Party time
The Herald|May 22, 2024
SOPHIE ROBERTS revels in the samba beat for a week of Rio's Carnival
SOPHIE ROBERTS
Party time

MIND the gap. Three words I usually hear on the London Underground. But today, I'm not elbow-barging past stressed commuters.

I step off a cable car in Rio de Janeiro that has taken me to the summit of Sugarloaf mountain. Christ the Redeemer watches from lofty Corcovado in the distance, with arms outstretched.

The sprawling cityscape looks peaceful as the sun sets and boats leave gentle ripples on Botafogo Bay. In a matter of hours, Brazil's second-largest city will be awash with millions of people dancing in the streets.

I take a big breath, an even bigger sip of my caipirinha, and brace myself for the wild week of Carnival that lies ahead.

Six o'clock in the morning isn't usually when I'd go out drinking, but this is a very special occasion.

Street parties, known as blocos, start as soon as the sun's up. So I wipe the sleep from my eyes and get ready for Cordao da Bola Preta.

The famous carnival block, founded in 1918, has become one of the biggest blocos in Rio. It draws in more than a million people each year with its catchy marchinha music and good vibes.

I arrive early and climb on top of a truck that will slowly make its way through Centro, surrounded by hordes of revellers. The name and theme of the bloco is "black ball", which inspires various quirky outfit choices.

Wearing as few clothes as possible helps to negate the scorching heat, which isn't a problem when everyone's so attractive. Ladies don polka dot corsets and men cut see-through circle shapes into their T-shirts.

In spite of the relentless sunshine, a couple in Dalmatian costumes and dog leads crawl along the street. There's also a bloke dressed as Jesus, who gets the crowd going by pumping his fists in the air.

Overlooking the sea of hundreds of thousands of partygoers feels pretty daunting initially. But the driving beat of drums is so hypnotic my hips start moving involuntarily.

Esta historia es de la edición May 22, 2024 de The Herald.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición May 22, 2024 de The Herald.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE THE HERALDVer todo
DUO SIGN UP FOR PARKWAY
The Herald

DUO SIGN UP FOR PARKWAY

RYAN BRETT AND TAYLOR SCARFF JOIN BOSS CHRIS MCPHEE

time-read
1 min  |
June 15, 2024
Jack Matthews: From Plymouth Argyle mascot to first-year professional
The Herald

Jack Matthews: From Plymouth Argyle mascot to first-year professional

JACK Matthews grew up as a young Plymouth Argyle fan being dazzled by the playmaking ability of Graham Carey and Ruben Lameiras.

time-read
4 minutos  |
June 15, 2024
'Deal with it': Jordan Pickford embracing pressure as England prepare for opener
The Herald

'Deal with it': Jordan Pickford embracing pressure as England prepare for opener

JORDAN Pickford insists England must enjoy the pressure of being among the tournament favourites at Euro 2024.

time-read
2 minutos  |
June 15, 2024
Labour promises social care cap
The Herald

Labour promises social care cap

INTRODUCING a cap on adult social care costs by October next year is part of Labour’s plan if they win the election, Wes Streeting has insisted.

time-read
1 min  |
June 15, 2024
Sunak plays down poll
The Herald

Sunak plays down poll

RISHI Sunak has insisted that voting for Reform UK would be “handing Labour a blank cheque” as he played down a major opinion poll showing Nigel Farage’s party overtaking the Conservatives.

time-read
2 minutos  |
June 15, 2024
Knighthood for PO campaigner Bates
The Herald

Knighthood for PO campaigner Bates

EX-PM BROWN AND ARTIST EMIN ARE ALSO GIVEN HONOURS

time-read
2 minutos  |
June 15, 2024
Middle East eatery impresses
The Herald

Middle East eatery impresses

A NEW Plymouth city centre restaurant is serving freshly made Middle Eastern dishes – and customers are impressed at the reasonable prices.

time-read
2 minutos  |
June 15, 2024
his former partner Stalker jailed for threatening
The Herald

his former partner Stalker jailed for threatening

FIFTH PARTNER OF MAN WHO HE HAS CONVICTION AGAINST

time-read
2 minutos  |
June 15, 2024
School turns its fortunes around with Good rating
The Herald

School turns its fortunes around with Good rating

MARINE ACADEMY PREVIOUSLY INADEQUATE

time-read
2 minutos  |
June 15, 2024
Charity assistants join team in pilot scheme
The Herald

Charity assistants join team in pilot scheme

MARIE CURIE TRIO WORKING IN A&E TO AID END-OF-LIFE PATIENTS

time-read
3 minutos  |
June 15, 2024