Sambodromo was definitely the highlight of my trip. I did not take my camera with me to this amazing event—even the cariocas scared me talking about thieves all the time—but everything is in my memory and will stay there until I die. I have not been to Olympic games ever but I imagine this was if not better, similar to the size and grandeur of it.
I met up with Stephen’s friend Ricardo again at the Batafago Bar in Ipanema, he was there with his cousin and some other friends. It was around 1 am, we left the bar and “pegamos” a bus to the center of town where the famous Sambodromo is located. Sambodromo is a 2 km long street, with tribunes and many entrances. Ticket prices differ from $200 US to 10 reales (approx $20 dolars), or even free (there is a popular tribune where people line up to get there super early and I don’t recommend it just because it is actually outside sambodromo, not inside, where schools line up before parading). Usually cheapest ticket options are sold months in advance and the free seats fill in the early hours of the day before the show.
The official parade of the Samba schools, there are 13 or 14 of them is divided in two. Sunday and Monday night, depending on their general ratings from previous years line up, seven schools the first night, and other seven the second night. Most samba schools if not all are located in favelas—shanty towns of Rio all around its periphery. Any individual can go and take classes, or join the parade by buying the costume from the school and meeting them hours before the parade, (at the concentraçao) where they are given basic instructions by the Apoai (group leaders). Each school has a theme and have up to 10 Alas (ailes), and 5 carts which reflect this theme. The participation price to the parade depend on what ala you want to be—or can be—and school. You may have to go to Rio a couple of days before or find an agency on the internet that would love to arrange it all for you for a wholesome price. Before entering Sambodromo I thought it was an overrated tourist trap to pay so much money to walk in the parade as if you were a real dancer, but now that I saw what it is, and how much passion and joy it brings to the participant, as well as the school’s regulars, it is definitely something I would do when I go back. I also recommend a good read, a book called Samba by Alma Guillermoprieto, a great writer who wrote about her one year learning samba in one of these schools.
Anyways, we got out of the bus, around the famous Central Station (the famous Walter Salles movie). Almost 10 block-radius around the stadium was already closed to traffic and there was an immense street party going on all around it. Aside from bars who had tables and chairs, there were people selling cheaper drinks, food, and weird Walking towards the ticket office, a dancer from one of the schools (which I am yet to find what is called), who had an amazing costume and a hat, when saw me looking with admiration to his outfit, said I could have his hat if I wanted to, so within the first 15mins I was there, I had a wonderful original costume! I put it on and started dancing immediatlely!
As we approached one of the 13 entrances to Suipacha (the name of the Sambodromo) ticket re-sellers approached us. They started off with 50 reales, but we managed to take their price down to 20, me being turk helped, I have to say, not only for my bargaining skills but also the seller and I got into futball talk, Tafarel, etc then we were friends, and also he said he was amazed with my eyes and that Sambodromo deserved such a "beleza" during carnival!
We got tickets for section 6, which was, of course, all the way other side of this outrageously big stadium. Started walking towards our entrance, half lost, some guy who spoke spanish perefectly told us to follow him, he was a guide working for a samba school, The famous Mangueira. I dont remember his name but we talked all the way, he was the son of a "turkish" family and he was very nice and invited me to go to his samba school next year and do the parade, which I decided I will do it, hopefully, no matter what!
We bought some beers, and walk up to the tribune, and after that, we partied until the early hours of the morning, dancing, watching the parade, drinking, talking with strangers. There were no fights, no disrespect, no crime. PLease if you ever go to Rio, be careful as you would in any big city, but I think it is not much more dangerous than the streets of Istanbul these days.
We were lucky enough to enter just in time to watch Vila Isabel's defile, the school that one this year, and needless to say it did deserve it, there was not one mistake at their parade, as my knowledgeable carioca friends explain.
The show ended around 7 am, and we all walked back from our tribune all the way to the bus stop, around 45 mins, by the time I came to the hotel, I was still so excited from what I have witnessed that could not sleep.
PS: This year's champs: Vila Isabel, their theme was a tribute to America's, funded with a huge contribution from Venezuela's Hugo Chavez. Smaller map is Sambodromo.
No comments:
Post a Comment