By Sarah de Sainte Croix, Senior Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – With just two days of official public holiday left until Brazilians are expected back at work, there is still plenty of fun to be had at Carnival 2012. Tuesday is the time to shake off any hangover and catch one of Rio’s most famous street parties, the Carmelitas bloco, in Santa Teresa from the civilized hour of 10AM.
Follow that up with one of the all-time favorite blocos, Orquestra Voadora, at the Aterro do Flamengo from 2PM.
Made up of fifteen musicians playing a cacophony of brass instruments, this feel-good, modern-day marching band are among the rising stars of Rio’s music scene and they’ll have the crowd dancing their Havaianas off in the leafy surroundings of the Aterro in no time.
Today is also the period when the judges ponder over last night’s second day of Special Group parades in the Sambódromo and try to discern a winner.
There were six schools strutting their stuff in Monday’s official parade competition, namely: São Clemente, União da Ilha, Salgueiro, Mangueira, Unidos da Tijuca and Grande Rio.
Among the particular highlights for British spectators at the Sambódromo last night was União da Ilha’s “best-of Britain” theme to celebrate this year’s London Olympic Games, and thereby draw attention to Rio’s upcoming Games in 2016.
The parade highlighted similarities between British and Brazilian culture and showed-off irreverent caricatures from British popular culture, including a bespectacled Harry Potter and all four of the Beatles.
Read more (in Portuguese).
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