Going on Vacation

Photo by: http://milkmade.com/articles/628-MADE-BY-BRIAN-BOWEN-SMITH

This little lady is taking a couple of days off! Per our own little Carnaval tradition, we are escaping the madness and heading out to the in-law's home in the countryside.

It all started with kiddo number 1 and the increasing size of blocos. Plus since there are so many pre-Carnaval parties, we are able to get our family Carnaval on and then take advantage of the official holiday and leave.

So I don't know if I will be getting back to the good old blog until Wednesday. Not like I'd have much to talk about except for Brazilian bbqs, hitting the pool, checking out the waterfall, drinking beer, and laughing my ass off with a group of good people.

No, Not bragging, just excited!

Have a great Carnaval to those in Brazil and a great weekend through Wednesday for the rest of the world.

I'm out of here! 

Inside the Bloco: Rio de Janeiro Carnaval

Last night I went to the scene of my very first bloco of my very first Carnaval during my very first visit to Rio de Janeiro. That was in 2003 and the same bloco is still going on in 2012. It has changed a bit. The 50 friends have multiplied into one hell of a scene.

None the less, it still has the family feel and I really enjoyed travelling down memory lane last night. Here are some videos for you to see for yourself.

Make Out Party

Yes, that is Carnaval, one big make out party. The actual tradition for singles, and many taken folks alike, is to make out with numerous different people while partying at the famous street parties or blocos as Brazilians call them.

Of course that is not the heart of Carnaval. No, there is much more to it but can you really blame people for making out? If you haven't been just imagine the scene:

Half naked sweaty and slightly drunk people rotating and twisting their hips and gyrating their legs to the rhythm of samba. Of course that is if there is space enough to move as you are not following the music car and thus are not smooshed up so close to numerous people that you might as well be in the middle of a colorful orgy anyway. Can you really blame them? Hell, I'm getting a bit exciting just typing about it.

I will never forget my first Carnaval. I had just landed in Rio de Janeiro for the first time about 2 weeks before the actual holiday. That meant that there were already blocos happening. Actually, I was one of the first members of one of the bigger Laranjeiras blocos, and I know the founders. I am so Rio de Janeiro royalty (totally being sarcastic here although I do personally know one of the nominated muses of Rio's Carnaval blocos this year).

Anyway, when the official Carnaval started and we headed off to the blocos, Mr. Rant gave me one rule. That rule was to NOT turn around if someone tugged on my hair. Say what?!

It seems that it is one of the subtle make out signals at blocos. A tug at the hair, the girl turns, and a big old kiss she receives. Seems innocent enough. I will say that I was complimented by the number of tugs, and the persistence of some of them.

And while I didn't follow the rule of all goes per making out in Carnaval, I still had a damn good time.

How about you? Would you turn to the tug and take the kiss? Have you? And was your significant other making out with someone next to you? 

Carnaval - My Old Photos: Wordless Wednesday

Some photos from a Santa Teresa bloco in 2005

Expats and Holidays

As an expat my holidays are all messed up. I totally forgot today is Labor Day in the states, not that it really matters down here. Monday is going on as normal. Of course, there are no lack of holidays in Brazil.  My kids are constantly getting days of school for things that I don't even understand.

Take this Wednesday for example. It's Brazilian Independence day. Do they have fireworks and all that jazz, no. There are some parades but it's not really done up like we do ours.

Personally I think it's because of the abundance of holidays. When you get half the year off (slight exaggeration) for national, religious, or city holidays they all just seem to run together. It's basically an excuse to escape the city and drink beer in the middle of the day (not that Cariocas really need an excuse to do either).

Still I feel a bit like I am failing my children when it comes to knowing the holidays of their Mother's homeland. We do nothing on American holidays, they think Valentines day is in June, and Grandpa and Daddy have different Father's days. Talk about confusion.

Then you add in Carnaval and conselho de classe (each quarter/semester class is canceled so teachers can have a prep day) and you realize there are about 3 fully functioning work days in Rio de Janeiro.

Anyway, my kids' understanding of all holidays, minus Christmas, is that they are an excuse to miss school/work. Then again, isn't that the essence of holidays in the first place? A day to relax, enjoy, and be with friends and loved ones.

I do wish we could celebrate 4th of July with style down here though. This year I missed good hot dogs, beers, fireworks, obnoxious American Flag clothing items, and the general old fashioned American bbqs. Don't even get me started on potato salad and big dill pickles...

Those of you living abroad, do you ever miss celebrating the holidays of your native land?  If so, which ones?

The Heart of the Rio de Janeiro Sambodromo

I've done Carnaval in Rio de Janeiro many times.  The street parties, drinking before noon, and pressed up against other sweaty bodies. All you would expect in a Catholic country.

But this was my first year at the Sambodromo. My first year seeing the big parade put on by the samba schools. And I know what you are all waiting for. You are expecting my impressions to be full of the champagne and chic food in the camarote (box).

That isn't what stuck at all.  You arrive to a place that is a container of energy. Thank goodness it's open air or I think any commoner, such as myself, would implode upon entry.  People are there to cheer, see, and enjoy.

The epitome of it all was one woman. She was in the seats below our box.  Of course, you could not tell where this woman was actually supposed to sit because she did not sit at all. She was samba-ing up and down the entire area. Not only that, she was entering into the other little seating area and encouraging everyone else to dance.  And they did, down to the security personnel.

Excuse the blur as I was trying to catch the ever moving woman in white

She was not a traditional perky-tooshed samba dancer, nor was she some exotic picture of a Brazilian woman that we see overseas. She was a real Brazilian woman, with a real Brazilian ass, shaking it up and down wherever it would take her.

I loved her! For me, she was the heart of what this entire holiday is about. It is a countrywide celebration in a way that only Brazilians can do it.  And in the face of the fires 3 of the schools experienced, the heart of Carnaval was really shown.

Yes, they put on a good show down here. The women are beautiful, the music intoxicating, and the colors seizure inducing.  Then you look deeper.

This is the heart of Brazil. Not Carnaval, but the joy. Brazilians can take a lot of what life throws at them and turn it into a barbecue, street party, and world-renowned parade.

They will smile, shake their ass, and drink a beer.  Who's life isn't hard sometimes? Why not enjoy the things you can. Carnaval is just putting that frame of mind under a microscope for the entire world to see.

And that energy carried me through a night of samba dancing in a boot. Of course, the champagne did help. 

Wordless Wednesday: Carnaval Part 2

A Little Brush with Fame

And More Fun

The seats

Wordless Wednesday: CARNAVAL PARADE!

I was lucky enough to do the traditional Carnaval parade at Rio de Janeiro's Sambodromo in style. I was invited by a fabulous friend to go with her to an even more fabulous private box!! Needless to say that it was an amazing night! I'll let the pictures tell the rest of the story.

Mr. Rant Dresses in Drag

I never stay angry at Mr. Rant too long. He's just too damn cute.  I know what you guys are thinking, I'm crazy or manic or something.

Nope, he's just seriously awesome enough to defuse me pretty damn quickly. I think he should put that on his resume because I'm one hell of a bomb sometimes. It takes him two shakes and a wiggle and I'm pretty much defused.

Anyway, since he's taking the kids out to the country early for his Dad/brother's birthday, I thought I'd give him a free pass to a Carnaval bloco sans kiddos. This morning is Boitata and it's only the best freaking Costume Carnaval Bloco of Rio de Janeiro.

That is where the redeeming, I love this man, he's so my style thing comes in. The debate over costumes went from the Facebook guy to Kickass to dick in a box. He settled on Black Swan. The trooper went out, found all his costume accessories, and sewed it all on his own.

My husband busted out Black Swan in public and was proud!

I love this man! 

Wordless Wednesday: Favorite Carnaval Costumes

Here are some of my personal favorites from last week's Carnaval street parties.  Thank you for OGlobo.com.br for sharing!

Plate of the Day: Chicken in Beer

Taxis

Twitter Bird

Marionette 

The hotties of Pepê

Chilean Miner

Why I love Carnaval

There are many reasons to love Carnaval and each one of us have our own.  Personally, my absolute favorite part about Carnaval is how the Carioca men react to it.

You see, costumes are very popular at all Carnaval street parties (blocos) and there are many blocos that are costume specific.

Now for my favorite part! These seemingly macho playboy Carioca men always seem to dress in drag! They pull out all kinds of stuff! My proof, the Ballerinos I met last night. Fyi, Ballerino was not a typo.

It gets even better at blocos like Boitata where all the best costumes happen and it's quite a tradition for men to dress as some sort of woman. You will even see them so dutifully re-applying their makeup. That is, if you get there early enough and everyone isn't already drunk.

Happy Carnaval and Happy Cross-Dressing Playboys! 

Going to the Rio de Janeiro 2011 Carnaval Parade!

Guess who's going to watch the official Carnaval Parade!! YAY ME!

So a good friend got me a ticket to join her in one of the prestigious Carnaval Camarotes (private boxes)!  Can't you see me in my snazzy Camarote tank drinking chopps with other Parade enthusiasts. Well, I can't go as far as calling myself an enthusiast but I am close.

You see, this is my first time going to the parade! I have never walked in or gone to watch.  I just always figured you get a better view on tv. Well, you do unless you have box seats! Ok, now I'm gloating like a classic douche. You must forgive me, I'm just very excited!

And it's good for you guys too as I will do my post Carnaval Wordless Wednesday all about this Carnaval Camarote experience.

Of course I'm not going to one of the ones funded by beer companies; those are for the rich, famous, and rich and famous.  It doesn't matter though. I'm not a fame whore and wouldn't recognize any of the Brazilian ones anyway. Except for Gisele, of course.

It would be quite funny to get a picture with her. 

A Little Carnaval T & A

My 4 yr old has to print out pictures that represent Carnaval with the help an adults. My guess is that the adult should choose the appropriate photo. Too bad he has this Momma because we stumbled upon the photo above and I thought it was an exact representation of Carnaval.

I was preparing to print it when Mr. Rant pointed out that it was inappropriate for a class of 4 year olds.

Really?  I mean, I know it logically is but they see that kind of thing year round down here.  Carnaval is just boobie season on crack.  There are parades, billboards, and tv shows with these ladies.  And kids are readily involved in all the preparations and partying this time of year.  So duh, they've seen it.

But as Mr. Rant pointed out, why do we need to call attention to it.

Hello, she is painted in gold glitter with plastic pieces over the 10% of her bits Brazilians find inappropriate. I think the goal is attention.

And who are we kidding?!  This is Carnaval! These ladies are the paper. It's huge news when a school picks a new one.  I know that it's skin and it's sex appeal and all, but when have Brazilians ever been shy about that. There's pride in the Sassy culture of Carnaval.  Hell, they had a little girl up dancing in the parade last year, to much of the world's horror.

Still, it was funny to hear my husband addressing the tradition for what it really is: sex, sexuality, and very adult.  I guess the tradition is ok as long as Foreigner Mom doesn't send a picture of it into school with the 4 year old.

I guess I should save the Carnaval T&A for an age where him and his classmates will appreciate it a little more.

By the way, I switched to this one:

Fire at the City of Samba in Rio de Janeiro

I just saw a Tweet by Veja that said the City of Samba is on fire! The city of Samba is where floats and such for the samba teams are stored. These floats are absolutely amazing and take major time and money to build.  This is a huge loss for these teams.

The teams targeted by the fire were Portela, União da Ilha do Governador e Grande Rio.  The original article is here: http://veja.abril.com.br/noticia/brasil/incendio-atinge-a-cidade-do-samba-no-rio-de-janeiro

Fire fighters arrived on the scene at 730am. There's a lot of smoke and it will take some time to figure out the extent of the damages.

Thank you Veja for the above photo. 

Rio de Janeiro Carnaval 2011: Here We Come!

Carnaval is coming... Oh wait, it's already here. I know what you are thinking, Carnaval in Brazil is in March this year.

News flash, Carnaval is for like 5 weeks, not 1.  No, it's not official but is anything in Brazil ever official.  You see, Brazilians LOVE Carnaval so they start pre-partying weeks before.

Starting now, you will start seeing mini street blocos happening around Rio de Janeiro. There are also scheduled samba band practices that are more of a party then a rehearsal. And no, this is not just for the big samba schools your tour-guide friend loves taking people too.  The smaller bands have their own practices all over the city, and personally, those are the ones you really want to go to.

Anyway, if you aren't already partaking in the Carnaval Holiday Season, here are some things to remember about Carnaval:

1. If you are prude, stay home. There will be making out, sometimes more. Skin is everywhere and it's a-ok. Drinking is almost a must. Not a holiday for the born-again Christian.

2. You can always wear a costume. It does not matter if it's a costume bloco or not, crazy costumes are always welcome.

3. Men, if it's traditionally a cross-dressing bloco, cross-dress already! The Machismo men of Brazil go all out when it's socially ok to dress as women. Join the fun, women will still make out with you.

4. Blocos happen rain or shine.  Do not bring an umbrella.

5. They are arresting people for urinating on the street.  Crazy, huh.  You can urinate on the street any other time of the year but not when you are at a party with 300,000 people and there are only 2 port-a-potties.  Don't try to argue logic, just wait in line or hide behind a tree.

6. Condoms, condoms, and did I say condoms?  Wear them if you are getting it on. I don't care if it's with your wife. You don't know where anyone has been during carnaval!

7. Have fun! Take pictures! Don't get the camera stolen or it'll be hard to post said pictures onto Facebook.

8. Get your costumes now and avoid Saara at all cost the 2 weeks prior to Carnaval. It turns into craziness personified.

Good luck pre-carnaval partiers and to those prepping to come in March. It is always a good time so I don't see why it would be any different this year!