Ipanema Is Impeccable
"What the crap is that? Oh, its just a coconut." I said this to myself at 4am this morning at Ipanema. We were at a party till sunrise - on the beach. Rio!!! Yesterday was all about Ipanema. I went to the beach. I went to a parade. I went to a few parties. Its beautiful.
In the late afternoon, Scott, Eric, Kat, Sunni, and I went to a street parade. People filed down the street right next to the beach dancing, singing, and playing drums. A large truck is in the center of the parade. A band is on the back of the truck playing the song of the community having the parade. Scott also has a D70 so, we had each other's backs while shooting. It was fun to watch all the people pass by. Photos will be up when I get home.
After the parade, we sat on the beach drinking another Brazilian beer called Skol. I have learned this means cheers in Swedish. We watched the sun set behind the Two Brothers and took a lot of pictures of the group. I was letting Kat snap the candids. It was such a wonderful feeling to be on the beach at sunset without a care in the world and people everywhere enjoying life. The cab ride back to Botafogo was awesome with weird techno mixes of Bon Jovi and five people in a small car.
We grabbed some pizza at Kilograma on Rue Bambina. Its just up from the hostel. Then I parted ways. My friends were off to Lapa. I had been there the night before, and wanted to met up with Mark. I hadn't seen him over twenty four hours. I knew he was going to be at Shenanigans in Ipanema for the Super Bowl - boooooo. I found the square, and walked into what I thought was Shenanigans. It wasnt, but Mal, Matt, and Dan had a corner table. I sat with them for an hour or two. They had been with Mark all day, and said he went off to Shenanigans on the other side of the square. I found out Matt just started traveling! Its his first big trip. I told him its a dirty dirty drug that cannot be satisfied. He has to get out for at least a three month venture ASAP.
I decided to stop by Shenanigans at the end of the Super Bowl to find Mark. I waited in line for 45 minutes. It was horrible. The game ended and the Eagles lost. Sorry Philly. No Matter. This is Rio and its Carnaval. The two of us went back to pick up Mal, Matt, and Dan. We got some Fanta and vodka at a gas station and headed toward the beach. Parties were set to go till sunrise.
The first stop was playing hip-hop. We met some girls from England, but they were sloppy. We only stayed at this party for a drink. We saw some crazy stuff down the beach. This is where we ended up. This party had a dj and large speakers on the beach. A group of a couple hundred people were dancing in the sand. We met some local brazilians who wanted to practice their English. We sat infront of the crashing waves chilling till way past five. I wanted to stay till sunrise, but everyone was getting so tired. We high tailed it back to Botafogo and saw the sunrise in the hostel. Ipanema all day and night.
Today, I was at the Copacabana, at the Copa Copacabana beach all afternoon with Dan, Mark, David from Monterrey, and some English girls. The water was still rough but so refreshing. The sun wasn't quite as bright and hot, but still, its the beach in our winter time. Word. Of course, the scenery was also impeccable. I came back to the hostel with Dan and David. We got some food and are waiting for McCartan and Herb. We want to checkout a festival in St. Teresa. Later tonight, its on to the Sambadrome. The hostel had access to tickets for 50 Reis. Much cheaper then we heard of back in the US. I think its the best idea. We came all this way, and its Carnaval. The parade is scheduled from 9pm till 6am. The group that won last year will perform last. Each group has an hour and twenty minutes to perform. It should be insane.
Comments
simeon...that was a very profound statement about the coconut...i can barely bring myself to visit simeons.net during this trip due to strong emotions of regret and jealousy...but i am enjoying the updates...hope you guys continue to have a great time...the fun really begins once the irishman is in town...if bail money becomes an issue, i can wire $$
while you and your new friends, by the way i like english chicks or birds as they are referred to over there, I am here in cold rainy philadelphia, dealing with day two of a super bowl hangover. enjoy your fancy parades and cocktails on the beach and do a little living for me with my pale, death like complexion. If needed, i will also be willing to front bail money. Lamas minhas bolas!
what a good surprise! i am brazilian, in a hotel somewhere close to Landover-MD, looking for some information about "living in annapolis"... i found a blog's list website and there i found your blog.. and.. you are in Rio!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! there is really nice! enjoy it!
