Tuesday 16 February – Fat Tuesday – Shrove Tuesday – Mardi Gras
Rio de Janeiro
It’s hot. Well it’s always hot in these parts but it’s hot today. We go to the beach. Well it’s only one block away. Copacabana is a long beach, but very busy, much like a popular Mediterranean beach. And it’s also wide, which means that when you have to walk across it to the sea, the chances are your shoes will melt and your feet will burn.
So it comes as a bit of a big surprise, then, to discover that the water is icy cold. I mean, it’s literally freezing. My guess is that it comes straight from the Antarctic. That presumably can be the only reason as other places on this latitude – the Tropic of Capricorn – don’t have water this cold. But at least it is a refreshing contrast to the air temperature.
In the evening we resolve to check out Ipanema as we hear it’s more happening than Copacabana. Well one thing’s for sure, it’s more gay! Enough to make your eyes water. Luckily we find an Irish pub where they’re showing Champions League football to redress the balance. Funnily, the Portuguese pronunciation of Wayne Rooney sounds like Waynie Rooney.
We have some drink and food and find out from a rather overbearing Irish guy that there is a really good club in town. It’s in Marina del Gloria, and it truly is a marina of glory. Clearly in the rich part of town it’s a glorified marquee by the marina, which is full of expensive yachts and motorboats.
Armin van Buuren is playing. He’s a top Dutch trance DJ and is awesome. We dance like idiots and have big grins on our faces, despite only drinking alcohol. The girls are hot but totally not interested. Though I do talk to a few and find out that this night is put on for those that don’t like samba. For Mardi Gras, Rio knows how to put on a good alternative.
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