Rio, Again

I wasn´t kidding when I said that I feared being trampled.  The press of people, many in costume (sort of - at least bits of costumes), is remarkable.

Bulletin: Ipanema Beach is stupendously more crowded then Copacabana Beach.  Probably has been that way for a long time.  Anyone young heads there.

Went to the ´Hippie Market´ at Ipanema Beach.  Very cool.  Lots of interesting ´stuff,´ much of it original.

All day at various places people parade.  There is a schedule and if you wanted you could make sure you got to them.

Remember when Steve Martin and someone else played two very out of cultural sync eastern european guys on Saturday Night Live who wore a lot of polyester and kept trying to act ´cool´ and saying that they were ´wild and crazy guys´?  I feel a lot like the guys they were making fun of.  There were times when I even thought I was a bit wild and crazy but never - ever - really was wild or crazy.  So why someone like me comes to Carnaval - other than that I wanted to check out Brasil and it fit my schedule - is a mystery.  I honestly do not understand what people want from this.  Why does anyone come here?  Is it like Spring Break where people give themselves permission to act like they would not act back home?  It is not obvious how they ´hook up.´

Rio (central) is a lot dirtier then BA.  Also, much more diversity in body types, colors, demeanors. 

The people in Rio and in BA do not hustle you when they are selling at the markets.  They are the shyist people about commerce I have ever been around.

Rio is much more expensive then BA, especially where I notice it the most - the cost of transportation.  Rio has a subway called the Metro (Subte in BA).  In Rio the busses and the Metro cost $2.40 Reales ($1 dollar=$1.60 Reales).  In BA it cost $1.10 peso and each peso is worth about a quarter.  BA is huge and sprawling but I could get almost anywhere using the Subte + walking.  Here I use the Metro and then catch a cab.

There is a fabulous, free exhibit in downtown of the works of M.C. Escher.

I´m going to go rest up to get ready for the Samba dancing at the stadium.  Begins at 9 and goes to about 4.  No way will I last until it is completed.