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BY Nancy Mueller Leave a Comment ON December 18, 2014

Ring in the New Year in Rio!

New Year's Eve in Rio

(photo courtesy of flickr – Leandro Neumann Ciuffo, Rèveillon 2013 – Copacabana – Rio de Janeiro)

So, how do the Cariocas (as Rio’s fun-loving city inhabitants call themselves) ring in the New Year in Rio? Let’s take a look . . .

Fireworks

As with many cultures, the start of the New Year in Brazil represents a time of renewal, a fresh start and hope for the future. In Rio, the biggest celebration takes place on Copacabana Beach where millions of partygoers flock to the shore to watch the midnight fireworks display set from ocean barges. Meanwhile a steady samba beat fills the sultry summer evening air.

Cultural Traditions

New Year’s in Rio honors the city’s rich cultural heritage. For starters, revelers wear all white clothing to symbolize a cleansing of the past and a welcoming nod to the New Year. But to attract a certain kind of luck, many add accent colors, too, each with its own symbolism: red, to attract love and romance; green, for good health; and yellow for prosperity.

Another popular New Year’s tradition comes from Candomblé, Rio’s Afro-Brazilian religion. In this ritual, celebrants cast white flowers, floating candles and toy wooden boats with small gifts into the ocean as offerings to Yemanja, Queen of the Seas. Believers say that if your tokens return to you, your wishes will not be granted, though nothing prevents you from trying again.

Just after midnight, merrymakers jump into the ocean to skip over seven different waves, making seven different wishes to Yemanja for the New Year. But legend says that if you turn your back while going back to shore, your wishes will not come true.

Food

Naturally, Rio’s New Year festivities include favorite Brazilian foods for good luck, like lentils, pork and fish accompanied by the pop of champagne to bring in the New Year. And where does chocolate fit in, I wonder . . . ?

Rio NYE

(photo courtesy of flickr – Leandro Neumann Ciuffo, Rèveillon 2013 – Rio de Janeiro)

Feliz Ano Novo, wanderboomers!

Wander on!

Nancy

Have you ever celebrated New Year’s in Rio, wanderboomers? Where’s your favorite place to ring in the New Year?

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Activities, Brazil, Culture, Holidays Tagged With: Candomblé, Copacabana Beach, Feliz Ano Novo, New Year, Rio, Yemanja

BY Nancy Mueller 8 Comments ON April 3, 2013

C is for Catching Carnival Fever in Rio

RioCarnival

Souvenir Postcard

Simply put, there’s no adequate way to prepare for the over-the-top spectacle of Rio’s famous 5-day bacchanal celebration.

Leading up to the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday, Brazil’s most famous festival celebrates life on a grand scale, compensating for the Christian faithful’s fasting in the days ahead.

NancyinRio (450 x 336)

WanderBoomer, before Carnival

I had arrived in Rio de Janeiro a few days before the start of Carnival, eager to meet up with Brazilian friends I had met on their visit to the States. Everywhere I turned in the city, newspaper headlines, billboards and TV announcers screamed in Portuguese, “Carnaval! Carnaval!” accompanied by photos of smiling dancers in elaborate costumes partying on top of lavishly decorated parade floats. Samba music filled the airwaves. And all that happened before the festival started.

RioSambaDancer (336 x 450)

Once Carnival began, all-night neighborhood street parties sprang out throughout Ipanema and Copacabana. Many Cariocas (locals) had already fled the city, businesses shut down and traffic came to a halt.

SambainRio (336 x 450)

Cross-dressers took to the streets, teasing passerby’s with their come-hither looks and invitations to embrace the spirit and mischief of Carnival. The fun spilled over into the nightclub scene where the music never stopped, allowing individual musicians to slip off stage for only a short break while the rest of us danced on and on.

So, go ahead, add Rio’s Carnival to your travel bucket list, but only if you’re ready to accept that life as you know it today will never – ever – be the same again.

NancyPostRioAdventure (391 x 450)

WanderBoomer, after Carnival

What about you, wanderboomers? Ready to blame your new persona on Rio?

 

Filed Under: Activities, Baby Boomers and Travel, Brazil, By Land, By Ship & By Sea, Destinations, Rio de Janeiro, Travel Experiences Tagged With: A - Z Blogging Challenge, Blame It on Rio, Brazil, Cariocas, Carnival, Copacabana, cross-dressers, Ipanema, Rio, Rio de Janeiro, Samba, street parties

Hello fellow wanderboomers! I’m a Seattle-based travel journalist, specializing in fun travel adventures for the young at heart. My articles have been featured in Hemispheres, AAA Highroads Magazine and Northwest Travel & Life Magazine where I'm a frequent contributor. When this Wanderboomer isn’t traveling, I help global executives polish their personal and professional brand for long-term results.
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