Word: sambas
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...Romario to admit that not all the 999 goals were scored in first-class games. In the U.S. or Europe, the admission of such chicanery in pursuit of a hallowed sports milestone would likely be condemned as unscrupulous, if not immoral. But in Brazil, where the original malandros of samba songs were celebrated for their ability to triumph through deceit and cunning, Romario remains a hero - or, at worst, a lovable rogue. He is the bad-boy-made-good, and in Brazil, particularly in Rio de Janeiro, everyone loves someone who can put one over on authority...
...More and more people are taking Guimaraes' advice this year as carnival returns to its roots and the street parties that were once the staple of the pre-Lenten festival. Until the 1980s, Rio's big samba schools paraded through the city center, their dancers, drummer and floats feted on all sides by enthusiastic revelers. But when the celebration moved to Oscar Niemeyer's sambadrome in 1984, it marked the beginning of the end for the spontaneous carnival of the people. Authorities began selling tickets to what had been a free show, pricing out many. Corporate clients reserved large parts...
...response, the Cariocas, as the residents of Rio are called, have chosen to go the other way, local instead of international, familial and not corporate. In recent years, thousands of people have set up their own little informal samba schools, known as blocos. Blocos are essentially groups of friends with a theme, a song and a desire to have a good time. Eschewing the formal paraphanelia or costumes of the official samba schools, they meet in public places and then dance around the block behind some music, often a witty samba poking fun at politicians or celebrities. The small ones...
...Year's Eve, or Reveillion, is one of Rio de Janeiro's most important holidays, second only to Carnaval. Extravagant beachfront celebrations unfold along Copacabana, attracting some 2 million revelers clad in white (to bring good luck and peace in the coming year). Live music ranging from samba to rock blasts from four stages along the beach. New Year's is also a day to honor Iemanjá--goddess of the sea and mother of the waters--with ritualistic offerings stowed in small wooden boats and launched in the surf. Tradition holds that if the goddess is pleased with a boat...
...poor keep arriving in the city of 18 million. As joblessness, crime and violence continue to grow, the rich are beginning to take flight. Mariana Montoro Jens, who works for an antiviolence ngo called Instituto Sou da Paz, says: "People think of this as the country of soccer and samba. But this is a violent country." The rise of the pcc is one sign of that. Says Ferréz: "In a place where the state doesn't care and the police are your enemy, this is what happens." Drauzio Varella says that the only way to restore order...