The Buzz from Brazil

Now that Carnaval 2013 has come to a close in Brazil, here’s a look at some of the highlights from various cities around the country.

Nationwide, the start of the Carnaval festivities were somewhat subdued this year – after the recent deaths of 238 people in a Santa Maria nightclub fire, funerals were still taking place and the country was still in mourning. Brazil’s president, Dilma Rousseff, did not attend the 5-day long party in Rio, but rather spent it in Bahia state, where the tragedy took place.

As usual, hotels across Rio, and indeed most of Brazil, were full to capacity, despite the practice of imposing minimum stay periods and raising prices significantly to cash in on the event.

In Rio, more than 700 processions made their way through various parts of the city, with actress Megan Fox among the international celebrities taking part. The party in the Sambodrome was electric as ever, with Rio’s samba schools fiercely competing with each other for the top honours in front of an ecstatic audience.

In Salvador, Brazil’s third largest city, South Korean pop star Psy performed. Known across the world for his song Gangnam Style, along with its accompanying dance which mimics riding a horse, he had the honour of performing in front of the largest Carnaval crowds in Brazil – even bigger than Rio!

Despite the tragedy preceding the Carnaval festivities, Brazil recovered as a country to throw yet another spectacular series of events across the country. With the World Cup being held in Brazil next year, who knows what 2014 will hold in store!

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