The Photoblog for Sambadrome

The parade street - which stretches for over 1km

The Magnificent Floats

Amazonian Magic with flying birds

Forest Feast - complete with fountain

Spider with moving legs and people hatching out of eggs

One of the pockets of twirling colours

A present for you :-)

Charles Darwin and Evolution

When Travelling is Not Fun

The past 24 hours are a blur. With a migraine headache that made for a lucid reality, I spent those hours between my bed and crawling to the loo to get sick. To be fair, the past day has been nothing short of awful.

I don´t know where I picked the bug up from, but I do know that I have never (in my 27 years of existance) felt so rotten. In between the bouts of cold sweats and pounding head, nothing I consumed vowed to stay inside. I slept the entire day (only getting up to make my way to the bathroom somehow).

Elzi was an absolute angel, sacrificing an entire day´s worth of carnival time to spend it with me in the flat and check that I was ok. She was very worried about me and kept on begging me to eat something. I tried to convince her that this was the very last thing I wanted to do, but eventually coaxed me into eating a mashed banana at 6pm. Needless to say it didn´t stay inside very long.

She had a point though, I had to eat something to be able to take the general antibiotics (part of my DIY medical kit from home). Was hoping that that would bring the fever down, as well as the nausea. Well my body is a little miracle and managed to work through the bug on its own. Just after midnight I managed half an apple which stayed down. This morning I had some papaya - and it remains in my stomach. Wooohooo!!!

I felt so rotten that I seriously considered boarding the next aeroplane home. It is no fun being on your own in a foreign country and not knowing what the heck is wrong with you. I just wanted to hear a familiar voice or know my mom is a phone call away. Giving up is not an option and with this new day my health returns.

A few days ago Mark bought tickets for me to attend tonight´s BIG Sambadrome. This is by far THE BIGGEST AND BEST part of carnival and consists of a massive parade down the main street at the stadium - float upon float making their way down. It is the first league Sambadrome, which means that the floats, outfits and entertainment is of the first degree. It doesnt get better than this. I payed R$100 for the ticket (+-R400). It is pricey, but this experience is what carnival is all about. The blocos are the street parties which carry on forever, but the Sambadrome is the penultimate experience. It´s the stuff we have all seen on TV, the bright costumes, the incredible show.

It only starts at 10pm tonight and will carry on until breakfast time. Luckily I´m feeling heaps stronger. Mark is also going, Elzi not though as it is expensive even in Brazilian terms.

On another note - I´m convinced that my bug is the direct result of a poor diet (generally only having eaten once a day) and the high level of toxidity after consuming something alcoholic four days in a row. Back home I´m very healthy and hardly drink, so I think it was my body´s way of shutting down and purging itself of all the toxins with a 24hour fast. That and the fact that I was drenched to the nth degree every single night we were out. Me thinks a combination of these factors gave birth to the dreaded bug.

Needless to say, I´ve learnt my lesson. I don´t have a Brazilian constitution and can not drink as often or as much as they can. Nor can I subside on french fries and pizza staples. When travelling you have to listen to your body and do what is right for you. So another life lesson learnt right there.

To health and happiness
xxx

VIDEO CLIP
Saturday night´s escapades (my last night out before I got sick)

This video gives you an idea what a typical street corner bar in Rio looks like. This one was in Tijuca, the area Elzi lives in (and where I´m staying). I went there with Elzi and her friend Marisia (whom I met last time I was here). There are thousands of these lining street corners all over the city. Each suburb has enough bars to entertain you for months on end.

Soaked to the Bone

Yesterday the heavens opened up in Rio and it has not ceased since. I lost count after being drenched for the sixth time - infact it looked like Elzi and I had gone swimming. Worried that it could turn into flu, but have been taking Vitamin C religiously, so sure all will be ok.

Bloco at St Theresa - this was one of the quiter parts

The day´s festivities started off with the bloco at St Theresa, which started at 1pm. We got there just after 3pm and things were already in full swing. Being too lazy to walk the steep incline up the mountain to St Theresa, we took one of many white mini combis taking people up. Once we got there we were swept away in the crowds by the thousands of people milling about the narrow single winding road which winds round St Theresa.

Experienced a few moments of sheer panic, with thousands of people crowded into this tiny little space. As the float was making its way forward, so there were people dancing along behind and infront of it. Also saw some incredibly creative costumes, which I should have taken photos of.

Elzi and I only stayed an hour - wasnt much fun fighting for air, so we headed back down (by foot this time) to Lapa again, where we stayed until 3am. It´s amazing how in Rio you spend the better part of the day on the streets and only really come home to shower and change clothes. One even eats off the streets (when you remember to do so).
We happened to bump into the two Germans, Marcus & Andre again (whom we spent the previous evening partying with). Marcus again found a super cheap caiparinha stand (R$5 for 400ml) and as a result my head is still swinging from the toxic level of kinshasa.
Caption for video: One of the performances at Lapa

Lapa was a-buzz again last night, with thousands more carnival goers lining the streets. There was a big lit-up stage and some band performances on that, as well as dancers amid the crowds. The heavens opened up without relent during the night and being wet was part of the experience. At some stage we left the open air concert and went to a pool bar to play pool with the gang, which included a friend from the neigbourhood Elzi grew up in, his cousins, the two Germans and Guilherme (a friend of hers that I met when last time I was here). We ended up taking a cab home just after 3am.

Marcus, Andre and Elzi´s friends @Lapa. Below - pool bar


Not sure what today holds in store. All I know is that I´ve had minimum sleep - thinking that we were going to Sugar Loaf today. Woke up at 10:00 rearing to go, but was met by overcast skies and *surprise* more rain. Elzi is still sleeping and I decided to be brave, make expresso like coffee and catch up on blogging & e-mails.

No doubt that tonight will be another bloco somewhere, but this time the umbrella is going with.

For the Boys :-)

Last night was the best party I have been to in my life! And I´m told this is only a taste of what is to come.

The bloco started at 6pm at the City Centre (Centrum) and we went straight through to 4am. Felt that I could have spent the entire night on the streets, the atmosphere was electric, everyone was just living it up. The bloco kicked off with some semi-naked beauties doing a samba jiggle and that performance carried on for a few hours.

The lovely lasses strutting their stuff

We stayed to watch, being lucky to have front-row views. We stayed at Centrum´s bloco for a few hours, then made our way to Lapa by foot (about 20min away), which is the bohemian district. There the party just continued in full force. I´m told that this area of the city is always a-buzz, day and night. At carnival time there are thousands of people milling about, spilling over onto the pavement from row upon row of street bars. People dancing in the street, singing, such an AWESOME vibe! It is contagious.


I did not want to leave. That says a lot for the girl who used to be in bed by 10pm and used get the sulks if I was out later than midnight. Now I feel like a different person, laughing more, chatting to everyone, just feeling so alive.


We left at 4am, and that took some convincing from Elzi´s side. But so glad she did, because today the new bloco at St Theresa kicks off at 1pm and will probably turn into another all nighter. Carnival is not for the faint hearted :-) The bloco in St Theresa is apparently one of the best in the city, because of the location.
St Theresa is the artistic mecca of Rio, with heaps of artists living there. The bloco itself will be held in old ruins/castle type building, with a panoramic view of Rio. Due to its ueber high location the view is incredible.
Before we went to Centrum´s bloco last night, Elzi, Mark and I went costume shopping. It was such a riot. In the city centre there is street upon street of super cheap shops stocking every possible carnival item you can think of. One needs a local to navigate your way round. Once again very blessed to have Elzi there. Also not the safest area, so wouldn´t go by myself. Cameras and phones best left tucked away. Was another awesome experience, with people milling about in droves.

Elzi and Mark in Centrum with their Carnival goodies

My writing may be sporadic and all over the place today, but my head still feels like a ball of fluff after little sleep and too much beer and caiparinha. Despite drinking heaps of water inbetween, it still caught up.


Met loads of foreigners and locals last night, everyone feeling the spirit. Also had on my blue hair and got A LOT of attention with that. Elzi was calling me the ´next top model´ with the hairstyle, because everyone was commenting on it. Told Elzi that I´m seriously considering dying my hair ocean blue - felt like a different person and loved every minute of it:-)







Elzi, Mark & I sporting our carnival accessories


Watch this space for tomorrow´s update on St Theresa.


LET´S GO GO GO!!!

A taste of Carnival

Yesterday was manic. Rio never fails to deliver :-)


I woke up just after 7.30 (early by Rio standards) and had a lot of pent-up energy. Decided to expend that on the tarmac, so put on my running shoes and headed out. Ended up dashing traffic like mad - Tijuca is not an exercise friendly area, but managed to find a nice little park/square nearby which I circumnavigated x10 times.

Got home absolutely drenched. The subtropic climate here (humidity level) is high, so by the time I got back it looked like I had been for a swim. Gross :-( And then I was totally disorientated and went to the wrong floor, trying forever to unlock the door. Became so desperate after ringing the bell forever, that I started kicking the door to get attention (thought Elzi was still sleeping). Then I started praying (had visions of myself dehydrating right there, realising that if there was no-one to open up for me, I would have no access to water (and after losing so much, that was a pressing concern).

City Centre (Centrum) getting ready for Carnival

St Anthony came to my rescue (again) and urged me to look up at the no above the flat. I saw the error of my ways and breathed a great sigh of relief and apologized to the not-at-home Brazilian family for kicking their door & screaming like a coogal for attention.

Anyways, after that experience Elzi and I went to the City Centre, walked around a bit and then had a bite to eat at a buffet style restaurant. I paid R$10 for x5 pieces of sushi and some green salad. Not bad, and the sushi was DIVINE!! Then off to Mark´s hostel in Ipanema, where we hung around with the other travellers until bloco time.

Caption for video: Taste of Bloco at Lagoa, not so many people but awesome Samba band.
My first bloco was in Lagoa - which is on the big river in Rio, in Ipanema. Just a quick definition. A ´bloco´ (pronounced ´bloca´) is a street carnival party, where people dress up, dance like crazy, and you have an energetic Samba band begging you to move your feet as fast as possible. I went right infront of the band to dance, and was swept up up and away by the fury of the beat, the energy and people. Can´t quite describe it, but it must be the best high on the planet. The high of losing yourself in music, in rhythm and just jiving until you can´t anymore.

Needless to say I need new feet. Didn´t help that I went in slip-slops either. Today I will be making an investment in party-friendly shoes, as well as a snackpack extrodinare. Being vegetarian after a late night of partying is not fun, cos one struggles to find stuff to consume. So now I´ll be clever and load my backpack full of goodies which will see me through the early morning hours.


We ended up walking miles last night - one always does here, so my am run was totally unecessary, prior to a night of dancing and walking km´s. We got home after 1.30am, deciding that we needed to save ourselves for tonight and tomorrow - when the action really starts.

Elzi, Greydon, Mark and I - soaked to the bone at Lagoa´s Bloco

Forgot to mention that it rained non-stop last night - we were drenched! Got home with mud caked legs and feet. Luckily I had packed a hat and pullover ´just-in-case´. The weather forecast is grey & overcast for the next few days, apart from Fri & Sat. Hopefully tonight is a dry one.


Tonight we will be going to the City Centre for their boco, and tomorrow to St Theresa - where there are thousands of people! St Theresa overlooks Rio, and is BEAUTIFUL!


Plans for today:
Going shopping for Carnival outfits or atleast accessories, as well as regular shopping. Rio has an AWESOME selection of shoes and bags, which makes maxing out my credit card seem like a good idea. Have to have serious convo with myself that reminding J9 that she´s here to travel & experience - not shop :-/
6pm the City Centre bloco kicks off and then so do we.


Hope I get a surge of new energy soon. The next week is going to be the craziest one of my life.
And I´m learning to adapt in the process :-)

Açai in Heaven

So yesterday I overcame the big feat of finding my way to the underground and quite happily made my way to Mark´s Hostel - all by myself :-)

Mark adding some zazz to the lookout point at Ipanema



I felt so happy. Can finally detach myself from Elzi´s hems, I maintain some form of independence. I used to rely on her to be my eyes, ears & mouth, but feeling empowered now that I can go to Ipanema Beach by myself if I so choose. Yay-ness.

 So last night I met up with Mark and after he finished shift we decided to go and watch the sunset. Got there a bit too late, but was beautiful all the same (the photos don´t do it justice at all. Still trying to figure out night settings). We sat there and chatted for hours about ´Gott und der Welt´ and caught up on the past three years of our lives.

After that we walked our feet off up & down Ipanema Beach. With hundreds upon thousands of joggers, rollerbladers and cyclists, making their way up & down the beach. It is such a sight to behold. Truly magnificent! Added to bucket list is now a jog down that beach. Looked like a marathon yesterday & was dying to be part of it. This well after 8pm, the runners were still going strong. I´m told it looks like that 24/7 - just a steady stream of exercise fanatics. Will try take a pic next time to give you an idea.

I discovered another item I can quite happily subside on for the next few days (apart from fruit) and that is the Açai drink. It is a wicked blend of purple pulped berries on crushed ice and (alas, but not complaining), loads of sugar to make it taste like a piece of heaven. Dinner in a plastic cup, yum. Ipanema is a bit more expensive than Tijuca because of the touristy attraction, so a 600ml cup of Açai cost us 6Real (=$3).


Açai - and all it´s berry goodness :-)

Mark and I were chatting about the cost of living here in Rio yesterday. It is very high (because the Real is so strong compared to the dollar 2:1). Compared to other cities in South America Rio is by far the most expensive and not the place to be if you are doing this continent on a shoestring budget. Mark, for one, has decided to not stay here until Oct as originally planned, and rather include places like Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador and some other places on his itenary. Here one can live the high life (well definately as an Australian) and even for South Africans it would be dirt cheap. 


View from the top of Mark´s hostel. Photo doesnt do the steepness of the climb justice. Eats your thighs & bum

 

I´m hoping I can join him on part of his backpacking travels after the Carnival, as I´m feelng a bit unbrave to go at it guns blazing, female alone. Whilst sitting at his backpackers yesterday, I realised that there are LOADS of people doing exactly the same thing. So I think during my four week stay at San Blas in Cusco, I´ll make a concerted effort to find people to travel with. It should all work out :-)

Plans for the Day:

Going to the City Centre this am, afterwards solo mission to Ipanema. May meet up with Mark if free. After Elzi´s course finishes this evening we will be going out to see what´s hot & happening.

Rio is alive & kicking. So am I.

View from Elzi´s lounge. You can see Christ on top of the mountain.

When I turn around from Elzi´s lounge I can see Christ. On top of  the mountain that is. I´ve only just woken up after a gruelling 24 hour journey and still feeling pretty wrecked, but getting there.

Rio is five hours behind our time and my body is still responding to African time. My journey here was once again filled with blessings and meeting just the right people. After my mom & Neil saw me off at the airport, the real journey began.

Once we landed in Sao Paulo, chaos ensued. Infact the SAA flight (which was fantastic), had to circle the city for about 30min before we could descend. Much rain had delayed all the flights and the place was manic. Local flights were being changed left, right & centre to give preferance to international take-offs and was left stranded for 3hrs as a result.

Was very lucky to be standing at the right place, at the right time. A middle-aged man happened to be standing next to me, with the same ticket. He spoke fluent English (Israelian) and was kind enough to loan me his phone to contact Elzi to tell her about the delay. By following him around I was eventually able to find the right gate - may very well not have if he wasn´t there. Renaan told me he was here on a business deal from the Israeli government - doing some defence arms deal with Rio. Interesting that...

He was very helpful & kind and thanks to him, Elzi didn´t wait forever.

Upon arrival in Rio I was met by both Elzi and Mark. What an AWESOME experience! Mark had arrived from Melbourne, Oz, a month prior to me. After intense studies at Medical school he has also decided to take a much needed time out before he goes on to specialise. It was three years since our last union in Leipzig, Germany and just so unreal to be standing there again, together. Who would have thought!?!

Last night after arriving, I tossed down my bags & Elzi insisted that we go for a beer and bite to eat. Just after 12pm (midnight) on a Monday night you will find plenty a bar beckoning beer on every street corner, well here in Tijuca that is. We found one just round the corner, settled with a beer and later ordered pizza. My head was still swinging from the flight, but such an experience just to be there.

Amazed at how many people were out at that hour, most (like Elzi) probably having to wake up at the crack again to work. Loved the people watching bit, women totally embracing their sensuality. Felt like such a frump arriving in Sao Paulo when I saw all the gorgeous-ness around me. Felt like I´d come from a different planet when I saw all the beautifully clad feminine creatures milling about.

What I love about Rio is that women celebrate their bodies and don´t hide behind baggy clothing if they´re somewhat round at the edges. Saw a woman at our bar last night, wearing TIGHT tights, high heels and skimpy little top and she was a booty-licious mamma. In South Africa this would so have been frowned upon. Everyone in Greenacres would have stared her right out of the shopping centre. Here it is normal and fabulous.

I don´t understand why we buy into Western culture body issues. Here life, your body & self just seems to be celebrated. We´ve forgotten how to live. We´ve become too serious, too focused on the daily grind. On my last visit the Latinos showed me how to live. They have again.

I´m remembering what it feels like to be alive and live in the moment. I forgot for some time, became a bit too serious, but I can feel the old Janine coming back, seeping into my bones, calling me to dance in the street. Dance and sing. And in Rio - you can.

WELCOME TO RIO DE JANEIRO!!

PS. Plans for day

Unpacking, attempting to look human again (shower much needed), and then off to meet Mark at his youth hostel in Copacabana (where he is working) at 5pm. He will then take me out and about and Elzi may join up after her course tonight.

Challenges for day



Finding my way around (alone), going grocery shopping (and finding my way back home), finding subway and way to Cantagalo station (I am based at Afonso Pena). Should be a cinch after Mark´s wonderfully illustrated explaination. So bit anxious to be doing this alone (for the 1st time, always had Elzi as my wing-woman), but feeling confident.



Fruit markets with a ginormous selection of South American fruit. HEAVEN!!



Affirmation for the Day:

I am Divinely guided and protected. I am safe.

Top 5 Gratitudes for the Day:

1. Being met by Elzi & Mark at the airport - was dream come true to see them again

2. Blessed to have such AMAZING, caring friends

3. Renaan (Israelian) helping me at Sao Paulo to find my way

4. Baggage and self arriving safely in Rio de Janeiro

5. Feeling so good and happy in myself again. Life is GOOD :-)

And a section of the Veg section. Elzi in background. Look at the size of everything!