Thursday, March 17, 2011

~ Brazilian Carnival ~

Today is St. Patrick's Day ~ So Happy P Day for all who celebrate!!
The girls will have a St. Patrick's Day 'marathon' at school today, they have to run 5 miles.... or maybe 1-2, it depends what they are capable off. We will see how far they come :-)

But I like to tell you about another celebration we had last weekend.... I know a bit late, but there were good reasons for that! What matters is that we celebrated.

The Carnival of Brazil is an annual festival held forty-six days before 46 days of Lent, Roman Catholics and some other Christians traditionally abstained from the consumption of meat and poultry, hence the term "carnival," from carnelevare, "to remove (literally, "raise") meat." Carnival celebrations are believed to have roots in the pagan festival of Saturnalia, which, adapted to Christianity, became a farewell to bad things in a season of religious discipline to practice repentance and prepare for Christ's death and resurrection.

Carnival is the most famous holiday in Brazil and has become an event of huge proportions. The country stops completely for almost a week and festivities are intense, day and night, mainly in coastal cities. The consumption of beer accounts for 80% of annual consumption!! and tourism receives 70% of annual visitors. The government distributes condoms and launches awareness campaigns at this time to prevent the spread of AIDS.

Brazilian Carnival ~ WOOHOO! WHAT A PARTY!!

Even the little ones are joining the party, Fernanda ~ Marta's daughter, changes her glasses according to the mood of the party... the wilder it gets, the wilder her glasses get! She was so cute dancing away!!



My friends Marta & Candice hosted this wonderful party full of Brazilian Carnival music, Brazilian food and snacks and drinks galore.





A bunch of happy and later... drunk people :-) Why do people party so hard you think? Because after carnival the Catholics used to go into Lent... till Easter.

See for yourself how fun it was!









You shed a lot of calories dancing the WHOLE night away like this!



Even Tien Po was dancing, that does Brazilian Carnival do to you!



In the Netherlands we come from the South and there we celebrate Carnival as well, but since it is winter time there it looks different than the famous Carnival from Rio, where people go halfway naked... in the Netherlands it would freeze your butt off!

But here in Joburg we celebrated big as well, it doesn't matter where you are as long as your friends are around!
Thanks for hosting Marta & Candice... you are party animals and the party was FUN :-)

Did you celebrate Carnival??

Have a fabulous day!
Mireille

3 comments:

Annie said...

Looks like you all had such a fun party, Mireille!!! Here in the southern states, a lot of people do celebrate Carnival, but it's called Mardi Gras! It is very big in Mobile, Alabama and of course, New Orleans.

Mireille said...

Of course, Mardi Gras is so fun as well!! I love the southern vibe...

Wendy said...

If my kid had to run five miles in school, she'd be in the next town!

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