CARNIVAL IN RECIFE & OLINDA

Recife, the capital of Pernambuco, in the northeast
of Brazil, is a traditional Carnival destination for Brazilians.

For example, there are people who live in Rio who like to escape the waves of tourists arriving from around the world and party elsewhere.

Olinda, its neighbor, have long been Carnival hot spots for Brazilians from all over the country to let loose and really party. In recife, there are music stages downtown and spread out through the city. In Olinda, the partying takes place in the colorful, house-lined, sloping streets of the city.

In Recife, the Carnival festivities begin in December, as locals begin preparing for the official Carnival, which starts the week before Ash Wednesday. The pre-Carnival parties usually consist of percussion groups practicing in local clubs, city streets and squares, and even Carnival balls. There are a variety of rhythms from native Indian and African Maracatu beats to Frevo and samba. Carnival officially starts with the Galo da Madrugada, a party in downtown Recife attracting as many as 20,000 costumed partiers!

Do you remember those big dolls walking through the streets of New Orleans in the James Bond classic Live and Let Die? Well, that's one of the main characteristics of Carnival in Olinda. Olinda is characterized by steep rolling hills covered with colorful houses. Artists spend the whole year making huge dolls, which will be worn by people in street parades throughout the somewhat longer 11-day carnival celebration, which is kicked off by a parade of 'virgins' consisting of about 400 men in drag.

In Olinda, the people celebrate Carnival in the streets. Practically unknown to foreign Carnival novices, Olinda has a very respected Carnival tradition within the country of Brazil. So, if you want to celebrate Carnival with a more native Brazilian feel, without being totally surrounded by tourists from every other corner of the world, as you'll find in Rio, Olinda is an excellent choice. It's one of the longest Carnival celebrations, which lasts until early March and believe me it is a very happening, big party, attracting lots of beautiful Brazilians looking for a good time.

Brazilians are hot, sensual people and since Olinda is packed with Brazilians coming to meet girls and guys from all over the country you can bet the streets are sizzling. It's an interesting mixture of rhythms, in addition to the caboclinhos, native Indians, and African influenced Maracatu beats, there's Frevo, a style of music where people dance with umbrellas to a fast rhythm. People that go to Recife and Olinda know how to party and they live for this celebration each year!