Many
hide provocatively behind the famous Carnaval masks.
Most of the performers, who
practice all year long, are from the sprawling favelas on the edge of the city.
Yet, as they dance and preen in their gorgeousness they throw off for a while
the grim reality of poverty.
Not surprisingly, anything goes...
Beyond
the streets, are the magnificent masked balls or parties, which abound in the
clubs of Copacabana and Ipanema.
Inside,
exotic and colourfully dressed people move irresistibly to the upbeat rhythms
of Samba and the evocative strains of Jazz until the wee hours.
If you're lucky,
you might even run into Carmen Miranda, Snow White or Wonder Woman! But be careful!
The chances are she's a drag queen!
Nowhere,
is the African heart of Brazilian Carnaval felt stronger though, than higher up
the coastline in Bahia, where turquoise waters lap palm-fringed beaches and the
partying is not only mainly on the streets. It's also free.
