Carnival!

Few countries know how to party like Brazil during Carnival. While Rio has the most famous celebration, every city and town has a unique tradition. For Joao Pessoa, the festivities begin the Sunday before Carnival with a massive parade where everyone wears drag. The Brazilian enthusiasm for the Speedo translated seamlessly into 6’4” men wearing lingerie. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to fully suppress some of those images. While I was assured many times that the whole celebration was actually an exercise in masculinity I remain skeptical. Almost every day for the rest of the week there was some sort of parade or concert. While both my ear drums and liver had a rough week it was an unforgettable atmosphere. 18 wheelers filled with massive stereos, with crowds of people dancing on top of them, moved through the streets. Men and women wearing ridiculous costumes stumbled under the weight of too much alcohol. Last Monday, some friends and I visited Olinda -- a colonial town about two hours south of here -- that has one of the largest celebrations in Brazil. Known for the giant puppets that parade through the streets, over 2 million people were there. The whole day was a blur -- masses of humanity, constant “fever” music, copious amounts of beer, and 90 degree heat. While Carnival was a blast, I’m in desperate need of a break.