So the big day has arrived, and the plan today is rest rest rest..... The parade tonight is "the best of the best" samba schools competing to win the championship. I had done a bit of research before buying and have to say this was definitely the best day to go.
First things first, I have to pick up the tickets. It's quite easy to get them online, I used www.Rio-carnival.net the official site and then can pick up in Rio but to be honest I could have just waited and got a deal when I arrived, and if you really like to risk it you can always go on the day and see what deal you can get. I paid £100 for sector 10 which is towards the end, I was really happy with the tickets. Others had bought more expensive box seats with food, drink etc for about £350 each but personally I think we had a great view and it was fun to be with the locals. Sector 12 and 13 are cheapest £30 or something and set back so the view is obstructed a bit. They don't release the tickets until very close to the event in order to prevent fake tickets being circulated.
Pick up is really easy, they used a hotel in Largo de Machado only 3 stops from me in Copacabana on the metro so I head out through the crowds already gathering on the beaches and in the streets for carnival. The metro runs 24x7 when carnival is on and is by far the best way around, either that or taxi but I'm quite liking the metro. I have a pay as you go card, easy to top up and usually means you avoid queuing for tickets after a parade finishes and get on quickly.
I saw something interesting on my travels, outside the metro station I noticed a playground. I thought nothing of it really until I noticed it was full of older people and a few kids. Look even closer and I realised its a kind of multigym, all the traditional kids playground things... Slides, swings etc but then there is a cross trainer type thing, and something for arms, all sorts of exercise equipment for all ages to use. Not a bad idea, and free...
I get back tickets in hand and catch up with Jamie and Lucy to see how they are getting on with their tickets for Sambodromo tonight, they have already been but they want to see the difference in the best of the best! Sadly they aren't in sector 10 but are opposite in sector 11. This is where my local sim comes in handy and Thomas our Gecko tour guide is amazing as ever, helping us find tickets at the best price and arranging for them to be delivered. It's a little stressful, but finally they arrive at the hostel.
One last job and then sleep.... So, I head out with Lucy so that she can get money, what should be an easy job ends up with us pounding the streets of Copacabana whilst every ATM rejects the transaction (at this point I am relieved that I took out quite a bit earlier). It's a bank holiday here for carnival, so most things are shut as everyone, literally, is at the beach or a parade. This is something that I vaguely remember happening to me before in some foreign countries that on bank holidays international transactions basically stop! And that is what's happened here, no banking till Weds now!!!
Anyway, all this pretty much burns my rest time but having travelled a lot I know the stress of suddenly finding yourself without money. It's not a nice feeling, so glad to help in any small way I can. I get about an hours rest in the end, better than nothing but first the hassle of fans not working again as it looks like the electrics have gone I the room now! Hostel life!!!
Time to get ready, I have my small token headress on for carnival just to fit in oand we head out. Sambodromo is near Praca Onze station, or Central this really depends on which side you are on odds or evens. Evens go to Praca Onza, odds to Central if you go to the wrong one it's a very long walk. I meet Claire and Cathy and we head in, although Cathy is really struggling with her foot which is very swollen and both girls seem to be having a bit of a bad time in Rio Claire being I'll and Cathy injured, I'm sensing staying to the end is not an option for them!
We are going to see São Clemente, Mangueira, Beija-flor, Grande Rio, Imperatriz, Vila Isabel. Vila Isabel are apparently tipped to win this year, and these are considered to be the best 6 so should be good.
Format is they have 1.5hrs maximum to parade, 15mins roughly between each school to clean up feathers and the like that have fallen off. It opens at 7pm and parade from 9pm and ends when they are done, but pretty much 7am ish is likely. So it is a very very long night. You are given a guide for free with information and the lyrics to the samba songs so you can sing along with it, plus a fan which is much needed. The guide tells about the themes each school has chosen as well, and it's really quite interesting to see so much effort made, Samba is a big part of Brazilian culture here and there are a lot of supporters in the crowds for their school.
The parade is spectacular, just when you think it can't get better the next school comes out. The floats are elaborate and costumes colourful, so many feathers (not real, apparently that was something dictated some years ago) full of surprises, like a car reversing out of one float. The dancing and show is breathtaking, if you go to Rio for carnival and do only 1 thing it has to be Sambodromo, you basically have not done carnival without it. From floating jelly fish, to depiction of envirnomental issues it's really something you have to see once in your life I think. I feel like I'm making my bucket list in reverse, basically just doing things and then thinking... Yes, that's something you should have on that list!!
At the start of the show, I'm sitting down when I hear this American behind me commenting on my headdress.. I soon calm her and assure her it's coming off before the parade starts. Anyway, this gets us talking and soon I find out she is an Author, Marci ... We talk a bit about publishing, and her book and then she introduces me to her friend Jim... He works for Intel!! I'm starting to feel like an IT magnet here! So, it's not long before we are chatting away and enjoying the show. The irony is that the girl in front of me has pink butterflies sticking out of her head that seem to be constantly getting into Marci's pics!!
Cathy and Claire leave pretty soon into the night and I stay with new pals Marci and Jim, I had expected this really as Cathy looked like she was in a lot of pain and sadly not really enjoying their experience. They seemed to be having a complete opposite time to me, as I was loving every second of carnival. Shortly after they leave I get a text from Jamie saying she can see me, and I start scanning sector 11 struggling (probably because its without my glasses!!) to find them, Jim then says is you friend in a black top and purple shirt? And I see this crazy lady jumping up and down in sector 11 and soon I start to do the same in sector 10 so she knows I can see her... It's pretty hilarious!
Anyway, I persevere as long as I can but my eyes give up with over stimulation and I leave around 4.30ish to head back with Jamie and Lucy. The walk back to the metro alone was fine, you can walk through the Sambodromo itself when you leave and there are so many police around and security at the metro that I feel safe enough, meet the girls and head for bed. It's been a long exciting night.
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