At this stage of the game, I don’t think I have to try too hard when it comes to promoting a party that pretty much sets the standard: The Carnival of Rio de Janeiro.
Boobs! Pecs! Butts! Jiggling genitalia of all sorts contained by the thinnest layer of Lycra! This isn’t a holiday for the prim; if you like seeing magnificent bodies samba-ing in barely-there costumes, Rio is THE place to be. Running from February 8 – 12, the city becomes a hornet’s nets of parades, parties, and bands spontaneously generating all over the city at every hour, day and night.
While not the biggest of carnivals (that distinction goes to—huh?—Köln in—huh?—Germany), Rio’s is by far the most famous, the most wild, and, thanks to a tropical climate, the most naked. This is a party for all types, but just try and stop the gays from gleefully corralling a part of it for themselves: on February 12 is the Gay Costume Ball in the downtown Rio Scala section of the city. I have been to this thing, and by the end of all the hip-swiveling action, I was convinced Brazilians have ball bearings where I have a pelvis.
For all the skin on display, it may come as a surprise that Carnival, and its cognates Mardi Gras and Intruz, is inspired by Catholic faith—if indirectly. The day after Carnival is the first day of Lent, a no-fun-allowed six-week stretch leading up to Easter. Facing such grim prospects, cultures across Christiandom developed a pre-Lenten blow-out designed to have as much fun as possible to help coast people through a period of self-denial and penance. Where Catholics went, so did Carnival, leading to the event’s celebration in Europe, Latin America, Africa, Macau in China, Goa in India, New Orleans, and the Caribbean. In some cases, the party is so hardy, whole cities shut down for it…Rio being one of ‘em.
The downer is that while the street celebrations are pretty much a free-for-all (and reason enough to go), most of the official events, including the mother of all Carnival extravaganzas in the world-famous Sambadrome, require tickets. It pays to buy them ahead of time, and reserve your hotel way, way, waaaaaaay ahead of time. Rio is already the most-visited city in the Southern Hemisphere, and its population of 6.3 million rises by yet another million just for Carnival.
Getting thee is half the fun. Steele Luxury Travel is running a special for discounted business class tickets to Brazil! Roundtrip Business Class fares are just $2950 per person. Be sure to email [email protected] with your cities and dates to check availability! For more information on Carnival (and tickets), go to: www.rio-carnival.net.