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!!!