Winnie has made it all the way to Rio de Janeiro during – probably – the best time of the year!

Carnaval!!!

Each year different Samba academies across Brazil compete for a title at the end of this major event. Judges base their votes on music lyrics, best story line, costumes and overall atmosphere!

Around the city of Rio there were TONS of block parties and parades! From February 22nd to March 2nd, people dressed up as anything, everything and even nothing to follow the party train!

The fact that drinking is legal in the streets is more than clear as street vendors make big profits selling beers.

It is a hot and humid paradise of P.D.A down here. Summer and Carvnaval don´t seem to want to GO away… But why should they??? Well, maybe cuz reality here doesn´t bite as much as mosquitos do. In with the Off Spray out with the cold!

Happiness is in the air and extremely contagious! By the end of each block-parade everyone is smiling! The lyrics to this year´s winning Academy of Samba – Salgueiro were about HOPE and praises communication and positive aspects of  what we have enherited from our ancestors; nature, passion, and culture.

One party that did not disappoint was Bailinho. It was held at the Musuem of Modern Art of Rio de Janeiro and brought together the Peter-Pan-Syndrom crowd – adults that don´t seem to want to grow up!

Carnaval was not dead on Sunday March 2nd, 2009, as the second to last Bailinho pumped up the Jam a little more… DJ Corello and Zé Ricrado played a lotta charm, soul with a little 80´s and 90´s here and there.,  towards the end there were some brief political interludes, but I didn´t hear any hardcore Brazilian Funk… Maybe I got there tôo late or left tôo early…  Unlikely.

It was like partying in an art installation… As you walk up a tunnel of white strings, a giant candle lit sanctuary greeted you at the door.  Imagery set a nostalgic mood. Accessories being handed out compensated for the hundred and twenty bone full-priced tickets. If you are a student you get to pay a friendly half price.  Mischievous quotes hung up all around set the mood, but the best party favor of all time was the safety conscious condom case avec Bailinho logo and condom included!

The gigantic disco ball illuminated the dance floor as we danced under the showers of confetti and a rainbow of party string! A huge drink selection was available at a relatively moderate cost and a food stand by the infamous `Bar da Graca´ offered Indian samosas and Japanese rolls.

Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves at Bailinho! Good news is, there is another one next week, bad news is, it’s the last one!

A personal favorite was the low-key trampoline at the back allowing two drunks,at a time, to smash into one another and potentially crash and burn. What fun! A lot of Among others, Fabiano Moreira was there taking pictures for Gema TV! Rumor has it, he has lost his camera ☹.  He might just have to share our link with his blog fanatics!
Young and pretty girls were star-struck by the presence of Rodrigo Santoro. Big deal. Winnie was there!

Songs that made the set eclectic and struck a chord in everyone´s heart:

Depeche Mode – Enjoy The Silence

Blur – Girls & Boys