Brazil: The Salvador Carnaval
Adam Gold checks out the South American Party of the year.
A colourful band perform in front of Pelourinho Church, Salvador
Carnaval...the Salvador Way
By Adam Gold
If you love being right among the action at big parties - with live music all night and a tropical sea of beautiful people revelling in each song - look no further.
There's a lot of hype about the Rio Carnaval, Berlin's Love Parade or the Notting Hill Carnival. But it's the annual Shrove Tuesday-based Carnaval in Salvador, a city in north-eastern Brazil, that's thought to be the planet's greatest knees-up.
The Salvador Carnaval celebrates what was traditionally February's big blow-out for Catholics before the restrictive period of Lent. It was later mixed with the African drum rhythms of the 'Candomble' religion practiced by the country's former West African slaves, supplying its distinctive music.
What you're left with is a fiesta of caipirinha cocktails, barbecue kebabs, booming yet slinky tunes, and a very sexy atmosphere.
For six balmy nights a year, the historic colonial city of Salvador becomes one giant dancefloor for two million Brazilian party animals from all walks of life.
They bounce joyfully around the slow-moving 'trios electricos' (giant trucks loaded with speakers), the bands and their gorgeous dancers on board rocking out 'axe' music (pronounced 'a-shay') all night.
→ Next Page: How to join in
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