Enter the Blocos do Carnaval

Blocos are for the entire family, despite the drunken chaos.

I just wanted to inform the viewing public that things are escalating quickly here, and if this is only foreplay, than the climax is going to be explosive! Carnival in Rio de Janeiro doesn’t officially begin for another ten days, yet the city is already engulfed in festa (party). Samba schools like Vila Isabel continue […]

Brazil Carnival 2014 Preparation with Sabrina Sato

Carnaval 2014 - Rio de Janeiro - Brazil - Unidos de Vila Isabel - Sabrina Sato

As Rio de Janeiro gears up for Carnaval 2014, my roommate took me to go party with last year’s Carnaval champions, Unidos de Vila Isabel. You’re probably wondering the same thing I was when I showed up at the party and noticed all the trophies… doesn’t everyone win at Carnaval (Carnival)? Turns out, the famous […]

9 First Impressions of Living Rio de Janeiro

The View of Rio de Janeiro from Mirante Dona Marta

Two weeks deep and the reality of living in Rio de Janeiro is just starting to set in. I spent my first six days in Brazil at a hostel in the upscale neighborhood of Ipanema, where it felt more like a vacation than the start of a new adventure. It can be difficult to comprehend […]