World's Biggest Carnival- Brazil

Carnival of Rio


Just a few days more for the world’s biggest carnival! It is officially scheduled to start on the 12th of February this year and go on for four days. Well, it is not just a carnival. It is based on history, culture, music, dance, fun, glamour and most of all you can dress up to be a different person of liking. Communities come together with all differences kept aside. The rich, the poor, the gay, all celebrating together, something of this magnitude of celebration is not seen anywhere else in the world. This is the time of year the poor in Brazil gets to celebrate without any reservations. The entire city is non-stop partying till the beginning of lent which is Ash Wednesday. The fever of celebration starts from early January. The dance movements, the music, the costumes, the floats are all well designed and the preparations are done throughout the year. It is an experience to look forward to with around 500000 tourists pouring in to the city ready to be indulged on the festivity of partying and just to be embraced by this magnificent celebration which is considered to be the biggest artistic events in the world. However, I have to warn you if you don’t like crowds and noise it is definitely not the place to be as most of Brazil is celebrating during this time of year.

The well-known carnivals take place in Rio de Janeiro, Recife and Olinda (North of Brazil) and in Salvador. However, out of all these the most popular one is the one at Rio de Janeiro. It starts with the crowning of the King Momo who is also known as the Fat king. He is given a giant silver and gold key by the City Mayor.

There are dance schools in every neighborhood in Rio. They play a big role in the carnival. Celebrations are well organized and are carried out by these dance schools. If you like to participate you need to sign up with a dance school. Each dance school has dance movements, costumes, floats, bands, songs with lyrics unique to them. They practice well in advance as it is a competition among the dance schools. Rio carnival concentrates mainly on Samba music and dance movements. The main parades are on Sunday and Monday. The parade is been judged by 40 judges in ten categories and the winner is announced on Tuesday. Therefore, you are expected to give your best to the dance school you are with. You find people dancing to Samba music on the streets from the beginning of the year. As much as it is fun for tourist it is a pride and joy for the Brazilians. It is a feeling that they can’t put into words when they participate in the parade. It is their passion and it comes free to them and anyone and everyone is welcome to participate.

It is no longer a street carnival as the parade is held now at a place called the Sambodrome stadium which is built for this purpose and can accommodate the people that visit each year. Whereas in other cities like Salvador, the parade is held in the streets and sometimes it goes on for weeks.

Costumes are big part of the parade. It glamorizes the entire parade along with the dance and music. A lot of money is spent on these unique costumes. They are beautifully tailored with beads, sequins, mirrors, feathers, diamantes, and anything that shows off. Every day the costumes differ and each school can have more than twenty or thirty different outfits. You have to choose a costume and order your costumes well in advance with the dance school you are planning to participate with if you wish to take part in the parade. The costume is the ticket to participate in the parade and you have to be at the school meeting point two hours before and find the others that are in similar outfits. The meeting point is announced before hand and can be checked with the president of the relevant group. You have to be there well in advance before the gates for your school parade closes. The entire parade around the stadium takes about 45 minutes. It is breathtaking experience and something you will not experience anywhere else. So many people dressed in different costumes that are gorgeous next to you dancing away having fun. Just smile, shake your body to the rhythm, sing and go with the flow with a lot of energy and most importantly just enjoy the atmosphere around you! If you are a spectator you are promised to be awed by the entire event. Be ready to enjoy and have fun!!

Sunny Ocho Rios, Jamaica

Dolphin Cove- Jamaica



Let’s visit a fun place now and take a break from history. If you are in love with sea creatures like dolphins, sharks and stingrays you better make a visit to this great fun loving place. It is an interesting day trip if you are in Ochi Rios or in Montego Bay areas. A place you must not forget your swimsuit, sun block and a big hat. This place allows you to play and swim with dolphins, stingrays and even pet sharks.
The place has a rustic atmosphere which is welcoming. There are a few attractions to choose to spend your day, dolphins being the main one. It is well worth the time and money as you can swim, pet, play and even kiss the dolphins. There are friendly instructors to guide you and help you. If you do not feel comfortable getting into the water with dolphins and not a great swimmer you can simply pet them from the shore and have a close view of these amazing creatures. The second attraction that really caught my attention was the stingrays. They are these unique sea creatures that you really feel afraid at the look of it but as you pet and snorkel with them you really start to admire them. There are many of them and I was told that they are been trained before they are been allowed to swim with people. The down side of this place is taking of photographs are prohibited and only photos taken by their own cameramen can be purchased at the end of the day. Another unique experience is the shark show. There are white sharks you can pet and hold for an attractive sum of money. Or if you are not a risk taker just watch the shark show from the deck. But watch out there are pirates on the deck!!
Other attractions include a jungle trail which is also entertaining for kids as you can pet snakes, iguanas and beautiful parakeets. Also large spiders and enormous cobwebs could be spotted on the way. Then comes the speed boat rides. It is a thrilling experience too. If speed boats are not your favorite water sport why not try out the kayaking. If you are exhausted with all these activities you have an option of lying down in the sun and just enjoying the beautiful weather or try out a nice Jamaican jerk chicken or steam fish with cocktails made with Jamaican rum to beat the burning sun.
Don’t forget those souvenirs which seem to crowd every part of Jamaica. Since Jamaica is a tourist destination you just cannot escape the souvenir shops. T-shirts, caps, slippers, towels, ornaments, jewelry, all have these funny slogans and the Jamaican flag colors. Oops! Also don’t forget the photos.

Dunn’s Fall- Jamaica



A few minutes away from Dolphin Cove is another popular attraction is the climbing of the Dunn’s river falls. With water icy cold and gushing down the rocks it definitely is a must. It is not a just the climb that is interesting. On the way to the top you can do these fun things like dive in backwards to a pool of water or slide down the fall with the speed of water or even stand under the gushing water for a shoulder massage. It is recommended to climb the falls with rubber sole water shoes but bare feet will do too. The water shoes can be either rented or purchased at the top of the water fall near the entrance. You make your way down to the beach by steps and start climbing back to the top of the fall. There are guides to take you and assist you to climb. The entire party holds hands and follows the guide. Mind you it is slippery and the force of the water might push you down. But it is fun and exciting!! So don’t miss out on this experience. Anyways, by the time you leave Jamaica you will be saying “no problem mon” or “everything is everything” with a happy smile.