Country in review: Brazil

Image credit: Flickr

What springs to mind when you think of Brazil? Football? Sandy beaches? The country has even produced some top-notch movies. Everyone always thinks of Brazil as being a land full of people with soul, and it really lives up to the hype. But there’s one time of year when Brazil shows the world exactly why you’d love to live there: Carnival!

Carnival is an annual festival held across Brazil in the days immediately before Lent. In much the same way that some countries celebrate Pancake Day, Carnival is a way of letting loose before a period of holding back a bit. Almost the entire country takes the week off for one of the biggest parties in the world.

Carnival really shows off all of the best aspects about life in Brazil. For a start, the music is amazing. Samba’s great even in small bars but it really comes to life at a Carnival parade, where the explosive drum beats provide a fantastic rhythm nobody can resist dancing to.

The pageantry at Carnival is truly astounding. As the picture above shows, the parade is a really bright and vivid treat for your senses. We’re sure you’re all aware of the parade outfits which are so famous throughout the world and we really can’t think of any more exciting costumes, anywhere! The party’s different wherever you go, be it Rio, Sao Paulo, or even some of the smaller towns.

Away from Carnival, Brazilian food is another of the country’s great strengths. As one of the contributors to our Hints & Tips Tool says, Brazilian food could well be the best in the world. Like much of Brazil’s culture, the food is a result of a real mix of influences. There are elements of native, European, African and Asian cooking in there, so there’s really something for everybody.