Carnival magic in Rio

Astrid Harrison on 18 June 2019
Rio de Janeiro has always been on my bucket list since I was 15 years old. Finally I got to go this year for my birthday in March when the Rio Carnival was in full swing. I travelled business class on LATAM Airlines from Johannesburg via Sao Paulo to Rio de Janeiro and it was an amazing experience. The food, cabin crew and entertainment on the aircraft was great though their product needs a little updating.

Upon arrival in Rio, I was greeted by the most enthusiastic driver that I have ever met, for my transfer to my hotel in Copacabana. The hotel that I stayed at was situated right opposite Copacabana Beach so the views were amazing. The hotel offer their guests an exclusive service of beach chairs, assistance and umbrellas on the beach, so there was no need to purchase these. On the beach there are these make shift bars that serve the most delicious drinks like pineapple caipirinhas, and once you purchase a drink from them, they offer a WIFI code so you can post all your pictures. For purchases on the beach, I would suggest using cash rather than your card, just for safety. The hotel, for the time period during the Carnival also had their own security which made me feel real safe.

While in Rio, I also did some sightseeing. I visited the icon of Rio, the Jesus My Redeemer. Seeing this statue was just so awe inspiring, I just could not believe that I was standing at the feet of the magnificent statue. I arrived there just after 1pm so there was a rather massive crowd trying to take iconic pictures of the statue. I also visited the Selaron Steps and Maracanã Stadium. It was finally time for the Carnival! Many hotels are able to pre-arrange transfers to and from the Carnival to ensure that guests have a safe experience in getting to and from the Sambadrome. I would highly recommend taking advantage of this as its cheaper than catching a normal taxi or uber and its also safer because you'll know exactly who the driver is. It's quite important to remain alert while walking to the Sambadrome and being inside while watching the Carnival as the crowds are massive. I travelled with little as possible and had a little sling bag that contained essentials like my phone, money and hotel address. The experience of the floats, dancers, music and food at the Sambadrome were proudly Brazilian. I had so much fun dancing with strangers trying to do my own version of the Samba.

One thing I learnt about the Brazilian people, they love their culture and take so much pride in it. They enjoy sharing this with visitors and that is just one of the reasons why I will definitely visit this city again.