CARNIVAL RECIFE.....
Been there, done it, got the T shirt. We rose at 06.30am and along with Irene and Dick, Jenny and John walked a long walk into where it was all at. Even at 07.30 am it was already hot and sticky. The humidity here can be as high as 87%. There was no question of not knowing where to go one just followed one's nose. As we passed through the barrier we were issued with a condom. What a good idea. Not for us I hasten to add but for the younger generation! Even at that time in the morning the streets were mobbed.
I really take my hat off to the Brazilians. They really know how to party. We had come here to see the 'Galo da Madrugada', the "Rooster of the Early Hours", a parade that does a complete tour of the city centre. The floats were hugely disappointing. They were far too slow in moving, the music far too loud, (you could actually feel the vibration in your chest as you stood next to their monstrous speakers) they were frankly dull. It seemed to me that the majority were only there for the beer and 'jumping on the band wagon'. Many had not even bothered to dress up. Perhaps I am getting old!
The street party was more of a spectacle than the parade. All the credit must go to the people of Recife. They were the ones who entertained us. The outfits were as varied as they were amusing. A man dressed in only a huge baby's nappy, thousands in funny hats, clowns, pussy cats, red Indians, tarzans, people strutting their stuff on stilts. How some of them coped in the heat with their heavy claustrophobic costumes beats me. Even small children were all dressed for the occasion, little girls in their fairy outfits with mums to match. Fireworks heralded the start at 9am, the air thick with pungent smoke. Then the parade moved off, the rooster at its head with a sparkly king and queen to follow. They must have been chosen for their looks, certainly not for their dancing ability. The average men and women on the street were blessed with better rhythm. The floats ground to a halt for up to half an hour.
Even carnivals suffer from gridlock. The dancers ran out of steam, the musicians ran out of puff, they couldn't hold the crowds interest. But the street party continued anyway, all swaying hips and bottoms and dancing the 'frevo', fever. This form of dance originated from the blacks to balance the body. The atmosphere was infectious and when it really gets going you cannot help yourself, you are soon joining in, in the general melee. The most important thing in all this was that everyone was having a great time, letting go, having fun, enjoying themselves, having an absolute ball. I do now believe that there were one million people on the streets of Recife today. I held on tightly to David in the crush of bodies. It would not have been a bad idea to have had each other on a long lead, one of those things you can attach to young children lest they stray! We were very mindful of the security issues of taking cameras and money. Sadly David's decision to tuck a fifty Reais note in his shoe for safety did not pay off. It worked its way out and was lost. Someone, somewhere tonight in Recife is celebrating their unexpected bounty.
Drinks sellers were doing a roaring trade and not far behind were those who just as quickly collected up the empties. None of us had anything of the exhaustive energy of our seasoned party goers and by the early afternoon we were flagging in the 34 degree heat. Jumping in a taxi back to the boats, we spent the remainder of the afternoon cooling off in the pool while the revellers continued on into the night. Then to cap it all the heavens opened and we had quite a storm. Could it be said that the carnival was a wash out? Absolutely not! It will take a lot more than a strong squall to dampen their ardour. Ah, well, only another three more days to go.....
Susan Mackay