Olinda: A Very Traditional Carnaval

On the final day of Carnival, we took the bus to Olinda for a very traditional Carnival experience. The Carnival in Olinda is famous for its 24/7 street party that lasts for a week and a half! I really don't know how the locals do it!

It is held in the Square known as Quarto Cantos or Four Corners. The streets are rough cobblestones which make it hard on the feet, especially when being pushed along by a crowd of humanity. There is a lot of music playing and throngs of people moving with it. This Carnival is noted for its huge colorful paper-mache' dummies that march though the streets.
One of the highlights of Carnaval in Olinda is the opening day, which starts with th bloco of As Virgens do Bairro Novo. Apparently, this is a very amusing drag queen parade. We were there on the last day so we missed it.

Even though this was daytime, there were more security issues than at the evening events. The crowd was huge and pressing. It was hard to walk as you were just pushed along in the crowd.



When the various parades came by, you could easily get crushed or pulled into the line. One woman in the parade told me to put my camera somewhere safe! I had been holding it to take photos. She did not know that I also had it attached to my body with two different straps. I took her words seriously.


Unfortunately, one of our group members had his camera taken right out of his hand as he was walking. I think he took a great risk in chasing after the young man who took it. He saw the thief change his shirt so he couldn't be easily identified. Fortunately, nothing happened to cause harm other than the loss of his camera.


Another one in our group had his iPhone grabbed out of his pocket. It was a new one, too. We had been warned not to take cell phones to the events. One other guy in the fleet had a few hundred dollars stolen out of his pocket. Again, we were warned. Dennis carried our cash in his shoe and only took what we didn't mind losing. That all took a little edge off the fun of Carnaval, although, it was not unexpected. It was just the reality that hit you!

I think our experiences were more interesting than going to Rio de Janerio and sitting in the stands watching the parades go by. Our son-in-law was once at the Rio Carnaval and decided he wanted to march in the parades so he bought an outrageous costume with a huge headdress so he could get in it! It probably cost him a small fortune, but at least he can say he did it!

 

In the heat of the day and with very tired feet from the cobblestones, we escaped from the crowd and found a beach a few block away! It was a perfect place to enjoy some shade and lunch. And the people watching was fun, too. All in all, it was a great day and we were all ready for the bus ride in the air conditioning!