Banda de Ipanema

Joel and I are still here in Rio and having loads of fun! We have had memorable family moments where conversations varied from the best date to go on a catamaran cruise along the Caribbean coast of Panama to saving the world... of course that, in between the conversations, we always included some serious laughter about whatever... really cool and I'm loving it. Any of the homes are good enough for all of our encounters... but mostly we end up meeting at street cafes or restaurants to watch the carnaval stroll right before our eyes. It's really funny seeing a roman centurion walk by talking to Jack Sparrow or a nurse carefully listening to Cleopatra's story, not to mention a Jamaican reggae player having a laugh with two fellow prisoners... what a scene... so funny!

Today I bring you shots from two Blocos de Rua (explanation on my previous post called "Some pre carnaval fun"). The first one was "Azeitona sem Caroco" (seedless olive) and the second one "Banda de Ipanema" (Ipanema's band). Azeitona sem Caroco was also very family oriented, like the Bloco de Rua from last week, but... (we always have "buts" in our lives...) must tell you that I didn't find it that much fun... I thought it was just ok, but not that great.

However, after Azeitona sem Caroco, we went to be part and to photograph "Banda de Ipanema" and oh man... that was so much cool. Banda de Ipanema has become vintage in Rio's carnaval. They have been around since 1965 and today they are for sure more than a tradition in our street carnaval. I loved being there to register Banda de Ipanema pass by the streets of Ipanema and must confess that had a blast shooting the Pierrots and the geisha. Welcome to Ipanema and hope you enjoy the photos.

AZEITONA SEM CAROÇO

BANDA DE IPANEMA

Foreigners enjoying Banda de Ipanema

This "folião" had certainly 

had enough of this carnaval thing.

Oops, a blued eye blond Indian? Ok ok, 

guess that during carnaval this is accepted, LOL!

Tomorrow's "foliã"?

In need of a wig?

These were the best "Kodak moments" I thought

Some pre-carnaval fun in Rio

So, here I am in Rio de Janeiro, aka "Cidade Maravilhosa" (Marvelous City). Apologies for my complete lack of humbleness, but the city is indeed marvelous! I came down here for a long overdue birthday season. It has been a long long time since I last spent my big day with darling mom & dad, family and great friends. That will be next week.

However, if you are familiar with the moving dates for the yearly national party of carnaval, you will connect the dots and realize that my birthday is always very close to carnaval and that I can't help but just enjoy ther whole atmosphere that carnaval brings. As I wrote a bit earlier it has been a long time since I last had my birthday in these shores, which leads you to also realise that it has been another long while since I last spent carnaval in Rio. I had forgotten how fun it is, how "family and friendly user it can be!"

This morning, around 11 AM, Joel and I went out to join the "Bloco de rua" that was parading along the next street from where we are staying. "Bloco de rua" is something VERY Brazilian. In those, one has a moving band playing various samba themed lyrics along a pre determined area of the neighborhood and behind this band, comes a whole bunch of followers singing those songs and having fun. In most cases, these followers might be wearing costumes. Blocos de rua are all over the Country during the carnaval season. Rio has about 500 of them spread all over town.

Ours this morning was named "Imaginou? Entao amassa" and it paraded along Jose Linhares street finishing right at the beach in Leblon. The neighborhood of Leblon comes right after Ipanema. It was indeed loads of fun. Very family oriented and family friendly. There, one finds their primary school friend and teacher, the girl who lives down the road, the guys you always see in the morning when you are buying your bread, the man who sells pop corn outside your child's school... get the idea of the whole atmosphere we had? Really cool very carioca like (cariocas are the natives from Rio) ... so much fun.

As Joel and I were about to return home, we met my darling niece Ana, her gorgeous son Eduardo and my sister in law... didn't I tell you it is a family affair? Hope you enjoy the pictures.

The crowd

 

A foreigner fitting in and having fun.

My gorgeous niece Ana

and her son Eduardo, 

my only grand nephew.