryside, like you're planning on doing. Big street parties don't really clang my chime.

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  2. This is your perspective of "been there done that". Love it! I like the sound of that countryside.

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  3. San Francisco ended up having to ban its Halloween street parties because they got so out of control. I'd hate to think Carnaval is headed that route, but life must go on, even during pre-Lent.

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  4. Huge crowds always stress me out and with small children, I'd be even more stressed out. I'm small and short and I think I might get crushed!

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    1. That is exactly my issue. I ran to the store with my newborn sun about 3 yrs ago and ended up stuck on the street because the party had gotten so big that it took over the street in front of my building. I also had a toddler with me

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  5. I've always wanted to experience Carnaval in Rio. Didn't realize that it was that big and lasted that long.

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    1. There are 4 official days but people start celebrating up to 3 weeks beforehand. In Orlinda it is even longer!

      You should come! Def a bucket list event!

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  6. It sounds amazing from my vantage point- you know, far away sans crowd.

    But yes, in person that would be a bit much!

    Aak! Hang in there!

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    1. It really is. Without kids I love going down there. I just get too nervous with the crowds, heat, drunks, etc and two small kids

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  7. Oh stop complaining.

    Totally kidding. I see where you're coming from. It must be so horrible to see lots of naked people walking around and dancing and stuff.

    PS: I am the most sarcastic person who ever walked the planet.

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    Replies
    1. hahahaha. It was a blast the first couple of times. Now the blocos are just too full!

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  8. refer this for bloco list rather than oglobo,its an awesome exhaustive compilation, that too well in advance

    http://www.wikirio.com.br/Blocos_do_Carnaval_2012_na_cidade_do_Rio_de_Janeiro

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