Subtopic	Posts		Updated
	Carnival Photos	4		2002/03/12, 03:43 am
	Archive 01	50		2002/02/21, 09:10 am

Billcink - I think that you probably talking about Roberta (and I did a lot more than see her - we had a couple trips to the suite). She is beautiful as well as a really sweet girl. Italian accestry. A couple times, when I looked a her I saw a strong resemblance to Julia Roberts; although I think Roberta is much prettier.

Wilco & I had quite the adventure the other night going to the parade of champions. Story goes something like this:

We talked 2 girls from Termas 65 into going with us; they were to meet us at 7pm next day. At 7pm, my date still could not track down Wilco's day so they weren't going. 8pm received call from them; everything was go. 9pm our dates arrive with a 3rd garata from Termas 65 (she is driving). The ride out to the parade was wild; this girl would brake, swerve, etc randomly while driving about 100 mph. Once we arrive , we park . The spot that they choose to park was where a large truck or something had driven over some barriers on the side of the road; the gap was just wide enough for a car to squeeze into. It takes us a few minutes but we are able to buy a scalped ticket for garata #3. We do the parade for a few hours; these girls are nuts - samba'ing, singing all the words, continually wanting more beers, lots of fun. Well, it starts to rain hard so we head out. Only problem is that another car has pulled in behind our car blocking us in. One of the crazy girls finds this 300 lb boulder and rolls it next to the car. She wants Wilco & me to pick it up and drop it on this heavy duty pipe barrier to try to create enough room for us to get out. Well, after about 2 hrs the guys that blocked us in return so we're out. We race madly around from about 30 minutes & I think that maybe we're going to make it home alive. We pull around this corner & in front of us is the parade stadium; we had been circling for 30 minutes. At that point, we left the girls & got a cab home. Just another day in Rio.

I believe Wilco is going to write up a trip report so maybe he can add some more details.

Youngtom, She told me her name was Barbara,but who knows?She might have a "stage" name with every customer.She was a dyed-blonde with a butt you could die for.The face was very close to JR.If it was the same girl I'm sure you had a great time.

Here is a link for the offical web site for the Rio Carnaval. As the 2003 Carnaval approaches, it looks like a good place to look to buy tickets. Locally tickets cost 170 reais for section 7 and 280 reais for section 9. They go on sale in December. If we can figure out how to have someone buy them locally, we can save alot of money over the travel agency rate.

YT: I do not see any link ?

Try ; http://www.musikcity.mus.br/carnival

Oops - here is the samba school link -
http://liesa.globo.com/por/liesa.html

This may be a silly question, but with all the parades, parties, and debauchary going on, are the girls still available to party? When you hit 45 it's a bit tougher to pick up the 20 yo party girls.

EMK

EMK
Garotas on the program would love to transact business with you. Majority of hombres in Rio are in their 30's, 40's and 50's.

There are problems with garotas da programma and Carnaval. The main problem with Carnaval & finding women is that the termas (& agencies for that matter) all close for 2/3 days. The other venues (Help/Lido night clubs) all continue to humm along. Help does get so crowded that the only thing that you think about while you are there is "I have to get out of here with my life". There is alot of fresh talent that comes to town for Carnaval as well although many of them seem to want outrageous prices. The slow days are Monday thru Wednesday of Carnaval week. After Wednesday, things go back to normal as the masses return to their countries of original, the termas re-open, Help and everywhere else isn't over crowded, and the party continues. Hotel prices also return to normal as well (they triple during the 5 days of Carnaval. If you dislike crowds then avoid Rio during Carnaval (In 2003, Carnaval goes from April 30 - May 5).

Oops. Next year's Carnaval is 1st few days of March not May so that should have said Feb 28 - Mar 5.

Thanks YT,

a short list of things I hate:

Crowds and noise

Fearing for my life

Inflated prices

Plus American has under 400 fare to Costa Rica via Miami right now, so I'm thinking a return trip to CR and postpone my Rio trip for a few months. And accept the fact that my dream of seeing Carnaval is not in my best self interest.

EMK

Well EmailKid - I hope that we can team up soon for a Rio trip. See ya in Reynosa.

I'm there.

And I did book that Costa Rica trip today, so I'll be in San Jose May 10-13.

I know, short trip, but it's a short inexpensive flight from MIA.

EMK

Carnaval will be March 1-4th this year. I went last year & had a great time. There is good & bad about going during carnaval - the bad is housing costs are 3xtimes what one would pay normally, there are too, too many people, the termas close down for a few days & the good is that there is some special fun that one doesn't find any other time of the year, there are street festivals and rio is even wilder and crazier than normal.

I went to the sambodrome both nights for the height of carnaval (sunday & monday nights) and it was an amazing experience; one of the best in my live. I would recommend that everyone do it once in their live.

This year I'm thinking about arriving in Rio at the end of the Carnaval week on Friday (so I guess that would be about the 7th of Mar). One can still hit the parade of champions & still get a feel for carnaval (although it is not the same).

I will be down for Carnaval this year. I went last year but I don't feel as if I experienced Carnaval. This year I want to go to some of the Carnaval balls. Does anyone have any recomendations for must attend Carnaval balls?

It depends which of the Carnaval Balls you're planning to attend. If you're referring to some of the more formal balls then this might be fun (but expensive) to see some high quality Brasileiras.

I suspect that you're planning to attend one of those held in Scala in Leblon. These run from the Tues. before Carnaval for 7 nights each night having a different theme e.g.
Baile Mangueira (generally one of the first)
Baile Espuma (foam)
Baile Gay (always held last school)

I attended Baile Preto & Vermelho (Red & Black as in Flamengo) two years ago. I wasn't very impressed. It was 75/80% males in the general downstairs section, hot, crowded and not a lot of available women. Any nice looking women were in the boxes upstairs which are pricey and probably guest only. The balls are televised live on Band and for the last two years all seem to be similar.

Personally, I'd give it a miss and just make sure you make it to one of the Samba schools on the Saturdays leading up to Carnaval.

i was at preto e vermelho 3,4 years ago and i agree with ardgneas.i think they are overpriced not only for tourists,but also for the middle income brazilian therefore so much more males than females.so mrbaseball i would give rio a miss during carnival and leave for salvador where the sambaparades are free of charge and you also can se the stars from bahia music life on the parade.such as banda eva are keetu,ivete sangalo daniela mercury.i have been to 3 carnivals in rio,been dancing on the sambodromo98.2 times in salvador and i think salvador is more genuine,better,more lively.cheaper.iggy

I wouldn't mind going to Salvador, but my friends have never been to Rio before so we will be there for the entire seven days. Thanks for the info on the Red & Black Ball at Scala. That was the ball that I was most curious about.

Iggy: I've been spending time in the northeast and have been purposely avoiding Salvador because of street crime. Nearly every travel report I've read on the place involves getting mugged, and I hear it's no safer for the locals. Any comment on this?

hi bendejo!no not really,the only thing i can tell is that durng my short time about alltogheter1 month is that i never been mugged,robbed.been warned by the locals not to been seen with my camcorder,maybe im just been lucky.i have been told the crime rate is high in salvador,i think if you are a bit careful i think you and everybody else thinkin of going there would be okay.i mean dont wear the shield primeiro gringo. iggy

explenation? the term primeiro gringo was used by the owner of ibiza bar.for the first timer in rio,not meant to hurt anybodys feelings.iggy scandinavian so im sorry if im making grammar errors.

Has anyone actually been to the Ball at the Copacabana Palace? Was it worth the price?

mrbaseball! i cant vouch for this one an englishman i know went there last year and according to him it was nice.he wouldt not doing it again he said.iggy sca.

Does anyone know if any of the termas will be open during carnaval?

Last year, it was reported all the termas were closed for at least a couple of days for Carnaval.

Girls told me Solarium usually opens
Help has a big bash

It is kinda strange, but I was there for carnaval last year and I don't remember if they were open or not. Oh well . . .

How long does Carnaval go on after it is Offically over on March 5 ??

no longer, it is finished.

Actually, on the next weekend, there is another parade in the Sambadrome, the winner parades once more. But that is the only isolated carnival activity

Carnival ends abruptly, but starts much earlier. In Bahia, in many cities, there are festivities and street activites starting in around December.

And there are "off season carnivals", many cities have one, for a few days at a certain time, once a year.

You dont need to go to Salvador, anywhere in Northeast there is lots of Carnival. Porto Seguro, Recife, Fortaleza, Natal, anywhere ..... Natal is a small beautiful town, probably safest place

Personally, I have not seen carnival there, only off season carnivals.

It's finished........ except for in Recife/Olinda where there are a numer of "blocos" partying on untill Saturday when they have the "Waiter's Carnaval" for all the poor bastards that had to work over Carnaval. But for all pratical pruposes, BSalpha is right, it's over on Ash Wednesday. The off-season Carnvals are fun, the biggest one is "Fortal" in Fortaleza in July.

BS

Hey, what will Rio be like two or three weeks after Carnaval? Will prices still be high (chicas, hotels)? Will the chicas be gone? Will hotels still be full?

Thanks!

Nah, everything prety much goes back to normal on Ash Wednesday. The week sright after Carnaval is a great tiem to go to Rio, although this year you'll be risking catching the begining of the fall rains in March (the song ain't called "Aguas de Marco" - Waters of March - for nothing).

BS

To my fellow HOMBRES. I ran into this website the other day from somebody by the name of ANDROID who visited RIO DE JANEIRO recently and attended one of the many balls now taking place in Rio de Janeiro. I think you will find the pictures very interesting and entertaining. Anybody ever been to one of these balls? Cost for attending these balls? Likelihood that a gringo can get into one of these balls? Here's the link:

http://www.phase.com/android/carnaval_2003

Turk:

The bailes can be great fun. All you need is cash - roughly US$50 for a ticket, although prices vary all over teh place depending on the club. Plenty of gringos - in fact probably TOO many at the more famous ones.

BS

Turk5555 that link does not work....?

Kenn, sorry about the bad link. The PBASE website allows you to post pics on a trial basis then you need to pay an annual fee. I guess the poster was a trial member. The pics were there and they were wild. Sorry about that.

Turk

Buzios Trip Report – Carnaval 2003

My girlfriend Cristiane met me at the Rio de Janeiro International Airport upon my arrival at 7:30 a.m. on February 28. By the time I claimed my luggage, cleared immigration and customs it was about 8:15 a.m.

Cristiane arrived early and had already made contact with Antonio Ribeiro, our driver, arranged by Pousada Casacolina where we staying in Buzios.

I highly recommend Antonio’s services as your transfer to and from Rio de Janeiro. Antonio, a former Argentinian now living in Buzios, is a very warm and friendly guy. He speaks very little Enlgish, but if you can speak some very basic Portuguese and Spanish you will have no problems. Antonio maybe contacted at (22) 2623-2390 or 9211-3130. Antonio charges US$70.00 each way. Expensive by Brazilian standards, but well worth it. You could not hire a limo for this amount of money in the USA. You could also take a bus from the airport for a lot less money, but I decided on my own car (carro confidencial)

The drive to Buzios is about 180 km from RJ international and very scenic with rolling hills throughout the route. The drive normally takes about two hours to complete, but because of the start of Carnaval, it took us a little over three hours because of a long backup as we neared Cabo Frio, which is about twenty miles before Buzios.

We arrived at Pousada Casacolina at slightly past noon. Pousada Casacolina is located on a bluff overlooking and within a short walking distance (200 meters) of Praia de Geriba, one of the larger beachs in Buzios.

Pousada Casacolina is owned and operated by Helena and Alfredo, an Argentinian married couple who immigrated to Buzios about 23 years ago. Casacolina is a beautiful Pousada with many amenities including swimming pool, sitting areas (verandas), views of Praia de Geriba and the surrounding hills, restaurant and good, clean rooms.

The Casacolina rooms are small, but come with a large bathroom and showers, air-conditioning, full-size beds, television, mini-frig (stocked with water, sodas and beer) and a very small veranda (balcony) adequate for drying your towels and not much else.

I did a lot of internet research before selecting Casacolina, but my complaints are that the rooms are small, TV’s only have four channels, and air-conditioning is not very cool, but adequate and they only provide two large bath towels per day.

The Casacolina restaurant serves a complimentary continental breakfast each morning that includes coffee, milk, fresh juices, croissants, rolls, jams, cheeses, cereals, eggs, sausages and fruits. Casacolina can also prepare lunch and dinner, but I do not recommend them as there are plenty of very good restaurants in Central Buzios.

If you rent a car (not needed, by the way, as there are plenty of taxi’s and drivers) Casacolina provides parking in the front entrance. Security is good with locked gates, closed-circuit tv cameras, and security boxes located in each room, something that I found lacking in the apartment I rented when I stayed in an apartment on Copacabana.

The Casacolina staff is extremely friendly, but they do not speak much English. There were not very many Americanos staying at Casacolina, but most of them did not have any problems communicating.

Overall I would still recommend Casacolina because it is a very nice place to stay, well located and much better than most of the apartments in Copacabana.

Information and contact information for Casacolina is as follows:

Website: www.casacolina.com.br

E-mail: info@casacolina.com.br

Telephone AND fax (from USA): 011-55-22-2623-1570

If you decide not to stay at Casacolina there are over 200 other Pousadas where you can stay. You can find many of them on the Internet. I recommend two websites on information about Buzios and the Pousadas:

www.buziosturismo.com.br

www.buziosonline.com

These two websites provides good information on Buzios including links to the Pousadas.

Okay, enough about getting to Buzios or Casacolina. Most of you want to know the skinny on Buzios, so here goes.

GENERAL INFO

Buzios is an expensive (twice as much as Rio de Janeiro) and well known international resort with a population of about 20,000 that balloons to over 100,000 during Carnaval. Buzios is popular with Europeans, Americans, Argentians and Brasileiros. Many Brasileiros flock to Buzios to escape the madness of Carnaval in RJ and Sao Paulo.

Buzios is a peninsula which jets out into the Atlantic ocean and has over twenty beaches. The beaches are all within easy reach by taxi (R$15,00 is the standard fare).

Buzios is not cheap by Brazilian standards, but a whole lot cheaper than Miami Beach and the nightlife offers lots of variety and plenty of action for singles and couples.

There no termas (Sorry, Hombrecito and Athos) in Buzios, but plenty of places you can meet garotas and European girls. I would highly recommend that if you do come to Buzios that you BYOG (bring your own garota) and you speak some good, basic Portuguese so you can communicate.

Most of the action is centered within Centro (Central Buzios) along the Rua das Pedras. Centro is a short five minute taxi drive from Casacolina and just about all of the other beaches. You will find just about every type of bar and restaurant and boutique (lojas) within the Rua das Pedras and surrounding streets.

RESTAURANTS AND BARS

My favorite establishments, and the ones that Cristiane and I visited at least once include the following:

Chez Michou - Known for crepes; Serves beer and tropical drinks; Very noisy (bartenders use megaphones to call out orders) and crowded; Almost impossible to find a place to sit down during Carnaval; Crepes are not my thing (the one we had was terrible); Open air restaurant/bar with seating along the sidewalk; The place to find a chica if you are single; Received the patented “stare” several times.

Fashion - Serves a decent Pizza, pasta and good quality Brazilian food, drinks and beer; large restaurant with plenty of seating inside the restaurant and along the sidewalk; live music, dancing area and great view of the sea; Recommend the camarao (shrimp) with garlic

Patio Havana and Estância Don Juan – Serves Cuban food and churraso, drinks and beer; Excellent live band that plays Brazilian bossa nova music (my favorite); they also have a wine cellar, cigar and whiskey bars (didn’t try); Decorated in Cuban tropical style with an eating and drinking area in the front and upstairs eating area; highly recommended as a place to start

Chez Brigette – Known for excellent grilled seafood; facing the beach off the Rua das Pedras; highly recommend, but expensive

Guapo Loco – Serves mediocre Mexican food that is not much better than Taco Bell; Serves drinks and beer; A favorite among young Americanos and Brasileiros (I must be getting old to figure out why); Lots of seating with a good view of the beach from the balcony area

Zapata – Serves Mexican food, drinks and beer; Very crowded and noisy place; Did not enter, but seems to be very popular with the younger crowd; Located at the far end of the Rua das Pedras

Buzin – Excellent continental and Brazilian food served buffet style; Serves wine and beer; Large selection of sobremesas (deserts); Large, clean eating area on two levels; Excellent place if you have a family or large group; Excellent service; TV screens throughout; Located at 273 Rua Manoel Turibo de Farias (street that runs parallel to Rua das Pedras); Winner of best Restaurant in Buzios in Year 2001; Serves a large selection of good food (sold by weight); Nice surroundings; We ate there four times!! Highly recommended!!

Restaurant David – Excellent grilled fish, pasta, pizzas, salads and Brazilian food; Located on Rua Manole Turibio de Farias (runs parallel to Rua das Pedras); A bit cheaper prices than the restaurants listed above; We did not eat here, but a Brazilian couple we hung with did and they recommended it very highly

Brigitta’s Guest House – Specializes in seafood, churrasco and other Brazilian food; The smells beckon you in as you walk by; Services drinks and beer; Great service; Live shows; Excellent view of the beach; Highly recommended by our Brazilian couple

SHOPPING

Buzios offers a first rate window shopping experience if you get tired of the beach or drinking. Buzios has dozens and dozens of lojas (boutiques) that sell everything from Bikinis to paintings. Prices are twice as expensive as Rio de Janeiro or Barra de Tijuca so if you bring a girlfriend with you carry a heavy wallet.

I won’t list the lojas we went to, because there are just too damn many of them. Besides, most of you hombres don’t give a damn about shopping anyway. However, if you are looking for a garota shopping would be a great way to meet them.

BEACHES

Buzios is known as the “Riviera of Brazil” because of its many fine beaches—over twenty of them. I won’t list them all here, just the ones my girlfriend and I went to:

Praia de Geriba – This is a crescent shaped, golden sand beach located on the southern side of the peninsula and about five minutes from Centro and one of the first beaches you go by as you enter Buzios; Accessible from various streets intersecting Avenida Jose Bento Ribeiro Dantas, the main street entering and exisiting Buzios; Plenty of small restaurants and bars with attendants that bring you food and drink and allow you to run a tab; Very clean, calm and warm waters with hardly no wave action; Great for families with kids as the water is not very deep and you can walk out some distance; Located within an easy walk from Casacolina; Highly recommended

Praia Tartaruga – This is a small crescent shaped, white sand beach located on the northern side of the peninsula and about five minutes from Centro; Accessible from a side road directly across from Buzios Madeiria (Buzios Lumber) just off of Avenida Jose Bento Ribeiro Dantas; The road is paved, goes over a small hill and ends in a dirt road; Taxis will drive you within a short distance of the beach; Plenty of small restaurants and bars with attendants that bring you food and drink and allow you to run a tab; Very clean, calm and warm waters with hardly no wave action; Great for families with kids as the water is not very deep and you can walk out some distance; A bit rocky in some locations; We liked this beach very much and highly recommended it.

Praia da Ferradura - This is a small crescent shaped, white sand beach located on the southern side of the peninsula and about five minutes from Centro; Accessible from several well marked streets intersecting Avenida Jose Bento Ribeiro Dantas; Taxis will drive you right up to the beach; Plenty of small restaurants and bars with attendants that bring you food and drink and allow you to run a tab; Very clean, calm, but a bit colder waters with hardly no wave action; Recommend

Praia Jaoa Fernandes - This is a very small crescent shaped, white sand beach located on the northern tip of the peninsula and about five minutes from Centro; Accessible by turning left off of Rua Manoel Turibio de Farias where it intersects the Buzios Pier; Drive all the way around the waterfront and up over a hill (about a quarter mile); You will see the signs to beach; Taxis will drive you right up to the beach; Plenty of small restaurants and bars with attendants that bring you food and drink and allow you to run a tab; Very clean, calm, and warm waters with hardly no wave action; We loved this beach a lot and highly recommend it

OTHER THINGS TO DO

There are a number of things to do for fun. Here is just a partial list:

Snorkling or Scuba – Nearly all beaches offer snorkel and scuba rentals; You can also rent equipment from Centro, but it is a bit more expensive

Boat Excursions – There are a number of boat excursions offered along the Rua das Pedras; You can buy tickets along numerous stands or travel agencies located on the Rua das Pedras or at the intersection of the Buzios Pier and Ruas das Pedras and Rua Manoel Turibio de Farias; There are at least a dozen different boat excursions which leave from the Buzios Pier including the Queen Lory, Busiana I & II and Tropicana; We took the Schooner Tropicana; The Tropicana was a bit late (about an hour) but the tour was not undercut by the delay; The Tropicana serves complimentary sodas, water, fruits and a traditional Brazilian drink (don’t know name); You can also buy beer and drinks; The Tropicana visits about a dozen beaches and stops off of two beaches where you can go swimming in the open sea; Life preservers are available for all; This was a lot of fun and I highly recommend to gain a different perspective of Buzios

Banana Boat Rides – These were available at all the beaches we attended; The banana boat is pulled by an outboard motor boat and away you go; The length of the ride varies so it is best to ask; One hell of a lot of fun for the adventurous; Cost R$10.00; Highly recommended

Surfing – If you are into surfing the two beaches you want to go to are Praia do Marisco (adjacent to Geriba) and Praia Brava; surf boat rentals are available in Centro or at the beaches

Windsailing – If you are into windsailing Praia de Manguinhos is the place to go; You need a lot of wind and Manguinhos offers plenty

Nude Sunbathing – I am not a nudist, but I understand that there are a couple of beaches available (don’t know names), but these require a bit of a walk because of their seclusion; If you like this sort of thing, go for it.

Visit CABO FRIO – My girlfriend and I decided to visit Cabo Frio (located 28 KM from Buzios) for Carnaval after our third day in Buzios; If you go during Carnaval I would definitely recommend that you head out very early as the traffic congestion starts after 10:00 a.m.; Our driver Antonio Ribeiro drove us to Cabo Frio for $R50.00, but you can also take a taxi for the same fare or take a bus that departs from a bus stop at the intersection of Estrada da Usina and Avenida Jose B. Ribeiro Dantas (I believe the cost is $R15.00); See more about Cabo Frio in my CARNAVAL section below.

CARNAVAL IN BUZIOS

My girlfriend and I decided to avoid Rio de Janeiro for Carnaval because of the madness, crowds and high costs; Carnaval in Buzios is very calm and small with most of the action starting at the plaza where Rua das Pedras and Rua Manoel Turibio de Farias intersect; Small bands and dancers gather at the plaza and play typical Carnaval music; After midnight the procession makes its way up Rua Manoel Turibio de Farias stopping along the way; The Carnaval procession was a lot of fun with plenty of samba dancing and participants spraying themselves with floss all along the way

CARNAVAL IN CABO FRIO

We visited Cabo Frio because of its close proximity to Buzios (28 Km) and my girlfriend told me that they have some nice beaches, bars and wild Carnaval celebrations; She was right; We only spent one day in Cabo Frio, all of it at Praia do Forte which is fronted by hotels, restaurants and bars along its entire 7.5 km length; The beach is very fine white sand; The water is clean, clear, warm and you can walk out 300 feet without any problems

If you visit Cabo Frio during Carnaval it is best to leave early; We didn’t do this and it took us well over an hour to get there and the Praia do Forte was packed solid with sun worshipers from one end to the other; After walking around a bit my girlfriend was able to flag down one of the restaurant waiters who quickly found us a spot on the beach; This was a very hot day, made hotter on the beach because of the reflection of the heat from the fine white sand

Prices in Cabo Frio are from 30% to 50% cheaper than they are in Buzios and is very popular with Cariocas who flock there to avoid the high prices, crowds and congestion of Rio de Janeiro during Carnaval; We met many wonderful Cariocas who greeted us no matter where we went; Our umbrella was right next to a large group of university students complete with drums and guitars which added a wonderful touch to our visit in Cabo Frio

The restaurants and bars along the Praia do Forte serve primarily fast food and Brazilian food; I found the overall quality of the food to be of lower quality than the worst restaurant in we attended in Buzios (so buyer be ware); We settled for lunch at one restaurant (can’t remember the name, but located next to the Hotel Malibu) that served very good seafood

Other than the beach front restaurants and bars there is not much else to do except to walk around the area and window shop; The lojas primarily sell bikinis, beach clothing and tourist sourvenirs; I understand Cabo Frio does have a major shopping center, but we never made it there

The highly of our day was celebrating Carnaval on Praia do Forte at night; The north end of Praia do Forte had a stage setup that played Brazlian and rock music starting about 7:00 p.m. and continued well past midnight; At around midnight the Carnaval procession made its journey along the southern end of Praia do Forte adding participants along the way; I would estimate the number of participants at about ten thousand; The procession included a banda bus with musicians lots of loud speakers and individuals who wooed the crowd to samba dancing and other craziness; The Carnaval procession made its way down the entire length of the southend of Praia do Forte then made a reverse trip back to the stage area; Carnaval in Cabo Frio is nothing like that in Rio de Janeiro, but still a lot of fun; This was my first Carnaval and my girlfriend and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves

Carnaval in Cabo Frio went on well past 2:00 a.m. in the morning, but my girlfriend and I had to head back to Buzios so we grabbed the first taxi and split; We arrived at Casacolina about 3:00 a.m. in the morning and did not wake up until after 10:00 a.m. because of our sore feet from the goings on in Cabo Frio

CASAS DO CAMBIO

If you need to exchange dollars into Reals do it in Rio de Janeiro or Niteroi before you go to Buzios; Buzios had just about the worst rates ($R3.30 to the dollar) I have seen; There is a Casas do Cambio located at the plaza adjacent to the McDonalds and just before Rua das Pedras; You can also exchange dollars into Reals at just about any travel agency (same rates) located in Centro

TAXIS

You can grab a taxi anywhere in Buzios, but you will find them lined up in the plaza located at the foot of Rua das Pedras; The standard fare seems to be $R15.00 anywhere in Buzios; Most of the drivers understand some English, but it is best to bring the street address of the Pousada where you stay, or even better a map marking the spot so the driver can find the Pousada; I would recommend that if you do hire a taxi that you get their business card so you can contact them if you need a ride; I recommend two drivers: Antonio Ribeiro at (22) 2623-2390 or 9211-3130 or Claudio at (22) 2623-7444 or (22) 9218-5277; Although Antonio and Claudio have other clients you can generally prearrange a pickup and drive back to your Pousada or Centro; Both charge $R15.00 anywhere in Buzios; Claudio drives a VW Van which is perfect for large groups

SAFETY AND CRIME

My girlfriend and I never felt like we were in danger of getting mugged or robbed while in Buzios during Carnaval; Most of the people visiting Buzios tend to be better educated and affluent and not likely to be muggers like you might find in Rio de Janeiro, Salvador or Recife; Just to make sure, Buzios has plenty of city and state police walking around to insure that things do not get out of hand; I suppose if you go looking for trouble you will find it, but I felt entirely safe everywhere we went in Centro and the beaches we visited

PICTURES

I took about two hundred pictures of Buzios and Cabo Frio; Just as soon as I have a chance I will post these on the Internet

OVERALL IMPRESSION

I would definitely visit Buzios again because the restaurants, bars, shops and beaches are simply better than Copacabana and the establishments are on a par with those found in Ipanema and Leblon; Everything in Buzios is within a five minute taxi drive; Although the prices for food are more expensive than in Rio de Janeiro I found that the Pousadas were a lot cheaper than Rio de Janeiro; If you decide to visit Buzios I would recommend you go with a friend or BYOG (bring your own garota); Good luck to you and I hope this trip report helps you in your future trips to Brazil

BUZIOS AND CABO FRIO CARNAVAL PICTURES

I was finally able to post the pictures of my trip to BUZIOS and CABO FRIO on YAHOO! Here is the link:

http://photos.yahoo.com/cheapmother2002

If you have any questions concerning my recent trip to Buzios or Cabo Frio please shoot me an email.

I hope you enjoy the pictures.


Turk

Turk, I checked your pictures out after reading your comprehensive report. Good show on both! You could write for a travel magazine.

Carnival dates for the rest of the decade:

Year---Friday---Tuesday
2004: 02/20/04 02/24/04
2005: 02/04/05 02/08/05
2006: 02/24/06 02/28/06
2007: 02/16/07 02/20/07
2008: 02/01/08 02/05/08
2009: 02/20/09 02/24/09
2010: 02/12/10 02/16/10

I am considering visting RIO during Carnaval, but I have many Brazilian nationals (12 to be exact) tell me its very, very dangerous. How bad is it really?
I speak intermediate level Portuguese.

as one cop said in an b.b.c. produced progam about carneval,the crooks also want to celebrate.i dont think the crime rate is so much higher.anyway the most violent crime take place in the favelas and you dont want to go there anyway.
iggy sca.

Wow….right now is just an awesome time to be in Rio. For the last few weekends the Samba Schools have been practicing in Sambodromo. To watch them was completely free! I ended getting VIP access, right on the floor by the camera’s and radio booth. Sunday’s was best, when three schools passed each time. A couple of weekend ago it was Mangueira followed by a show by Alcione, then live Pagode show.

I have a group of 3 -5 friends and just burned up the town…… hitting multiple Samba Schools, Imperio Serrano, Salgueiro, and Mangueira. This weekend we will go to Vila Isabel.

In between Lapa and two times in a Baile Funk in Jacare, plus Via Show. Jacare is a big favela north of Barra de Tijuca – afterwards a quick session in Vila Mimosa

A ton of block parties are starting this weekend. I will cut & paste into the next message.

Just a ton of stuff to do……… In an average night some of us met 2- 4 girls each. But, you have to be outgoing!!! Being drunk certainly helps to be that way!

Three nights straight each one of the last three weekends straight - each until 7:00 – 8:00am in the morning.

The good thing is that the brazilian friends that I hang out each night are all poor - so that keeps my overall costs down! Nice change...

During the week keeping it early and cheap with centro nightclubs... getting ready to go out again!

Dia 7/2 - Sábado
Imprensa que eu gamo, às 12h - Mercadinho S. José (Laranjeiras)
Rio Carioca, às 14h - Rua Ipiranga (Laranjeiras)
Banda de Ipanema, às 15h - Praça Gal. Osório com R. Teixeira de Melo (Ipanema)
Spanta Neném, às 16h - Parque dos Patins (próximo aos pedalinhos) (Lagoa)
Nem Muda nem sai de cima, às 17h - R. Garibaldi (Muda)

Dia 8/2 - Domingo
Bagunça meu Coreto, às 15h - Praça São Salvador (Flamengo)

Dia 11/2 - Quarta
É do Pandeiro, às 17h - Praça São Salvador (Flamengo)

Dia 13/2 - Sexta
Cordão da Bola Preta, às 17h - Praça Mauá (Centro)

Dia 14/2 - Sábado
Céu na Terra, às 9h - Curvelo (Santa Teresa)
Xupa mas não baba, às 14h - Rua Cardoso Júnior, 420 (perto da Perinatal) (Laranjeiras)
Bloco Areia, às 14h - Bar Tio Sam, na rua Dias Ferreira (Leblon)
Simpatia é Quase Amor, às 15h - Praça General Osório (Ipanema)
Cutucano Atrás, às 16h - Na Av. Atlântica, em frente ao restaurante Fiorentina (Leme)
Rio Maracatu, às 16h - Largo dos Guimarães (Santa Teresa)
Gigantes da Lira, às 17h - Pça. Aliança, na R. General Glicério (Laranjeiras)
Ih, é carnaval, às 17h - DCE da UFRJ (dentro do campus) (Praia Vermelha)
Aconteceu, às 18h - Bar do Gomes (Rua Àurea com Monte Alegre) (Santa Teresa)

Dia 15/2 - Domingo
Embaixadores da Folia, às 1h - Rua do Lavradio, em frente ao CIEP (Centro)
Samba no Pé, às 8h - Supermercado Prezunic do Campinho (Madureira)
Suvaco de Cristo, às 9h - Bar Jóia. Rua Jardim Botânico esquina com Rua Faro (Jardim Botânico)
Escravos da Mauá, às 12h - Largo de S. Francisco da Prainha c/ Sacadura Cabral (Centro)
Banda da Barra, às 12h - Av. Sernambetiba no Bondinho da Banda, em frente ao condomínio Beton (Barra da Tijuca)
Bloco dos Arengueiros, às 17h - Posto 6 (Copacabana)

Dia 18/2 - Quarta
Discípulos de Oswaldo, às 17h - Bar do Chico. Rua Castro Tavares, 185 (Manguinhos)
Esse é o bom, mas ninguém sabe, às 18h - Praça São Judas Tadeu (junto à estação do Trem do Corcovado) (Cosme Velho)

Dia 19/2 - Quinta
Banda da Rua do Mercado, às 17h - Rua do Mercado em frente à Bolsa (Centro)

Dia 20/2 - Sexta
Carmelitas, às 14h - Rua Dias de Barros esq. com a Ladeira Santa Teresa (Santa Teresa)
Eu sou eu e jacaré é bicho d’água, às 16h - Bar do Costa e Zeca’s. Rua Torres Homem com Visconde de Abaeté (Vila Isabel)
Vem ni mim que eu sou Facinha, às 17h - R. Prudente de Moraes, 10 (Ipanema)
Embaixadores da Folia, às 17h - Av. Rio Branco esquina com Rua São Bento, na altura da Praça Mauá (Centro)
Afroreggae, às 18h - Quadra Nahildo Ferreira (Vigário Geral)
Rola Preguiçosa, às 18h - Av. Epitácio Pessoa esq. com Maria Quitéria (Lagoa)
Bloco Rival sem Rival, às 18h - Ra Rua Álvaro Alvim, 33 na Cinelândia (Centro)
Bloco Brejeiro, às 18h - Acesso ao metrô do Flamengo (Flamengo)
Azeitona sem caroço, às 20h - Bar Azeitona - esquina Rua Dias Ferreira e Bartolomeu Mitre (Leblon)
Badalo de Santa Teresa, às 20h - Largo das Neves (Santa Teresa)
Concentra mas não sai, às 20h - Rua Ipiranga (Laranjeiras)

Dia 21/2 - Sábado
Embaixadores da Folia, às 5h - Av. Rio Branco com Rua São Bento, altura da Praça Mauá (Centro)
Cordão da Bola Preta, às 9h - Cinelândia/ Theatro Municipal (Centro)
Céu na Terra, às 9h - Largo do Curvelo (Santa Teresa)
Pega pra sambar, às 1-1h Gomes Freire, esquina com Rua do Senado (Lapa)
Berro da Viúva, às 12h - Rua Gomes Freire em frente ao Paulistinha (Lapa)
Bloco dos Cachaças, às 12h - No trailer em frente ao n. 3602 da Av. Sernambetiba (Barra da Tijuca)
Beco do Rato, às 13h - Rua Joaquim Silva, nº 11 (Lapa)
Bloco dos Cachaças, às 14h - Barraca dos Cachaças (Rua Dias da Cruz, 335) (Méier)
Bloco do Caveira, às 14h - Final da Marquês de Olinda (Botafogo)
Turma do Gato, às 14h - Bar do Gato, Rua Djalma Dutra (Pilares)
Dois prá lá, dois prá cá, às 14h - Rua Álvaro Ramos 11 (Botafogo)
Aconteceu, às 14h - Bar do Gomes (Rua Àurea com Monte Alegre) (Santa Teresa)
O Remédio é o Samba, às 14h - Av. Atlântica esquina com a Rua Xavier da Silveira (Copacabana)
Banda de Ipanema, às 15h - Praça Gal. Osório com R. Teixeira de Melo (Ipanema)
Barbas, às 15h - R. Arnaldo Quintela com Assis Bueno (Botafogo)
Devassos da Cardeal, às 16h - Bar do Galo, Rua Cardeal Dom Sebastião Leme (Bairro de Fátima)
Cordão do Prata Preta, às 16h - Rua Sacadura Cabral, ao lado do 5º BPM (Gamboa)
Se não quer me dar… me empresta, às 16h - Rua do Lavradio, 90 (Lapa)
Carioca da Gema, às 16h - Rua do Lavradio (Lapa)
Empolga às 9, às 17h - Casa da Matriz, Rua Henrique Novaes (Botafogo)
Laranjada Samba Clube, às 17h - Praça do Chorinho, R. General Glicério (Laranjeiras)
Empurra que pega, às 17h - Praça Cazuza (Leblon)
Zumbi de Pilares, às 19h - Largo de Pilares (Pilares)

Dia 22/2 - Domingo
Cordão do Boitatá, às 8h - Rua do Mercado e Praça XV (Centro)
Cordão do Boi Tolo, às 9h - Esquina Rua do Mercado e Praça XV (Centro)
G.R.B.C.Tá Doidão Vai Prá Casa, às 12h - Rua Sampaio Ferraz esquina com Quintino do Vale (Estácio)
Meu Kantinho, às 12h - C.C. Meu Kantinho, Rua Indígena 62 (Penha Circular)
Bloco de Embalo Alegria do Rio, às 14h - Rio Branco (Centro)
Afroreggae, às 14h - Posto 8 (Ipanema)
Que merda é essa?, às 14h - Bar Paz e Amor, R. Garcia D’Ávila esq. com Nascimento Silva (Ipanema)
Simpatia é Quase Amor, às 14h - Praça General Osório (Ipanema)
Gargalhada e do Babaçu Abunda e a Cerveja Também, às 15h - Pereira Nunes com 28 de Setembro (Vila Isabel)
Bangalafumenga, às 16h - Pacheco Leão, perto do Clube Condomínio (Jardim Botânico)
Bohêmios de Irajá, às 16h - Av. Rio Branco esquina com Presidente Vargas (Centro)
Cachorro Cansado, às 16h - Bar Planalto, Rua Barão do Flamengo, 35 (Flamengo)
Cacique de Ramos, às 21h - Av. Rio Branco com Presidente Vargas (Centro)
Empolga às 9, às 21h - Posto 9 (Ipanema)

Dia 23/2 - Segunda
Songoro Cosongo, às 9h - Curvelo (Santa Teresa)
Aconteceu, às 10h - Bar do Gomes (Rua Àurea com Monte Alegre) (Santa Teresa)
Cordão Umbilical, às 12h - Largo dos Leões (Humaitá)
Pede Passagem, às 13h - Praça Santos Dumont em frente ao Jóquei (Gávea)
Bloco de Segunda, às 14h - Cobal do Humaitá, pelo lado da Rua Voluntários da Pátria (Botafogo)
Volta, Alice, às 15h - Tasca do Edgar, na esquina da rua Alice c/ Mario Portela (Laranjeiras)
Mão de Lata, às 17h - Rua do Lavradio, em frente ao CIEP (Lapa)
Rancho Flor do Sereno, às 19h - Bar Bip-Bip, Rua Almirante Gonçalves (Copacabana)
Bohêmios de Irajá, às 20h - Quadra do bloco (Irajá)
Cacique de Ramos, às 20h - Av. Rio Branco com Presidente Vargas (Centro)

Dia 24/2 - Terça
Carmelitas, às 10h - Largo dos Guimarães (Santa Teresa)
Largo do Machado, mas não Largo do Copo, às 14h - Largo do Machado (Flamengo)
G.R.B.C.Tá Doidão Vai Prá Casa, às 14h - Rua Sampaio Ferraz esquina com Quintino do Vale (Estácio)
Clube do Samba, às 14h - Av. Atlântica esq. com Santa Clara (Copacabana)
Zoobloco, às 15h - Em frente à sede do Ibama, na Praça XV (Centro)
Bagunça meu Coreto, às 15h - Praça São Salvador (Flamengo)
Meu Bem, Volto Já, às 15h - Av. Atlântica, no início do Leme (Leme)
Rio Maracatu, às 15h - Arpoador (Ipanema)
Banda de Ipanema, às 15h - Praça Gal. Osório com R. Teixeira de Melo (Ipanema)
Sorri prá Mim, às 16h - Bar Petisco da Vila (Vila Isabel)
Bloco da Ansiedade, às 16h - Mercadinho São José (Laranjeiras)
Tramela, às 16h - Rua João Pinheiro com Teresa Cavalcanti (Piedade)
Se me Der, Eu Como!, às 16h - R. do Matoso esquina R. Dr. Satamini (Tijuca)
Cachorro Cansado, às 16h - Bar Planalto, Rua Barão do Flamengo, 35 (Flamengo)
A Rocha, às 16h - Praça Santos Dumont (Gávea)
Quizomba, às 16h - Circo Voador (Lapa)
Amigos da Rua Joaquim Méier, às 17h - Rua Joaquim Méier em frente ao Nº 213 (Méier)
Vem ni mim que eu sou Facinha, às 17h - R. Prudente de Moraes, 10 (Ipanema)
Bloco do Bigode, às 18h - Av. Rio Branco c/ Rua da Alfândega (Centro)
Embaixadores da Folia, às 19h - Av. Rio Branco c/ Rua da Alfândega (Centro)
Vagalume, às 20h - Jardim Botânico (Horto)
Cacique de Ramos, às 20h - Av. Rio Branco c/ Pres. vargas (Centro)
Bafo da Onça, às 20h - Av. Rio Branco com Presidente Vargas (Centro)

Dia 26/2 - Quinta
Voltar pra quê?, às 20h - Rua Álvaro Alvim, Cinelândia. Em frente ao Bar Carlitos e o Teatro Rival, no famoso “Beco da Cirrose”. (Centro)

Dia 27/2 - Sexta
Só Tamborins, às 21h - Travessa Mosqueria, esquina com Mem de Sá (Lapa)

Dia 28/2 - Sábado
Berço do Samba, às 17h - Estação Praça Onze do Metrô (Cidade Nova)
Mulheres de Chico, às 17h - Praça Antero de Quental (Leblon)
Bafafá, às 17h - Posto 9 (Ipanema)

Dia 1/3 - Domingo
Monobloco, às 9h - Hotel Sofitel, Posto 6, Av. Atlântica (Copacabana)
Boka de Espuma, às 15h - Rua Marquês de Olinda entre Muniz Barreto e Bambina (Botafogo)
Barangal, às 16h - Posto 9 (Ipanema)

Feb 21st San Diego CA.
http://www.brazilcarnival.com/
http://www.brazilcarnival.com/carnival2008/
http://www.4thandbevents.com/gallery-20060225.html
http://www.myspace.com/brazilianpromotions

RG

Banda de Ipanema is a "must see."
Que merda é essa always has great t-shirts for sale.
Simpátia é quase amor also is typically a big rolling party.

But it's all good!

You are right, Banda de Ipanema is great! One note regarding time, it actually starts closer to 4-5 pm.

Then to round things up - not directly related to Carnival, but to having a good time during Carnival - also go to one of the soccer games. A big game is coming up in Maracana - Flamengo vs Botofogo. I will be there!!! It takes place on Sunday, 2/15. There are other games taking place right now.... a must see!!!

Sambodromo will be hoping again tonight - free!!! Around 9:00pm.

Ok, it is Carnival time again....It technically already started awhile ago in the Samba Schools with them picking their songs, etc, but now they will start practicing in Sambodromo on December 6th. It is called Ensaios Técnicos no Sambódromo. This is completely free, including the free Samba/Pagode show that is held in the food and stage area.

Here is the schedule in December - I will post the ones in January another time:

They are scheduled at 7:00pm, 8:00pm, and 10:00pm respectively....even so they usually start late.

Schools marked with (*) are part of the Grupo Especial. This means that they are part of the top schools and most worthwile seeing

12/6 (Sunday): Cubango, Viradouro (*), Mangueira (*)
12/13 (Sunday): Império Serrano (*), Mocidada (*), Vila Isabel (*)
12/19 (Saturday) Only day when there are only two schools, starting at 8:00pm: Un Padre Miguel, Uniao da Ilha (*)
12/20 (Sunday): Império Tijuca, Beija-Flor (*), Unidos Tijuca (*)

Also, Carnival for the Special Group falls on Sunday, February 14th and Monday, February 15th.

Here is the line-up:

SUNDAY 2/14
After 9:00pm: Uniao da Ilha
Between 10:05-10:22pm: Imperatriz
Between 11:10-11:44pm: Unidos da Tijuca
Between 12:15-01:06am: Viradouro
Between 01:20-02:28am: Salgueiro (2009 Champion)
Between 02:25-03:50am: Beija-Flor

MONDAY 2/15
After 9:00pm - Mocidade
Between 10:05-10:22pm: Porto da Pedra
Between 11:10-11:44pm: Portela
Between 12:15-01:06am: Grande Rio
Between 01:20-02:28am: Vila Isabel
Between 02:25-03:50am: Mangueira

Good info. If you find the schedule for the blocos and bandas, could you post them?

Obrigado!

Sambodromo tickets are going on sale at 9:00am Brazilian time this Thursday, 1/11. 12,190 tickets are available for sale. To reserve a ticket, you will need to call from a Rio area code fixed phone with a CPF (brazilian SSN) to a local number - Each CPF can reserve up to 4 tickets. The phone lines stay open until the last ticket is sold. Payment is due january 12 and 13th.

I still do not have the list of bloco's, but will post them as soon as I can.

I will also post the remaining schedules for the Ensaios Técnicos no Sambódromo soon.

Here is the schedule for January -

They are scheduled at 7:00pm, 8:00pm, and 10:00pm respectively....even so they usually start late.

Schools marked with (*) are part of the Grupo Especial. This means that they are part of the top schools and most worthwile seeing

1/8 (Friday): Only 10:00pm: Imperatriz
1/9 (Saturday): Tuiuti, Porta da Pedra (*), Portela (*)
1/10 (Sunday) - Santa Cruz, Mocidade (*), Salguerio (*)
1/16 (Saturday): Inocentes, Caprichosos, Uniäo da Ilha (*)
1/17 (Sunday) - Säo Clemente, Viradouro (*), Grande Rio (*)
1/24 (Sunday) - Rocinha, Mangueira (*), Unidos da Tijuca (*)
1/30 (Saturday): Estácio, Porto da Pedra, Portela (*)
1/31 (Sunday) - Renascer, Grande Rio (*), Vila Isabel (*)

February schedule:
2/6 (Saturday): 7:00pm - Beija-Flor (*), and then at 10:00pm Imperatriz (*)

Here are the bloc schedules, in an Excel format....

Carnival Bloc Parties Blocos_RJ.XLS (242.7 k)

By BRADLEY BROOKS, Associated Press Writer Bradley Brooks, Associated Press Writer – 2 hrs 57 mins ago

RIO DE JANEIRO – The World's Greatest Party opened Friday, but the everything-goes atmosphere of Carnival that turns Rio into a giant oceanside den of debauchery is under assault.

The mayor's year-old, zero-tolerance campaign against petty crimes and disorder is on full display at the first Carnival since Rio won its bid to host the 2016 Olympics.

Those who drink too much beer at giant street parties and want to use gutters as toilets — always tolerated in the past — are out of luck. Police have already arrested nearly 100 such lawbreakers.

Beaches no longer resemble full-service bazaars with greasy snacks delivered on command under a sprawl of rented umbrellas.

Beach football by the sea? After 5 p.m. only please.

And something else is missing. Rio's world-famous waterfront pickup club for legal prostitutes has closed to make way for a museum.

The changes were getting mixed reviews even before the party officially started.

"The plan is doing the impossible: making Rio square," said Marcus Paulo Reis, a 36-year-old businessman sipping beer at lunch this week in the beachside Arpoador neighborhood. "They're trying to get rid of the grit that gives Rio its flavor."

Violence is still the city's biggest security concern, with at least seven suspected drug traffickers and a policeman killed Thursday in a shootout in a slum in northern Rio.

There appears to be a silent majority glad to get some peace on the beach and during this week's party, as international headliners poured into Rio, including Madonna, Beyonce, Alicia Keys and Paris Hilton.

"It will make Carnival more secure," said Alexandre Verissima, a 34-year-old actor, standing on Ipanema beach in only his blue Speedo.

To prove his point, he acted out a scene on a nearby, unsuspecting French tourist.

"In years past, you would see this happen right here," Verissima said, lunging toward the tourist's backpack and acting like he was going to run off with it, not to the amusement of the visitor. "You see, this does not happen anymore."

Amid the law-and-order makeover, a 7-year-old girl was preparing to samba before a crowd of thousands as a Carnival drum corps queen, a coveted role normally reserved for sultry models. A family court judge overruled objections that it is inappropriate for little Julia Lira to be in such a traditionally sexualized role.

Emulating what New York City's government did in the 1990s, Mayor Eduardo Paes wants to end Rio's general lawlessness with a zero-tolerance campaign he calls "shock of order."

The headlines have come nonstop for a year: Shock of order on the beaches. Shock of order on public transportation. Shock of order on illegal billboards.

As he handed the key to the city over to the Carnival King Momo — who rules the city until Ash Wednesday — Paes made it clear who really was in charge. He stood before journalists holding a sign underscoring his anti-urine campaign that read "Come on, don't pee here, OK?"

Rio isn't the only city cracking down on Carnival.

In the colonial town of Olinda in northeastern Brazil, anyone playing loud music in their house will face a fine of $3,800. Officials say they want nothing interfering with the music in the streets.

The mayor of Sao Lourenco, a city north of Rio, has banned Brazilian rap and funk music in street parties — saying the styles promote violence and vulgarity. Offenders face up to six months in jail.

The crackdown has left a bad taste in the mouths of some Cariocas, as Rio residents call themselves, especially those who make their living on the beach — the destination for up to 2 million people on a hot summer day.

Beloved beach vendors who once operated out of hand-painted tents — providing chairs, sun umbrellas, drinks and food — are now forced to use the same model of tent and rent just 100 chairs and 30 umbrellas each, all with no markings.

This has disoriented the hordes who tend to go to the same beach spot each weekend their entire lives. Like staring into Brazil's brilliant sun too long, looking at row after row of indistinguishable, white tents has Cariocas furiously using their cell phones, trying to locate friends and family.

"I've lost so much money since they started this garbage," said vendor Jonildo Viegas da Silva, known by his clientele as Nildo. "No more selling fruit salad, no more sandwiches. I'm losing customers because I run out of chairs to rent by 10 a.m."

Nildo said last Carnival he made about $5,400. This year, based on how business has been under the new regime, he is hoping for half that.

"I've got 12 men who work for me here, and they all have families," he said. "We've got to divide what little we'll have and hope it sustains our wife and kids."

Eager to clean up the beaches, the mayor has outlawed food like fried shrimp and grilled cheese sticks that have soaked up booze in Brazilian bellies for generations. Beer and drinks are still served in the 100-plus degree (38 Celsius) heat forecast for Carnival.

Citizens who long turned beach sidewalks into weekend parking lots are being hit with fines. Even that most sacred of Brazilian pastimes — beach football — is targeted. No more kicking the ball near the water until 5 p.m.

One of the city's toughest challenges — and biggest victories — was closing down a notorious disco where hundreds of prostitutes would gather each night to meet up with an almost exclusively foreign clientele.

The fact that the Help Disco was located at the heart of Copacabana beach long embarrassed officials.

Last month, it closed. In its place, a museum dedicated to Brazilian music, film and photography will be erected, to the dismay of some Carnival revelers.

"It's heartbreaking," said Brian, a 46-year-old American tourist, motioning toward the dark building which just a few weeks ago would have been lit up like a samba group's float. He would only give his first name lest family and friends back home in Philadelphia learn of his Carnival exploits.

"I've been coming to Carnival in Rio for six years and I just found out they closed it when I got here today," he said, shaking his head. "Why couldn't they have just left it open until after Carnival?"

Apparently you haven't been on the board lately, either side, chat or discuss section. There have been numerous posts regarding the demise of Help.

Perhaps a quick read will bring you up to speed.

That's all from an article about the carnival crackdown. He's not bring up Help closing, it's in the article.