"Carnival: A month and a half of frolicking and merrymaking, of
endless celebration because no one should have to tolerate the harshness of
life uninterrupted for a whole year."
Jorge
Amado, The War of The Saints
Bordering the Atlantic Ocean near the
Tropic of Capricorn, there is more to Rio then the February explosion of
Carnaval, though just experiencing the orgy of samba will easily give travelers
the time of their lives. Remember, however, Carnaval is a scheduled five-day
event (though festivities will usually last a week). Pace yourself.
Carnaval begins
at midnight on the Friday before Ash Wednesday and lasts for five days. In
essence, Carnaval is a dance contest. In Rio and all over Brazil, revelers go
to the streets to watch 16 samba schools battle it out on a tiered street
designed for samba parades.
As pointed out,
there are other Carnaval events throughout Brazil during February, some more
authentic and old-school than others. Both Rio and Sao Paulo hold huge,
commercial events, but that doesn’t seem to bother anyone. Another thing to be prepared for: You will likely see topless women. During Carnaval, clothes can be optional for some.
If you want to
make Carnaval part of your Brazilian experience, make sure to ask your travel
agent. Tickets are necessary to get the best view of the action, of which there
is multitudes performing and in the crowds.
The Amazon
Soccer and frivolity
tend to dominate the Brazilian social scene. The Amazon River dominates the
geography.
At more than 6,0000km
in length, the Amazon is the world’s second-longest river, trailing only the Nile.
Width wise, it is by far the biggest in many areas.
The rain forest of
the Amazon is home to more than 300 species of mammals, thousands of freshwater
fish, tens of thousands of trees and nearly a hundred thousand other plant
species.
With jaguars, toucans,
piranhas and anacondas to name but a tiny percentage, a trip to the Amazon River
and surrounding rain forest is akin to walking into Jurassic Park. Sure, you knew
this wildlife existed, but here you can see them in the wild.
Again, check on the
Internet or with your travel agent to find out about trips to the Amazon. There
are several, top-quality resorts right on the river that will give you room and
board, as well as give you tours to see the wonders of the area. Prices for these
resorts can be surprisingly reasonable.
Interesting Fact: The Amazon produces approximately 20 percent of all the
water that the world's rivers pour into the oceans on its own.