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.