6 March 2011
We were hoping of much better things to come of the carnival in Olinda. It is considered to be the most authentic, the most beautiful and the most spontaneous of its kind. This is what I was really looking forward to. This was my opportunity to 'let my hair down' and dance..... and dance. Everyone knows how I love to dance! But on this occasion I have to admit that I was flagging. Certainly this carnival was different. No ghetto blasting floats, Olinda's streets too steep and narrow for such things. But the music inside the hall was still ear splittingly loud. At least we all had a seat, most importantly in the shade. Again we were given our condoms. According to the gospel of Google Brazil was handing out 55 million of them throughout the country during Carnival! We were absolutely delighted to receive them. David has read in a yachtie magazine that they are brilliant for covering the little gas cylinders in life jackets. Keeps them from rusting you see.... Food was provided, basic but tasty, and there was a free bar. The rally managed along with our Brazilian amigos to drink the bar dry. The people of Brazil have this exhaustive energy. They just love to party and their zest for life is quite infectious. But what impressed me the most is that in the whole of the mob I saw only one older couple smoking, in spite of the fact that there was free drink all day nobody got horribly drunk and there were no unpleasant incidences. Irene and Dick went for a walkabout in the neighbouring streets but returned soon after. They could not move for the crush of people. Three bands played in our arena, the last one a brass band, and all playing the same 'frevo' music. A dancing group who performed for us were amazing, all twirling umbrellas and fancy footwork. At 4pm the mob moved onto the streets and we marched behind our band of drummers and dancers. We were the parade or at least part of it. After an hour the heat got the better of us and thankfully did not have to wait too long for our bus to take us home. An hour later we were sitting down to a lovely sausage supper aboard Tzigane and turned in for an early night, exhausted......
Susan Mackay