ce texte a été produit en anglais par The Traveller, un adepte de la culture carnaval. Nous lui serions très reconnaissants de nous accorder le droit définitif pour la reproduction.
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COMITE INTERNATIONAL CARNAVAL |
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Le Carnaval comme Moyen de Culture |
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organisation administration partenaires comité monde |
contact définition entrée projet boutique musée histoire Haïti localité |
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ce texte a été produit en anglais par The Traveller, un adepte de la culture carnaval. Nous lui serions très reconnaissants de nous accorder le droit définitif pour la reproduction. |
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HI FROM SALVADOR DA BAHIA, BRAZIL by The Traveller – From the airport, it was all color, with the artists. Girls in local traditional costumes and smiles are at the reception area. The faces of Ivete Sangalo, Bell Marques, and Claudia Leitte are the most popular on the walls ans the billboards. One is to think that the era of Daniela Mercury, la Reina do Sol, is over.
It is hot, 85 degrees in Farenheit. New York is running two hours behind Salvador, the Capital of the State of Bahia. It is pre.Lent carnaval. It is one of the carnavals in Brazil. Zhere is one carnaval in every state. But in Bahia, we have the best. It is big, huge street party that last seven days. Two millions people from all over Brazil, from all over the world dance, drink in the streets for seven days. One can choose four different circuits.
Most people in the world know of made for TV carnaval of Rio de Janeiro ; it is a big parade of the state Samba schools that last 18 jours a day on two carnaval days. The main attraction is naked women. Seating in the Sambadromo and attending to this parade is the best experience you can enjoy. It is the best show on Earth, year in and year out. Broadway in comparison is a laughable dwarf. Some floats cost one million dollars. See ? In Rio, beside the parade, there are many large, crowed club and private parties.
In Salvador da Bahia, there is no parade. Thanks. The party is in the streets, basically 24 hours a day for seven days. On the Ondina circuit one lives between the beach and the avenida. Each artist is on a truck followed by thousands of fan wearing the t-shirt of the day. A massive human explosion in uniform jumping and dancing to the psychedelic rhythm of a king of energy-loaded music called Axe (please, pronounce ‘’a-chay’’)
From the airport, the streets are filled with cars. Most of the drivers are shirt-less. This is the firts year, for the 12 years I have coming to Bahia for carnaval, that I have to drive through such a dense traffic. Que pena ! I need to get to my hotel, the Atlantic Towers. It should not take more than half-hour from the airport. Will these people understand that I have just flown nine and half hours, 7737 kilometers, from New York’s JFK to Rio, before boarding a second flight from Rio to Salvador. Almost 12 hours of flying times, 20 hours of travel time, including limo rides, airport waits.
We are on the Barra-Ondina circuit. It is annual reunion of the members of the Dream Team. Freinds by intellect, comrades by love of travel. We go around the world, but meet in Bahia once-a-year, with many Barzilians friends, for the greatest street party in ethe world. Only te of us will make it this year. We will fly from different different cities. Paul should arive last. By Friday mid-day, the 2011 team should be complete, ready to rock, amidst the laughters, the dances, the jokes, the pranks, the telling of old memories, the serious discussions on the affairs of the world, and the travel plans for the year to come… Oh ! I forgot ; the detailed planning of the 2014World Cup trip as well.
At the Atlantic Towers, that was more than a warm welcome. The staff knows us by first names. We have been coming here, at least twice a year, for carnaval in the winter, and for Sauipe Folia in September. We are the only guets who don’t need wristbands.
I went to the mall, at Shoping Barra, to charge my local cell phone with minutes and get some Brazilian cash. Carnaval is expensive ; one need cash. It is party there, too. Not quite for me though, my dollar is only worth 1.65 real, and I am upset ! Lula da Silva, during his 10-years as President, did a great job with the economy. In 2003, we used to have 3.25 reais for 1.00 US dollar.
One thing has not changed in Bahia since I set foot there in 1999, for the first time. There are too many pretty girls in the street. Only the pretty and the very pretty ones are allowed to live. The less-pretty ones are ordered to go to esthetics surgeons to fix their nose, their breast, their chim, their tummies ; this explain why Brazilian are the world largest consumers in cosmetic surgery ; Venezuela is the first. The less-than-pretty ones who fail surgery are exiled to foreing lands where life is very difficult. And the not-pretty-at-all ones become human sacrifices to the Godess of Beauty, during ceremonies that happen at the half-time football games played at the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro, in front of 200,000 spectators. Weeeee !
Reporting late, very late, from Salvador da Bahia, Brazil, Capital of the Street Party Carnaval in the World, this is the Traveller. (The Traveller, Monday, Marsh 7, 2011 ; I left New York on Marsh 2nd). for an education on the Carnaval of Salvador da Bahia, please, click here : http://www.bahia-online.net/Carnival.htm |
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Copyright © Comité International Carnaval 2010 Conception : Crossline Design Studio mis à jour : 14-06-2011 |