24-Hour Party People: Up All Night In Rio
We are now just about to commence the long trip home after the news of Michaela’s father’s death. The following post was due to be next up before we received that news. There is one more Rio post to come after we arrive home…..
Well, we’ve done it. We weren’t sure how we would react to partying all night, but we arrive back at the hotel while breakfast is being served and dive straight into the caffeine rush of Brazilian coffee, grab a couple of hours’ kip and then force ourselves to wake before lunchtime to start the day and avoid any jet-lag style slump.
By the middle of the following afternoon we find ourselves in a Copacabana beach bar, sipping Brahma and caipirinha, listening to the soulful voice of the guitar-strumming singer, looking out across the beach and being served with a giant plate of the most juicy, succulent prawns you can imagine. The prawns drip garlic oil and taste divine. Reflecting on last night, eating this food, gazing across the sun drenched beach, we look at each other and wonder if life can really get much better than this. Rio de Janeiro does this kind of thing to you.
The night before this scene was truly amazing, starting with an Uber ride to Camarote Mar HQ where we join the long queue for the minibus to the Sambadrome, everyone sporting their obligatory pink team T-shirt and patiently waiting to be chauffeured off to a unique experience. Traffic to, and around, the arena is heavy, but Mar’s efficiency in emptying the buses and seeing us through the crowded streets to the allocated sector, is impressive.
Tonight is one of the biggest nights at the Sambadrome, when the different samba schools are locked in competition to be crowned annual Samba Parade Champions. The Sambadrome itself is a 700m long stretch of roadway between giant spectator stands, in shape something like an expanded version of the home straight of a Formula 1 circuit. Through this roadway come the schools, one by one, creating a colossal and unique pageant through the hours of the night.
There can’t be too many countries or cities in the world where such a huge social event, involving thousands of competitors and even more thousands of spectators, is held through the night rather than during daylight, keeping the huge crowds enthralled right through until sunrise. But then this is Brazil, this is Rio.
This whole pageant needs some context. Samba “schools” are social groups representing different districts or neighbourhoods or other social connection – there are more than 100 schools in Rio state. But among these stand an elite group, itself then further split into the Access Group and, at the very top, the Special Group. The carnival’s pinnacle parades in the Sambadrome will lead to one school being declared champion; relegation of one from Special to Access, and promotion of one in the other direction.
Competition is fierce but the sheer size of the event is what is mind blowing. Each night draws 90,000 spectators to this amazing festival; as the parade unfolds, each school takes around one hour to pass through the Sambadrome and each school presentation features many thousands of participants.
The show commences around 10:30pm, and with an hour per school, six schools per night and pauses between each school, the pageant takes all night to complete, the final school literally ending its performance as the sun comes up over the hills. The whole night is a succession of incredible sights: thousands of dancers in unimaginably elaborate costume, huge and fabulously inventive floats with themes of indigenous peoples’ histories, Brazil’s rich flora and fauna and its other heritages.
Music, often accompanied by tribal sounding drumbeat, belts out at high volume – one song per school on a variety of repeats – to accompany the performances, all in all the most elaborate and spectacular parade of its type imaginable. Words cannot really do justice: hopefully the photographs will do so.
Our fee (not cheap) to be members of Camarote Mar includes as much food and drink – high quality food and alcohol which starts at Moët & Chandon and works down to Brahma – as we can consume, all night through till daylight. The sights and sounds mean that tiredness never comes for either of us and we’re still partying as the very last school dances its last steps into the first sunshine of the day.
It’s been an absolutely unique, enthralling experience.
Only as we disembark the bus back at HQ do the eyelids start to turn heavy; a cab ride later and we’re dragging ourselves into the hotel lobby and into the breakfast room where our friendly waiter, recognising the combination of Camarote Mar T-shirts and bleary eyes, has black coffee on our table in a jiffy.
What a night. What an experience.
34 Comments
Alison
What a feat! Well you’ve done it and deserve medals yourselves. No way I could stay up all night. It all looks absolutely wonderful. Safe flight back ..at least you had Rio
Phil & Michaela
It was a lot of fun, Ali. On our way home now….
Toonsarah
Wow, it’s clear even through your photos that this was an incredible experience, and to actually be there must have been something else. I did know that these parades were amazingly elaborate but not that there was a competitive promotion and relegation element. And of course there’s a poignancy to this post, as you wondered ‘if life can really get much better than this’, not knowing that your trip was about to be brought to such an abrupt end, and for such a reason. Safe travels home (if you aren’t already there).
Phil & Michaela
Just at Rio Airport now with the long journey ahead of us. Thank you for noticing that poignancy, Sarah….I’d written that bit before things went pear shaped, I thought about taking it out but then decided not to…
Miriam
Wow, what an absolutely spectacular experience. Reading your post, looking at your amazing images and reliving it through you just made one thing even more clear, we really have to grab life by the hands and enjoy every single colourful, beautiful moment. Because you never know how quickly it can change. As you’ve discovered. All the very best as you head back home. 🙏
Phil & Michaela
You are absolutely right, Miriam. Make the most of our time here huh because you just don’t know…Thank you, we’re on our way now, just at Rio Airport.
Monkey's Tale
What a great night! Richard went to this event before we met. As you said, only Brazil would and could hold a party like that. Maggie
Phil & Michaela
Absolutely! Rio has been fabulous regardless!
Gilda Baxter
The Rio Carnival is absolutely amazing. Your photos are stunning. I remember last year feeling like zombies after partying all night at the Sambadrome, but so worth it. I love the colour palette of your Camarote Mar t-shirts, ours was black. They change the colour every year.
Our deepest condolences again for your loss.
Phil & Michaela
What an experience! And it’s no exaggeration to say it would never have been the same without your advice and assistance. Thank you so much!
Lynette d'Arty-Cross
They certainly know how to party! Good on you for making it through until morning. I’ve never been really comfortable with those types of large crowds and probably wouldn’t have made it until morning. Great post – you convey quite a sense of being there.
Phil & Michaela
Thank you Lynette. Well, it was definitely a different experience, that’s for sure!
Marie
Wonderful – and bittersweet…. safe home. XXXMarie
Phil & Michaela
Thank you Marie
Suzanne@PictureRetirement
From the highest of highs to the lowest of lows, in the blink of an eye. All the more reason to enjoy life to the fullest. Blessings to you both.
Phil & Michaela
Thank you Suzanne….we arrived home today and will take it from here.
Annie Berger
Wow, what a feat of endurance that you managed to take in the performances by the samba schools. Don’t think we could have done it! As others have already commented, do what we can while you can as you never know what life holds. Our thoughts continue to be with you both.
Phil & Michaela
Thank you Annie
leightontravels
Wow, what a vast relentless assault on the senses. Life being celebrated at full throttle… I too thought of how bittersweet this must have felt in the days that followed. Hope you got back ok, wishing you both all the best for the hard weeks ahead.
Phil & Michaela
Thank you bud – just got back this afternoon. We’re hoping that there’ll still be enough time after the funeral to resurrect at least part of the trip – there are so many great looking places in Brazil that were on our agenda as it stood.
Lookoom
The floats are phenomenal! I’ve had some experience of this in Toronto, where there’s an annual Caribbean festival inviting the best carnival troupes. But in Rio it’s even more massive! A wonderful experience.
Phil & Michaela
The whole city/carnival atmosphere is breathless, a unique place.
Travels Through My Lens
They certainly know how to party in Rio; the colors and details are amazing. We never know when life will suddenly change, so we need to enjoy every minute possible. Safe travels and all the best to you and Michaela.
Phil & Michaela
They definitely do! Yep, we’re now (very) unexpectedly back home so it’s been an odd start to the year
WanderingCanadians
Seems like quite the party if you were willing to stay up all night! I can’t even remember the last time I’ve stayed up all night.
Phil & Michaela
It was so full of life that it was easier than it sounds!
Latitude Adjustment: A Tale of Two Wanderers
You guys are Every-Ready Batteries!! Great photos. We did the Barranquilla Carnival here in Colombia ( not as large as Rio but another big one )just before Covid hit. It was 5 days and nights of shear craziness but worth it. That zapped us out for large mass events.
Phil & Michaela
Ha ha 😂😂 well Rio was definitely an experience. What a non stop crazy city!! Loved it, by the way….
grandmisadventures
Totally worth being awake for that long to get to be part of this. The details, colors, movements, and overall pageantry is absolutely incredible. Seeing them in person must have been almost overwhelming in the very best way 🙂
Phil & Michaela
A unique night even in our experience!
wetanddustyroads
Wow, that parade! So much colour and detail (and all the effort that goes into it). It’s just incredible!
Phil & Michaela
It certainly is!
rkrontheroad
Fabulous… how wonderful to be there! I’ve been to the one in Trinidad, dancing through the streets for three days, but Rio is undoubtedly the cream of the crop!! I had a trip planned there (not during Carnival) when the pandemic first hit, which was cancelled of course.
Phil & Michaela
A once in a lifetime experience, that’s for sure, Ruth